All about PTE – Pearson Test of English

Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) is a new, international, computer-based English language test. The test accurately measures the listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills of test takers who are non-native speakers of English and need to demonstrate their level of academic English proficiency.

Features of PTE Academic:

• Leading computer-based test for international students
• Schedule tests up to 24 hours in advance
• Results typically in 5 business days
• Accepted by leading universities and colleges worldwide
• Test centers across India (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune)
• Send unlimited copies of results to institutions online for free

PTE Academic benefits:

• Take a test at short notice. You can book online, 48 hours in advance. Or book by phone just 24 hours before.
• Convenient test center locations. With a network of test centres around the world, it is easy to find a location that suits you.
• Flexible dates, driven by demand.  If you can't find a date you want – tell us and depending on demand, we will open that test date
• No delays or waiting around. You complete the test in one sitting.
• Fast results. Results are typically made available within 5 working days.
• Widely recognised: The English language test is accepted by thousands of programs around the world. No matter whether you want to work, live or study abroad, PTE Academic can help get you there.
• Free and unlimited: Send your test scores to as many institutions and organisations as you want – we do not charge extra.

Delivery mode:

PTE is a computer-based test.

Eligibility:

• PTE Academic is for non-native speakers of English who need to demonstrate their English language ability.
• You must be at least 16 years old to register for and take the test
• If you are aged 16 years at the time of registering, you must provide a signed parental consent form before taking the test.

Scores:

Scores for PTE Academic are reported as a profile of your level of ability in listening, reading, speaking and writing, and in six enabling Skills. When you sign into your user account and click ‘View Score Report’, a new window will open that contains your score report. Please note that if you have taken the test on more than one occasion, all reports will be available to you for up to two years from the test date, and you should check carefully that you are looking at the correct set of results.

The score report has a number of different sections:

• The first section contains your personal details and photograph.
• In the middle of the report, your overall score is shown.
• The final section of the score report has more details on how you performed on the test.

The individual scores for listening, reading, speaking, and writing are shown, along with the scores for the six enabling skills. You may find this detailed profiling useful for understanding your strengths and weaknesses. It can show you the areas where you performed less well and indicate where you could focus for improvement.  

Note: Your test taker score report is for your personal use only, and will not be accepted by recognising institutions. Institutions will only accept scores that have been allocated to them by test takers via the website. You should not email or post copies of your score report to an institution.

Sections and components of the test:

Type of questions:

• Test time: The complete test is delivered in one session of approximately three hours. There is a timer on each screen to show you how much time remains for the current section. If you are in a room with other test takers, you will each have a different version for security reasons. Do not worry if you see or hear other test takers moving more quickly or slowly than you through the test. Focus on your own screen and how much time you have left.
• Breaks: You will have the option to take a short break after Part 2 of the test, (Reading). Instructions will appear on the computer screen at the appropriate time. To take the break, follow the directions on the screen. The break is scheduled for 10 minutes, which includes the time it takes for you to sign back into the testing room and return to your desk. If you exceed the allotted 10 minutes, the time will be deducted from the following part of the test. If you do not want a break, the break time will not be added to your test time.
• Reviewing answers: You should remember that after answering an item and clicking Next (N) you will not be able to return to previous items and change your answer. There is no opportunity at the end of the test to review your answers.
• Listening items: Some items test your ability to listen to spoken English. The test makes use of different varieties of English, for example, British, American, and Australian. You will hear audio and video clips only once, and you will be able to adjust the volume on each item. You will not be able to replay the video/audio clips during the test.
• Speaking items: Some items test your spoken English proficiency. You will be asked to speak into a microphone and record your answer. You will not be able to re-record your responses. If you do not respond within three seconds of hearing the tone, your response will not be recorded and you will have to move to the next item.
• Writing items: Some items test your written English proficiency. You may write your response in any standard form of English using a recognised spelling convention, e.g., British or American. For these items you have a specific amount of time to respond. If you do not answer the item within this time, you will have to move to the next item.

Time duration

PTE Academic is three hours long and is split into timed parts. When the time is up on a section, the test will move on automatically. The test encompasses 20 different types of task.  Some tasks will test integrated skills (e.g. reading AND speaking).

Frequency of the test:

It’s an On Demand test. You can take PTE Academic as many times as you like. You must wait to receive your scores before you can book your next test.

Preparation material:

The Official Guide to PTE Academic will help you get ready for PTE Academic, giving you the best chance of getting the score you need. These Teacher Notes have been specifically designed to accompany the Official Guide to PTE Academic and provide teacher support. The Notes are arranged in a series of 15 lessons, each of which focuses on one or two of the PTE Academic item types, plus two suggested recap lessons.

The lessons take a step-by-step approach to skills building across the series through scaffolded practice and spiral learning. After completing all lessons, test takers will have practiced all item-related skills as listed in the Official Guide to PTE Academic and gained a thorough understanding of the PTE Academic item types.

You can purchase the Official Guide to PTE Academic from Pearson directly or online. Also, PTE Academic Test tutorial is a free resource that gives an overview of the test. PTE Academic Practice tests enable you to practice all skills.

Fee for appearing: PTE Academic costs INR 9,350 in India

Booking:

• You can register online for the test 48 hours in advance
• You must visit a Pearson test center to take the test of English
• There are test centres worldwide
• Test centres across India (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Pune)

Note: If you are taking the test in Bangladesh, India, Japan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Singapore or South Korea you must present your passport as ID, regardless of your country of citizenship. There are no exceptions to this policy.

How to apply:

• Go to www.pearsonpte.com. Under ‘Quick Links’ on the right side of the screen, click on ‘Register for PTE Academic’.
• Carefully read all the information on this page before clicking on ‘Register for PTE Academic’ at the bottom of the page. The registration and booking website will open in a new window.
• You will now see the Pearson booking website menu for PTE Academic. To register to take PTE Academic, click on ‘My Account’. If you have not yet registered your details, click on the link to create a new web account.
• Enter your personal details, including your name, address, email address, date of birth, and where you are from. Make sure you complete all the required fields with correct and up-to-date information.
• Important information:

1. Please enter your name exactly as it appears on the identification you intend to bring with you on your test day. Please refer to the Identification and Security section of the Handbook. If the name on your account and the name on the ID you take to the test center do not match, you will not be allowed to take the test, and you will lose your test fee.
2. You must use Roman characters when you register.

• Please note: After you have entered all of your registration details and completed all the required fields, you will receive an email within one to two business days (Monday to Friday). This contains a confirmation of your Username and Password which will allow you to access your account and schedule your test. You can call Customer Service team to book a test at short notice to avoid potential delay.

• Helpful Hints:

1. Use a valid and secure email address where you can regularly check your messages. This is where your Username and Password will be sent, as well as your booking confirmation, notification that your results are available and messages from Pearson.
2. Once you have received an email from Pearson, you should add the Pearson email address to your address book. This will prevent any Pearson email messages from going to your junk /spam email folder and possibly being forgotten or deleted.

Countries accepting PTE:

Search by country for institutions recognising PTE Academic

• DIAC recognised PTE Academic for student visas last year
• UKBA recognize PTE Academic for all visa tiers
• Top Universities in UK, Australia and US recognise PTE Academic

Source: PTE Academic