PTE prep tips: Listening section: PTE (Pearson Test of English - Academic) is one of the most popular English proficiency exams taken up by international students to get admitted to universities abroad. It consists of 3 components: Reading, Speaking & Writing, and Listening to test your skills in the English language. In this article, we have listed some tips & tricks for the PTE Listening section, which will help you score better.
PTE Exam Preparation - Listening Tips and Tricks: For the PTE listening section of the PTE Academic Exam, candidates would be required to answer questions based on audio and video clips. Candidates should note that they would get to listen to each audio or video clip only once. The full form of PTE-A is the Pearson Test of English - Academic and is one of the most sought-after English language tests for candidates wanting to study abroad.
The PTE-A exam is made up of the PTE Reading section, PTE Listening section, PTE Speaking section and PTE Writing sections and in this article, we are going to focus on the PTE preparation for the Listening section of the exam. Read on as we discuss the PTE Listening Tips and Tricks, PTE Listening Test Format and the PTE Listening Module for the benefit of our PTE Exam aspirants.
- Top 4 PTE Listening Tips and Tricks
- PTE Listening Module
- PTE Listening Section Tips
- PTE Listening Test Format
- PTE Listening Prep Tips FAQs
Top 4 PTE Listening Tips and Tricks
As informed earlier, we are bringing our PTE aspirants some of the most sought-after PTE Listening tips for the candidates to ace their PTE Listening section.
- Candidates should listen to the recording with concentration
- Candidates should be able to frame their response around the main idea of the recording
- Candidates should check the grammar, sentence structure, spelling and vocabulary of their finished response
- And all sections of the PTE Exam are timed and they should be able to practice time management to be able to complete the section in the given time frame.
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PTE Listening Module
The table below shows us the current and new PTE Listening Section Question Topics and the number of questions per topic that would be tested during the PTE exam.
| PTE Listening Section Question Topics |
PTE Question Format |
|---|---|
| 1 - 2 |
|
| Multiple choice, multiple answers |
1 - 2 |
| Fill in the blanks |
2 - 3 |
| Highlight correct summary |
1 - 2 |
| Multiple choice, single answer |
1 - 2 |
| Select missing word |
1 - 2 |
| Highlight incorrect word |
2 - 3 |
| Write from Dictation |
3 - 4 |
| Total Questions |
12 - 20 |
| Time Allocation |
30 - 43 minutes |
PTE Listening Test: Summarize spoken text
- Restrict your answer to 50-70 words.
- You can start by saying something “The speaker said”
- Use the provided notepad to write down the keywords.
- Close your eyes for better attention.
- Focus on the theme and most repeated words.
PTE Listening Test: Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers
- Don't make blind guesses as this question has a negative marking
- It is recommended you read questions before the audio starts.
- Stay focused till the end as the answers could be in the end.
PTE Listening Test: Fill in the blanks
- Use the provided notepad to take notes otherwise, you will miss the next word.
- Carefully listen and determine whether the word was singular or plural, with an article or not etc.
PTE Listening Test: Highlight correct summary
- Understand the theme and the message conveyed by the speaker.
- Use the elimination method to narrow the options.
PTE Listening Test: Select the missing word
- By the first half of the audio, you will have a good idea about the topic and three-fourths way in you can predict how it will end.
PTE Listening Test: Highlight incorrect words
- Review your answers before submitting, in case you have missed something.
- Double-clicking a word will unselect the word. So click only once.
- This part has a negative marking, so be careful.
PTE Listening Test: Write from dictation
- It is better if you type your answer directly on the computer instead of taking notes on the notepad first as it will save time.
- Check the spellings, singular and plural forms, punctuation etc.
PTE Listening Section Tips
Given below are the general Listening Section tips for candidates wanting to ace their PTE Exam.
- Listen actively, which means learning to listen to English songs differently. Focus on the lyrics which require more attention.
- Watch movies and TV shows first with subtitles and then without subtitles.
- Listening to new content will increase your vocabulary which will improve your understanding of spoken English while listening.
Also, Read
PTE Listening Test Format
In the PTE exam, Part 2 of the PTE test will assess your PTE Listening skills. The total time allotted for the PTE Listening section is between 45 - 57 minutes. Note: Candidates would get to listen to each audio or video clip only once.
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PTE Listening Test Format - Overview
| Type of Question | Task | Clip Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Summarize spoken text | After listening to the recording, write a 50 to 70 words summary (Listening and Writing) |
60 to 90 seconds |
| Multiple choices, choose multiple answers | After listening to the recording, answer a multiple-choice question on the tone or content of the recording (Listening) |
40 to 90 seconds |
| Fill in the blanks | A text of a recording appears on the screen with several gaps. After listening to the recording, fill in the missing word in each gap (Listening and Writing) |
30 to 60 seconds |
| Highlight correct summary | After listening to the recording, select the paragraph that best summarizes the recording (Listening and Reading) |
30 to 90 seconds |
| Multiple choices, choose a single answer | After listening to the recording, answer a multiple-choice question on the tone or content of the recording by selecting one response (Listening) |
30 to 60 seconds |
| Select missing word | After listening to the recording, select the missing word that completes the recording from a list of options (Listening) |
20 to 70 seconds |
| Highlight incorrect words | The text of the recording appears on the screen. While listening to the recording, identify the words in the text that differ from what is said (Listening and Reading) |
15 to 50 seconds |
| Write from dictation | After listening to the recording of a sentence, type the sentence (Listening and Writing) |
3 to 5 seconds |
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PTE Listening Prep Tips FAQs
To succeed in the Listening section of the PTE exam, make sure that you closely follow the instructions that come before each audio recording. As you listen, write down the important points as you can take help from them in recording your response. If you miss something, don't stress and just focus on understanding the main idea of the question and then respond according to the provided information.
The PTE Academic listening section includes eight question types that test your ability to understand spoken English and extract information from audio clips: Summarize Spoken Text, Multiple Choice (Multiple Answers), Fill in the Blanks, Highlight the Correct Summary, Multiple Choice (Single Answer), Select the Missing Word, Highlight Incorrect Words, and Write from Dictation. Each task assesses your comprehension and sometimes your writing skills, using lectures, conversations, and presentations.
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The listening section in the PTE exam involves listening to a recording and then answering a few questions based on what you heard on that recording. You can listen to the recording only once. So, here are a few tips that can help you perform well on the listening section of the PTE exam-