It has now been a couple of months since I took the PTE exam for the second time, but I still find myself thinking about it quite a lot. It’s not so much a test as an experience— one I am not likely to forget anytime soon! My PTE adventure was a bit of an emotional roller-coaster (read about how I failed the PTE and then got a PTE 90), and in the end, I took away two very important lessons. I would like to share them with you here because I think they’re important to consider before you go in. I sure wish I had known them before I wrote the PTE exam for the first time!
Would you like to receive a free PTE study timetable and an online course recommendation from E2Language?
Fill out the form below and we’ll email you with a free study timetable to suit your needs AND our recommendation for the right E2Language PTE preparation course for you!
PTE Exam Secret #1: You can’t just “wing it”
The first time I took the PTE exam, I assumed that as a native speaker I could just “see how it would go” and still come out with top marks. Unfortunately, I was very wrong, and this was reflected in my scores. Here is the problem: many people think to themselves “I speak great English, I have top marks in English at school and I practice with my friends all the time! An English proficiency test should be a piece of cake!” Here is the problem with that logic: English proficiency tests are not just about English.

There you have it, the secret is out! Remember, the PTE exam exists to assess your ability to operate in a completely English environment, be it a workplace, a university or a training program, and to do this you must be skilled at critical thinking, social interaction and problem-solving. My old French teacher used to say, “it’s one thing to speak another language. It’s another to be yourself in another language”. I don’t think truer words have ever been spoken. Not only do you need to prove your proficiency, you need to prove your skills and strengths in a language that is not your own.
What you can do:
You’re smart. I know you’re smart. You know you’re smart. You can do this, even if it seems frustrating and discouraging. All you need to do is skill build and practice, and all that takes is time, patience, and a bit of determination! Here is a magic formula that will help get you get there:
1. Assess your skill level. Find practice questions and material (a great place to start is our PTE free trial) and get a sense of what the PTE exam questions will look like and what you find challenging. One thing that we see a lot at E2Language is people who are unrealistic about their skill level and their timeline. They are completely lost and confused about the PTE test format, yet they’ve booked their test for the next week and are determined that they can improve in an extremely short period of time.
IF YOU ARE IN THIS SITUATION, PLEASE RECONSIDER WHAT YOU ARE DOING!! This kind of thinking is a recipe for disaster. I know there are deadlines, I know you think you need to do it sooner rather than later, but it is NOT worth failing the PTE and losing confidence just because you wanted to get the exam over with.
2. Stop doing practice questions immediately! Now that you know where you stand with your level, it’s time to work on your weak points. Our PTE experts can help you with this. Not only can they work with you to create a realistic study plan that suits your needs and timeline, but they can also provide support in the areas where you struggle most. Many people don’t realize that they struggle in a broad area like reading or writing because they lack or have forgotten the building blocks (like basic grammar, sentence structure or format) that these broad skills are based on.
Our teachers can identify the missing building blocks and help you add them to your repertoire. Practicing questions over and over won’t help you improve or get the PTE test result you need. Building on your knowledge will. If you’re looking for free resources, check out our free PTE webinars and the PTE activities available on this blog!
3. Reassess yourself. After you’ve worked on your skills, you’ll need to know where you stand again. Feedback from your E2Language tutor is an excellent way to assess your new level. Now is also the time to try out some more practice questions and get a sense of your improvement. Once you are comfortable with your improvement in your weaker areas, it’s time to get serious about practice questions.
A lot of people think that mock tests will get them to PTE success. I have to dispel this myth. Mock tests are useful WHEN you know what you are doing. When you are using them as your only means of preparation, they are a complete waste of your time.

PTE Exam Secret #2: Surviving the PTE testing environment is half the battle
I really don’t want to scare you, but I also want to be completely honest; the PTE exam centres are not even a little bit fun. They are stressful environments filled with nervous people, security measures, and (most importantly) lots of NOISE.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it over and over again: most of us do not prepare adequately or appropriately for this environment. We are trained to find quiet, comfortable places to study, and PTE exam centres could not be further from this setting. You must sit in a cramped cubicle for over 3 hours with the deafening sounds of other voices and frantically tapping keyboards surrounding you. You can’t eat or even drink water during this time, and any stretches or excessive movement you make could put you under suspicion of cheating.
What you can do:
1. You need to get used to studying in chaos. Record yourself practicing a speaking task in a bustling café, try a reading exercise on a noisy tram, or listen to fascinating podcasts in a public park with an outdoor band playing 10 metres away. It sounds a bit silly, but I promise you it will pay off. Your brain will start to get used to tuning out irrelevant information and focusing on the task at hand. It will be frustrating at first, but you will notice a difference in how you handle distractions.

2. Along the same lines as training your brain to tune out chaos, you can try a nifty trick I learned back when I worked in a neuroscience lab. Instead of rushing through the PTE instructions and starting the speaking section as soon as you can, take your time. Wait until you hear people around you begin their speaking tasks, and give yourself another minute after that. Your brain will do this amazing thing called “habituation”, or in other words, it will get accustomed to the sounds around you and will start to ignore them. This will make it a lot easier for you to focus on your own task at hand.
When I wrote the PTE for the first time, I was the first to begin the speaking section. It was going okay until other people started speaking, and then I was completely thrown off. Why? My brain did something called “sensitization”. As soon as a new stimulus was introduced (in this case, 5 other voices booming through the small space), my brain fixated on it and allowed me to become distracted. The second time I wrote the PTE, I was the last to begin the speaking section and I noticed a significant difference in my level of concentration and focus.
3. Take the PTE earlier rather than later. Again, this is basic neurobiology. Your brain activity is at its peak in the early morning, and around lunchtime it declines rapidly along with your body temperature, making you sleepy and less responsive and productive. Jay and I took our first PTE at 12 pm after eating lunch and I’m pretty sure I almost dozed off by the time I got to the listening section! I did my second PTE exam attempt at 9 am and I felt sharp, alert and ready.
I hope my insights can help you on your PTE exam day! Best of luck! Be sure to check out our Free PTE Practice Activities while you’re here.
Navdeep Singh says:
Thank you for the suggestions.. I have my exam this coming Wednesday on 12th October.. I have gone through the material you guys have posted on the website and it has been a great help.. will let you know how it goes.
Thanks Again!!!
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
Hi Navdeep, that’s great! Please do let us know how it goes! 🙂
Navdeep says:
Hey Kaia,
It’s a good news.. I got my PTE result today and I got 90 in speaking. Thank you so much for your help!!!
Overall my score is 79 which is exactly what I wanted.
Thanks again..
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
Hi Navdeep,
CONGRATULATIONS! Well done, that’s amazing news! No problem whatsoever, I’m so glad you found my tips helpful. Good luck with everything in the future! 🙂
Navdeep says:
Thank you so much.. You guys made my day..
Navdeep says:
You guys made my day.. Thanks again.. God bless you
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
🙂 Thanks Navdeep!
navjot says:
hi i’m navjot can you help me pls, because i give pte exam 2 times but my speaking don’t goes up , in which pronunciation is about 10 and fluency is 46 what i can do ?
Karan says:
Can you share your experiences and your tips regarding PTE with me?
Because, my test date is 12 august.
Sanjay RAJPUROHIT says:
You help me plz….
olivia says:
We’d love to help you!
Message our expert Duty Tutors at this link: https://help.e2language.com/support/tickets/new
Share your exam, previous scores, and next exam date!
They may be able to suggest which package for you to purchase.
Gayathri says:
I’m getting 10 in my pronunciation even though I wrote 4 times n can I know how
can i improve that.
olivia says:
This may help you! 🙂
https://blog.e2language.com/increase-pte-oral-fluency/
GOOD LUCK!
Isabela Paredes says:
Hi world, im going to do PTE tomorrow I dont know how to feel I’m a bit nervous honestly speaking I dont want to study right now.wish me luck😵
Kaia says:
GOOD LUCK!!!! Hope it goes well 🙂
Gretchen says:
Hi my name is Cheng. I’m planning to take the pte probably at the end of April or May but i feel that am not ready. I am not so good in English and that is make low my confidence. How can i boost my confidence? I really wanted to pass the pte exam so that i can work in Australia as a nurse. Please help me on how to start with. Also, i purchased one of your review materials but i feel like it not helping me at all. Please give me some advice because i am losing now my patient on this. Thank you.
olivia says:
Please go ahead and reach out to our trained and available Duty Tutors via this link: https://help.e2language.com/support/tickets/new
We want to help you ASAP!
Amanpreet says:
Hello please give me some tips in listening i need 6 each in pte and i am attempting this test second time.
Abhiram says:
Hello Amanpreet,
Its fantastic to see you connecting with fellow students.
You can also join the E2 PTE Study Group in Facebook to connect with more students who are preparing for the PTE.
Best,
AC
Jonny says:
how do i join E2 PTE Study Group in Facebook to connect with more students who are preparing for the PTE ?
Jonny
Abhiram says:
Hello Jonny,
You can request to join the group in Facebook and our moderator will approve your request.
Best,
AC
Prithvi says:
Hello , i am prithvi and i have my PTE exam next Wednesday and this is my third attempt i am lagging behind in Grammer and the score needed is 65
olivia says:
We wish you all the best! If you ever need more help with grammar make sure to use our E2 Learn English Resource: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfV4dbtV-ZnyqSrKc6zbDtg/videos
CHEERS
Olivia, The E2 Team
Manisha says:
Ol d best
Ram Vijay says:
Very Valuable Secrets. Thank you. I am preparing for PTE exam and enrolled to Package 1 in E2Language. I was thinking of Secret 1 to execute it but I was not sure whether I am right or not. But now got confidence to execute it after reading your post. Do keep posting. 🙂
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
Hi Ram,
I’m so glad to hear that! Best of luck with your preparation, we are thrilled to have you with us! 🙂
Karan says:
Please share your tips with me because I am also a PTE student.
Janetcherian says:
Hi, thank you for the suggestions. I wrote PTE thrice 😔 But couldn’t achieve my desired score, again m going to appear on 19th of October . I need 65 in each and overall 65. Can you please suggest me something. I have gone through most of the webinar E2languagae.com.
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
Hi Janet,
I’m so sorry to hear that! What areas are you struggling most in? If you let me know, I can try to provide tips for those specific tasks.
Have you signed up to our free trial and done all the practice questions there? If not you can do so here: http://www.e2language.com/home/pte
You can also talk to a teacher through our “whiteboard” feature and ask them specific questions about what your difficulties are! 🙂
Good luck!
Hao says:
Hi Kaia,
Thanks for your sharing. Just add one point for your second bullet of secret #2 regarding sensitisation and habituation.
Although it worked for me from the outset, this method had a minor shortcoming when it came to the final minutes of the speaking section. I started later than others. Things were going right with me used to the chaotic noise in the test room, when near the end of the re-tell lecture suddenly everything around turned silent. I was like… scared of the awkward silence and my mind wandered for a moment. After realising everyone else had done their parts, I gained my concentration back and finished mine. But then again, I might have missed some points in the final lecture.
In short, it is essential that we practise to be familiar not only with noise, but also with quietness.
Cheers.
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
Hi Hao,
This is a really great point, thanks so much for writing your comment! You are absolutely right, silence can be just as awkward and distracting as loads of noise. Sometimes it just comes down to a timing game I suppose. Let us know how your PTE goes, and thanks again for the valuable insights!
Hao says:
Hi Kaia,
Thanks for your comment.
My scores, just delivered, go like this:
L-R-S-W 68-72-68-71
G-O-P-S-V-W 90-51-78-90-86-90
which are far below my target of 79+.
Still, I knew right after the test that I performed poorly in the listening and reading parts. However what I couldn’t expect is that those integrated sections would affect my writing score, like R&W Fill In The Blanks. that much. Besides, the fact that I couldn’t get many points in Re-tell Lecture section influenced my fluency.
In fact, I’m preparing to sign up for your course today mate.
Liton Joy says:
Hi Kaia,
Thanks for sharing your all valuable posts which I have been notified recently.
Today I get my PTE result which is, in fact, disgusting news for me. I know I have limitation on speaking section and I have also missed a lot in the exam time which reflect my speaking part. But I can’t map with other 3 sections outcome. I have some queries:
i) Is ‘Read Aloud’ part connected with reading section marking rather than only speaking?
ii) Is ‘Repeat Sentence’ part connected with listening section marking rather than only speaking?
iii) Is ‘Retell Lecture’ part connected with listening section marking rather than only speaking?
iv) Is ‘Answer Short Questions’ part connected with listening section marking rather than only speaking?
v) Is ‘Summarize Spoken Text’ part connected with writing section marking rather than only listening?
vi) Is ‘Write From Dictation’ part connected with writing section marking rather than only listening?
And How “Written Discourse” works?
If those are really relevant for marking, then it is tough to gain good score without performing well particularly in speaking section.
Though I am fed up with my result, but I am not giving up. I will register with ‘E2 Language team’ very shortly after identifying my appropriate package.
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
Hello there,
I’m sorry to hear about your PTE results! To answer your questions all together: yes, although there are separate sections on the test (speaking, writing, reading, listening), more than one skill is often assessed at the same time (i.e. “summarize spoken text” assesses your listening AND writing as you said). It seems like you have a good understanding of the multiple skills being tested at the same time! This is why it’s so important to develop a method for answering each question that will address ALL the criteria being tested.
As for “Written Discourse”, this essentially means the overall quality and coherence of your writing. You can have grammatically correct sentences that are too basic, too short, or are all the same! This is where the “writing discourse” score comes in. To improve your written discourse, you have to not only improve your grammar and sentence structure, but your ideas and organization as well.
Don’t give up!! We would love to help you reach your goal. If you’re not sure which package you need, you can set up a free consultation with one of our PTE experts here: https://calendly.com/e2languageteam/infosession
We can take a look at your scores and figure out how much one-on-one time and assessment support you will need! You can do this!! 🙂
Roma says:
Your calender is showing full for almost next year 2017. Kindly advise
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
Hi Roma,
I’m sorry to hear that- it must be due to the busy time of year! Please send us an email at [email protected] with an overview of your previous scores (if any) and what you think you need to work on, as well as any questions you may have. An E2Language tutor will get back to you within 24 hours with information and answers to your questions! 🙂
Roma says:
Sure… thanks will email u 🙂
Sith says:
Hi,
I did Ielts academic three months back and got 8 for speaking and listening 7 for writing and reading. Then I did pte academic on last week and my results are unbelievably law. I got speaking 46, reading 59 , listening 69, writing 75. I am desperate now what to do. I need each 8 or equivalent in pte. In pte, I hv to improve more than 30 points for speaking, while 1 total band for writing if it is ielts general. Please what is your suggestion. My speaking is natural in front of a person than in front of a computer.
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
Hi Sith,
It sounds like you did very well on IELTS- why did you take the PTE academic? Are you not able to use your IELTS scores?
If you can use IELTS scores for your requirement, it really sounds like you should try again with IELTS. It’s obviously more suited to you and you already have a good sense of the format.
If you have no choice but to take PTE- it sounds like you need to do some serious research about the PTE format and methods. A lot of the reason why people find it hard to switch from IELTS to PTE is because of the format switch and a lack of understanding about how it works. I’ll give you some resources below, but I also really recommend that you look into one of our PTE courses to help get you on track with boosting your scores.
PTE Youtube Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvSdD8_0DAKn-ThHWhAhoAg
PTE Practice Activities:
https://blog.e2language.com/weekly-pte-practice-activities/
Helpful Blog Posts and Videos:
https://blog.e2language.com/increase-pte-oral-fluency/
https://blog.e2language.com/pte-90/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjqGINI_Prk&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDHJBTgLykc
Again- if you have the chance to take IELTS, it sounds like a better option. 1 band improvement in writing shouldn’t be too much of a stretch with practice.
Here is our E2 IELTS YouTube channel if you decide to stick with IELTS (it has some useful writing webinars):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCglDIsg_Z9mE2oT9hsrbzFA
And our Free trial IELTS course.
Good luck!!
Sith says:
Hi Kaia,
Thank you very much for the reply . The reason I did switched was I need each 8 to get higher points for immigration . the results that I got from ielts academic was enough for my skill assessment, luckly two 8s and two7s just minimum requirement for teaching occupation. It was third time I tried and finally got it. But now I need each 8 in ielts general. I was doubting when I switched to pte. But everyeone get what they want from pte results. That’s why I also tried. I have never heard anyone got each 8 in ielts .Anyway, do you have a course for ielts general. Letter and essay in particular. I saw you have ielts academic. In ielts, i hv issue only with writing. But in pte, everythin except writing . totally opposite..I have also booked a pte test again for 15Feb as difficult to get a test date if I do it. I feel getting ready for both ielts and pte and try. Do you think it is a good idea. I will have to focus on both at the same time.
Thanks a lot!
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
Hi Sith,
Sorry I missed this earlier! I’m not 100% sure that it’s a great idea to study for both tests at the same time because they are so different and it might get quite confusing! I would focus on PTE first, then study of IELTS after if you feel PTE didn’t go as well as you hoped. I think one at a time is a better way to go.
We are working on a course for IELTS general but don’t have one just yet. We do have PTE right now though, so please feel free to set up an information session with one of our teachers if you want to chat about setting up a study plan for your Feb. 15th test! You can click here to set one up: https://calendly.com/e2languageteam/infosession
Good luck!! 🙂
Suresh says:
Hi Smith,
Did you get your desired result from PTE ? or did you get back to IELTS for fulfilling your required score ?
Nitin Bose says:
Is there any provision to use our personal headsets (with noise cancellation) during PTE?
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
Hi Nitin,
Unfortunately not. I think Pearson’s mentality is that if they allow that provision to one person, it’s unfair to the rest. I completely agree that noise cancellation headsets would be ideal- but until Pearson decides to implement them for everyone, they won’t be an option. 🙁
Rodrigo says:
Hi Kaia,
I love your writing its very neat and easy to understand.
I can see why you scored 90 in PTE. Even reading your writing I can improve mine. So many collocations and nice vocabulary.
bustling café, tuning out irrelevant information, a cramped cubicle, frantically tapping keyboards, to dispel this myth
to try out some more practice questions, a nifty trick, etc.
Thank you for the video, your ideas clearly reflect what happens in the exam.
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
Thanks so much, Rodrigo! Your kind comment made my day! 🙂
Good luck with the PTE!
Nikhil Joy says:
Hi Kaia,
I took Pte test yesterday and received the score today. I was aiming for 79 in each module and my scores are below.
Listening – 78, Speaking – 87, Writing – 78, Reading -80
This is my first attempt and I prepared for about a month using the help of E2language.
My enabling skills scores are below
Grammar -90
Oral fluency -72
Pronunciation-72
Spelling -78
Vocabulary -90
Written discourse – 70
I would like to redo the test again.
Could you please guide me on the areas which require improvement.
Regards,
Nikhil
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
Hi Nikhil,
Can you please send us an email at [email protected]? If you are a paid member of E2Language, you’ll get a free post-test follow-up with a teacher to make a plan of action and determine where to focus your improvement efforts! If you are a free user, you can send your report card to us and a tutor can make a recommendation to you about which or our courses best suits your needs and how we can direct you to the most useful resources!
Just from looking at your scores (you are INCREDIBLY close), I would say that if you took our most basic package and had the opportunity to create a study plan with your teacher and have a one-on-one tutorial on top of using practice materials, webinars and exercises- you could easily boost all your scores well past the PTE 80 mark. It looks like you just need a bit of direction, method and strategy guidance and support from a tutor.
Make sure you take advantage of all of our free resources too (like upcoming webinars for free members, youtube videos and blog articles).
Good luck to you, you are almost there!!
Nikhil Joy says:
Thanks Kiai for your quick reply. Yes, I am a paid member and i have already booked an appointment for a post test follow up with a teacher on the coming Monday. Hopefully will crack it this time after my follow up session. 🙂
Regards,
Nikhil
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
No problem, Nikhil! That’s great to hear. Good luck!!!!
S M says:
Hello Kaya,
I am a paid member of E2Language basic package. I have practiced all the materials the E2L site and followed all the processes during my first test. Still I scored L- 71 R-69 S- 67 W-74 . I need min 79 each. Now I have upgraded to the maximum package “I’m desperate” and going through sessions with Lee, Sasha and David but not getting enough confidence in scoring 79 in actual test. I’m very nervous though..
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
Hello there,
It sounds like you are in good hands, those tutors are excellent and know their stuff! Besides having those great teachers to support you, here are some other things you can do to get the most out of our course and get that PTE 79:
1. Attend every webinar and PTE live mock test we offer (or watch the recorded versions afterwards!)
2. Don’t forget to use all of your speaking and writing assessments. The feedback you will get from your submissions is very valuable!
3. Subscribe to our YouTube channel so you can keep up to date on new PTE tips videos like this one.
4. Subscribe to this blog to make sure you follow all the latest PTE articles.
5. Never be afraid to email us ([email protected]) with questions or ask us using your Whiteboard. Someone will always get back to you within 24 hours! Remember, you’re part of the E2Language family and we are here for you! Don’t hesitate to contact us with your questions and concerns so we can support you in the best way possible!
Good luck!
Soumi says:
Thanks a ton Kaia for all your valuable feedback. It would be great if you could let me know the links to get all the recorded versions of the webinars and live mock tests.
Thanks,
SM
Kaia Myers-Stewart says:
Hi Soumi,
It’s my pleasure! Are you a paid member with us? If so, you can request access to all recordings through your whiteboard or by emailing us directly ([email protected]) and the tutor on duty will provide you with access! 🙂
S M says:
Hello Kiaya,
Where do I get all recorded mock tests? I didn’t all in YouTube channel.
BTW, I’m a paid member on E2L
Umesh says:
Hi,
Thanks for sharing great stuff. I am also planning to prepare for PTE but i have one question regarding PTE. I had gone through website https://www.pteacademictests.com/pearson-test-of-english/ and find that pte test also have negative marking for few section. Could you please confirm the same ?
Thanks in advance…
Kaia says:
Hi Umesh,
Yes, that’s right. The PTE has negative marking for Listening & Reading Multiple Choice Questions. 🙂
czasha says:
I failed my first PTE. I’ve got low mark in speaking but high scores in writing and listening and a fairly average mark on reading. My overall score was 56. I would admit that I struggled in Repeat Sentence and Describe Image as the room was noisy and distracting because all of us were speaking all at the same time. Also, I have a very short term memory and I could not repeat the sentence as exactly as I hear it, especially those which are long ones. I am thinking to switch from PTE to Ielts as I think that I am more comfortable speaking to a human face to face and express more of my self than listening and talking to a computer. Is it advisable to switch or will I just improve my speaking and reading skills?
Please help!
Kaia says:
Hi Czasha,
Honestly, if you are easily distracted and more comfortable speaking to a human examiner, I definitely think switching could work for you. Keep in mind that you will need to learn a whole new set of methods and tasks for IELTS though, and you may struggle with different aspects of the test. It’s probably worth it to look into switching to IELTS. Here’s what I would do:
1. Check out the types of questions and tasks on the IELTS exam. You can find practice questions in our blog practice bank or in our IELTS preparation course free trial.
2. Visit the E2 IELTS YouTube channel and watch some of our methods webinars to get a sense of how you will need to practice and prepare for IELTS.
If you decide not to switch to IELTS, check out these resources to help you with your Speaking and Reading scores:
1. PTE Repeat Sentence Tips
2. Common PTE Speaking Mistakes
3. PTE Speaking Help Video
4. Describe Image Methods Webinar
I’d also highly recommend that you look into one of our PTE or IELTS preparation courses to help you get on track and build up your weaker skills! Good luck, I hope it goes well next time!
juhi says:
I score 90
feeling great
Kaia says:
Congratulations!
raman says:
hlo frnds plzz help me i m weak in reading my exam date is 14june i have only one day plzz give me seggesion how a can solve it second problem in speaking repeat sentence plzz give me tips
Kaia says:
Hi Raman,
Please email us at [email protected]!
Rajesh says:
hyy friends, i have so much need pte material so Plz anyone sand pte material on [email protected]
Abhiram says:
Hello Rajesh,
Please send across your recent test scores, the scores you are looking to achieve and your next test date to [email protected] so that we can identify the right package for you.
Best,
AC
Harry says:
Hi Kaia & Jay. First, let me say thanks for your very useful videos.
I took the test recently and got the following scores
L 88 R 79 S 78 W79
G 78 O 66 P 77 S 20 V 90 W 90
which came as a surprise to me as I was only aiming for 65 the first time. However what also strikes me is the 20 in spelling I’ve got. I don’t write with perfect spelling but couldn’t help finding that odd, let alone how it does not seem to affect my grammar and writting.
I hoped that maybe you can shed some light on this with some analysis and advice.
Abhiram says:
Hey Harry,
Strange enough, I agree! Unfortunately, Pearson do not disclose their scoring 🙁
Not So Great says:
Hi.
I was wondering if anyone can tell me how much marks one gets in listening if a person does not attempt any question from listening MCQs (both single & multiple correct). For the remaining listening questions he answers all parts correct.
To rephrase, how much MCQS contains marks out of 90 for listening part?
I am asking this because even after a lot of practice, i am hardly able to give a correct answer for this part. (I got 7.5 in listening in IELTS, lucky I think.)
Abhiram says:
Hello,
The breakdown of marks is confidential and only Pearson is aware of this 🙂
Best,
AC
Deepa says:
Hello,
Could anyone please send me PTE material for preparation, i only have 1 week time to prepare and i struggle a lot in speaking. I’m aiming for 65+ in each module. My last scores were S W R L- 54, 74, 70, 69.
Abhiram says:
Hello Deepa,
Hmm! We hope you’re exam went well.
Please let us know your results and we would be glad to assist you 🙂
Tanveer Hussain says:
Please help me especially for jay sir on Pte . My reading and writing skill is very weak please improve my vocabulary and writing skill. I’m very worried about my Pte test .my Pte requirement band i and Pte requirement band is 65 not less than 50
Abhiram says:
Hello Tanveer,
Please send across your latest test scores, the scores you are looking to achieve and your next test date to [email protected] so that our Duty Tutor can assist you right away!
Best,
AC
vijay says:
hello i have a big doubt,when we complete read aloud and describe image sections in less than 30 seconds .
is there any problem
because,in the instructions in speaking section tells us if u stop more than 3seconds we will get zero marks
so please clarify me plzzzzz
Abhiram says:
Hello Vijay,
It is okay if you finish your answer within 30 seconds. To be on the safe side, please click “NEXT” manually after you finish answering.
Best,
AC
Arvind Ram says:
Hi team,
Your blogs are nothing short of wonderful. Please allow me a few lines to talk about my experience with the PTE Academic test (first attempt) that I took last week. My scores are out and I am completely gutted right now. My goal score is 79+ in each section and I am running short of ideas right now to tackle this test. Not to sound pessimistic or as if I am complaining but importantly, when I look at past questions (including the PTE Practice Tests Plus book) and some of the videos that I have gone through on youtube and the questions that I faced last week, I have a feeling that the test has become infinitely more difficult to handle. Here are my scores:
Overall: 60
L: 53, R: 78, W: 61, S: 51
Enabling skills scores – Grammar: 90, Spelling: 90, Written discourse: 90, Vocabulary: 86, Pronunciation: 43 and Oral fluency: 61
I must also point out that I did face a few technical problems at the test centre. In retell lecture, my microphone stopped even while I was speaking (and there was no 3-second pause from my end) and that cost me. In listening, maybe because of the complexity, I was taking too long on questions and could manage to complete only 13 out of 17 questions – which meant I missed out on ‘Write from dictation’ and possibly one highlight incorrect words.
I need to take my next attempt in about 3 weeks as I have to have positive scores (79+ across) in about a month’s time and file my application as soon as I can post that. It’s a race against time and my result right now is giving me the jitters – moreover, the test is not cheap and paying $200+ for each attempt can drive people nuts. Clearing this test and getting 20 points does seem like a daunting task in front of me right now. Please help!
Thanks very much for your time and space.
Warm Regards,
AV.
Abhiram says:
Hello AV,
Thank you for sharing your opinion.
We are happy to assist you here. Please email [email protected] with your questions so that the Duty Tutor can assist you.
Best,
AC
Vasanth Krish says:
Hi,
I took my PTE exams yesterday and this is my second attempt. My scores are Writing 87, Reading 65, Listening 78 and Speaking 44. This is seriously frustrating. I do no what to do now at all. It is like i have spelled all the words wrong throughout my exam. I am not that bad seriously. Please some one suggest me what to do now.
Abhiram says:
Hello Vasanth,
Sorry to hear about your scores 🙁
Please send across your latest test scores, the scores you’re hoping to achieve and your next test date to [email protected] so that our Duty Tutor can assist you right away.
Best,
AC
Jason says:
Hello,
Just a quick question please. Could you please provide an estimate as to how marks in the speaking section actually contribute to reading and listening scores?
I was looking through the marking rubric, and it is clear that many of these communicative skills overlapped in the speaking section.
Thank you…
Abhiram says:
Hello Jason,
Unfortunately Pearson do not share the estimated contribution or the pattern of scoring for the PTE exam. It remains confidential with them and we would not be able to provide any further information other than what you have read 🙁
Best,
AC
Arjun Velayudhan says:
Hi,
I took my IELTS exam and I scored
L=7.5
R=7.5
W=6.5
S=6.0
and my required score is 8 for each band or equivalent in PTE. Is it advisable to switch to PTEor stick to IELTS?
Abhiram says:
Hello Arjun,
Thank you for sharing your scores across. From the looks of it, sticking with IELTS seems to be the better option.
However, please email your latest score report, the score you are hoping to achieve and your next test date to [email protected] so that our Duty Tutor can provide further advice and assist you accordingly.
Best,
AC
Mark says:
Go for PTE I Was struggling to get 6 in IELTS now I got score 83 in PTE .This exam is very easy to score without actually improving our English but to out smart computer .However,speaking is only the one to work and get 79+ score.
Parag says:
Thanks for your valuable time & suggestion.
Mark says:
You can easily get 79+ score if you take PTE exam in India
Parag says:
Really !!!! I do not think so this is true. It is all about your preparation and what is your level of English. Very less Indians are good in speaking in general.
SP says:
Hi,
I have appeared in PTE test in September 2017 and my overall score was 68 covering 65 in each section.
However now i came to know that i need to acquire 79 in each section to qualify my application criteria.
Since i am full time working, i am very apprehensive that whether i would be able to score 79 in each or not? Since i think i am an average student.
So can you please guide me on this situation? or put some light that how hard it is to cross the bridge from 65 to 79 each? or much time one should devote to obtain 79 each ?
Regards,
Abhiram says:
Hello SP
Thank you for your comment.
Please send your latest test scores, the scores you wish to achieve and your next test date to [email protected] so that the Duty Tutor can assist you further.
Best,
AC
sonam says:
Hello i am going to give my exam on next week and its my third time. I need to scored 65 in all bands. Anyone suggest me the way to complete this
Rachit Khanna says:
Hello Team,
I did my IELTS in OCT 2017 and my score was 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Listening and 6 in speaking. Now I am planning for PTE and would need a 65 score in each individual section. Moreover, I was a regular average scorer in my school days and my English is also not so well.
I am actually a bit worried if I would be able to crack it in the first attempt or not.
Can some one please advice !!
Thanks,
Rachit
Suchi says:
Hello,
I had taken up my IELTS in Aug’17 and I scored 8 in Listening & Speaking, 9 in Reading and 7 in writing. Though my overall was 8, it is sufficient to get the required rating for my application. Now, I have finished my dates for PTE for April’18, to get a better score or +79 in all the 4 categories to hike my overall rating.
But somewhere, after booking my test dates and going through all the formats of PTE, I am beginning to wonder if IELTS is easier than PTE.
Can you pls provide me the details of how I can get in touch with E2 Language or any suggestions / guidance on how I can hike my scores in PTE.
Thanks
abhi says:
Hello Suchi,
I understand where you’re coming from.
Please feel free to raise this query with our Duty Tutor here and they would be delighted to guide you accordingly.
Best,
AC
Tippireddy Aravind says:
I need about pte preparation before examination
Sneha Jadhav says:
Hi,
I appeared for PTE first time and scored Overall score = 70
I Wanted better score 79+… Can you please suggest
My scores :
L-66 , R-72, S-85, W-66
Grammer – 67, Oral Fluency – 82, Pronounciation – 80, Spelling-56, Vocab-81 , Written discourse-69
abhi says:
Hello Sneha,
Sorry to hear about your scores and I believe your current scores are good for a first attempt.
Please feel free to reach out to our Duty Tutor to assist you further. You can raise your concern by clicking on this link.
Best,
AC
Vivan says:
Hi, I used your you tube channel to prepare and it was so helpful to me. Then I wrote my PTE exam today. Everything was pretty good even with little mishaps. however, my retell lecture was the most annoying. The noise and distractions was unbelievable. Am really hoping and praying that it does not cause a massive damage to my speaking score. Well tomorrow I will find out.
abhi says:
Hey Vivan,
Ahh, that is a very common instance for test takers.
Please let us know when you receive your test results *fingers crossed*
Best,
AC
Urjit Patel says:
Hii Kaia,
I’m urjit from india.My PTE score will expire within 20 days.I am planning for second attempt but i don’t know how can i improve my speaking and listening score. I had scored 49 and 47 respectively in first attempt. I am planning for further study in australia.
Specially, i have an problem in “Describe Image” and “Re-tell Lecture”. I can understand what image shows or speaker said but i can’t re-tell in a proper way..please give me any advise so i can crack PTE.
Thanks in advance..
abhi says:
Hello Urjit,
We are happy to assist you with your preparation.
Please share your latest test scores, the scores you wish to achieve and your next test date with our Duty Tutors so that they can advise you on the next steps. You can raise your query here: https://help.e2language.com/support/tickets/new
Best,
AC
Prithvi says:
Hello i have booked my PTE slot on next Wednesday and this is the 3rd time i am taking up the test i need to reach my score of 65 which uni requires
olivia says:
GOOD LUCK! We wish you all the best!
Erroll says:
Hi e2 language, Jay, Kaia and David.
I just want to thank your team’s help on making me pass my PTE-A 1st time. I got L-90, R-85, S-90, W-85. The method of e2language really works. I just want to share some of my observations as well.
L- I’m not sure why I got 90. I did some mistakes in writing dictation and repeat sentences. I think what matters is; just repeat whatever you heard and the sentence will still make sense and write the sentence with similar or synonym of the word you forgotten. I can’t remember 1 word in write from dictation, I just wrote a synonym to make the meaning the same. Possibly affected my writing score. Heheh
R-your methods really helped here on the reading part, multiple choice. Your mastery of vocabulary will help as well so you can understand the statements faster. Especially for the fill in the blanks.
S-fluency is the main key. I remembered I stop for a couple of times to think during describe image and retell lecture. But must keep the words flowing. Make your pause maximum 1sec. Also the intonation during read out loud really helps. It will make you sound like a native speaker. I remembered I wrongly read some plural forms of nouns, should have s, but I didn’t put the s sound at the end but still manage to get 90. I think the intonation is one of the key.
W- I admit, I’m not good in writing. But the method of e2language works. Especially if you have a good grasp of the topic which will really help for the words to flow. I got 2 essays which then I thought, this is bad. But the good thing is, the 2 topics were very familiar to me. Quickly I got some good arguments in my head and wrote it down. Don’t forget as well to review the grammar at least for the last minute.
Also, if you can take and try the Pearson scored test to get a feel on how the exam works. Will really help. Will also give you the idea which part of the exam you need to focus and to practice more.
I’m not a native English speaker. But I can say, the e2 language method really works.
Practice more, pray more and have faith from above.
Thank you again guys.
gurjinder says:
Pls tell me only one thing that, the coaching center from where am taking pte coaching, my tutor told me to speak too fast in read aloud module without stopping on any full stop and coma’s to till end of the paragraph. is this a right way to give test ?pls pls suggest.
olivia says:
No. Remember a computer grades you on ‘fluency’ which basically means that your speech is easy to understand! It would be hard to understand anyone who doesn’t pause or speak slow enough to articulate.
Madhuri says:
Hi i got PTE Score L-72 R-67 S-84 W-68. I have my PTE appointment next month end and now i m preparing for it and my target is to get 79+ in each module. So, please help me with the tips so that i can improve.
olivia says:
Hi there,
Woah! Next month! I totally understand why you’re looking for tips!
Please raise this request to our Duty Tutors by adding yourself a Support Ticket! (LINK: https://e2language.freshdesk.com/support/tickets/new)
They will get back to you ASAP.
HAPPY STUDYING,
The E2 Team
Preet says:
Hi Team,
I have given my PTE exam yesterday and i got below score :
Speaking:-60
Reading:63
Writing:50
Listening:46
Please suggest me , how can i get 65+ marks .
olivia says:
If you reach out to our DTs through our student support portal they can recommend which package would best fit you! (https://help.e2language.com/support/tickets/new) Just share with them your past scores and goal! (As you’ve done so clearly here) They are fully trained E2 professionals who will best be able to gauge your strengths and weaknesses and help you prepare!
Good Luck!
Olivia, & The E2 Team
Adi says:
Hello, I had appeared for the IELTS 2 years ago and unfortunately those scores are no longer valid. My IELTS scores were L- 8, speaking 7.5, reading 7.5 and writing 6. Should I switch over to PTE? As my writing is terrible and I sometimes fail to understand my own hand writing. IELTS computer is rolling out in my country but no dates available until December. Note: English is my first language. If that helps
olivia says:
This will depend on how strong you feel your Speaking is. The PTE is notorious for its TRICKY Speaking section! If you are confident in your pronunciation and oral fluency the PTE may be right for you!
The E2 Team
Arsalan Rashid says:
Hi Kaia,
Your article was inspirational, I need 79+ at all costs and only 3-4 weeks to prepare, your tips should go a long way. Anything else you can suggest, please let me know directly so we can expedite my prep which I’m officially starting today in hope of giving the exam a month from now.
Thanks again
Arsal
Neenu Saxena says:
Hi team E2 language, I gave my PTE twice in the last one and a half month. First time, i got speaking – 90, listening -78, reading and writing -76 each and second time, i got speaking-72, listening -82, reading-79 and writing-86.
I am unable to understand, what could have gone wrong in speaking so much. Yes PTE mentioned about the oral fluency but i spoke the same way as i did previous time.
Rachana says:
Hi Team,
I have appeared for PTE 6 times and looking out for 79+. Every time one or the other module gets score less than 79, especially either listening or reading. Can you please help me or suggest some coaching in order to achieve my desired score. Thanks.
Khurram hashmi says:
Hi Kai,
I really do appreciate your tips, particularly start practicing in the noisy environment, make sense:)
I have already signed up on E2 language, budget one although, but really don’t know how to control my fear of failing…it’s really hard to control and as i am approaching the test date, less than two weeks, i am getting more and more nervous about it….
would really appreciate if you can recommend some blogs or share some tips to overcome this psychological issues…
Madduma says:
Hi Kai,
I have done my PTE exam 4 times with not hitting my required score of 79.
Speaking I am getting 90 all the time but the other 3 sections is what i screw up.
The last exam my scores were.
Speaking 90
Reading 73
Listening 71
writing 70.
Overall 73.
Need your help is identifying my weak areas .
How can i join a crash course?
Thanks Madduma
wiljonn Caleb says:
I had my PTE Academic test last 03-October. During the speaking part, I got disconnected from the test three times (3x). I would like to ask, during the time I was disconnected from the exam, was my time continuously running from the PTE Server??
Ravi says:
Hi Jay, I am a subscribed member of the e2language and have my test today at 2pm. Unfortunately I did not come across this tip of taking the test first thing in the morning but registered on the time slot available.
Hope I can crack it with a high score! Will keep you posted. 🙂
Cheers!
Ravi
Cyril says:
Hello all,
I am planning to take the PTE Exam in some time. I really do not understand what the written discourse means. My vocabulary scores are lagging behind even when I have made a conscious effort to use “good” words. Could you please tell me how to improve the scores in written discourse
Thanks
Veena says:
I gave my PTE recently and scored L90, R88, S90, W90 . Overall 90. I just followed the strategies mentioned by E2 learning team. I did few attempts prior to this and was able to reach only between 72 and 76 in all modules.
I took the silver package. The assessment done by the E2 team helped to understand my mistakes and fine tune those.
Faisal Naeem says:
Hi,
That’s really a good score many congratulations.Need to know how much does it matter on how one performs on test day the mindset and body language.Also for scores above 79 in each module what is the one thing you’ll be advising or suggesting.
Thanks
Hridesh says:
Hello, I’m Hridesh. Plz can u help me to score 70+ in Speaking section of PTE. I failed to attempt good score in First time and scored only 48 overall . So, can u suggest me some tips & ideas please .
olivia says:
Thanks for reaching out Hridesh!
We would love to help you! If you are interested in signing up as a paid student with us we can suggest you a package and look at your detailed scores.
Message the team here: https://help.e2language.com/support/tickets/new (share your test, detailed scores, and next exam date)
Ali says:
I want to enroll with E2 language,,, what is the procedure and details?
thanks
leo says:
Hi Ali
Please visit our website – http://www.e2language.com to get more details.
See you there!
Thankyou
Divya says:
Hi Team, I have taken my PTE exam 3 times. 2nd time scored 65+ in all section except in writing with 64 :(. 3rd time, missed in Listening and writing with 64. can please guide me with tips in improving Listening, reading and writing little more. I have followed the tips and E2 structure given by Jay in the exam for writing.
olivia says:
Want to sign up for our packages?
Here’s how: https://help.e2language.com/support/solutions/articles/28000011304-how-do-i-sign-up-for-a-package-
Srujan says:
Hi
I’m Srujan, preparing for the PTE academic. I would definitely require your help and support to crack this exam. This is my first attempt towards PTE. So I request you to help me understand the pattern and support me in having a strategy to crack this test.
leo says:
Hi Srujan,
We would love to help you create your own E2 success story! Please refer to http://www.e2language.com/Course/PTE to find out which package will best suit your needs.
Best of luck,
E2Team
Jaya says:
Hi
I have took pte exam lastmonth which i got overall score 45. I need 79+ in all the modules. Please help me how long do i need a practice to achieve that score and what package do i need to enroll. Please help me thr steps that i need to take. Thanks.
Regards,
olivia says:
Thank you for reaching out!
Our expert Duty Tutors who are trained in package suggestions can talk you through informing you what we can help you with. Please share your exam, and previous scores to them via this link: https://help.e2language.com/support/tickets/new
We look forward to helping you!
Mohd arshad says:
Thanks for sharing your experience
ranjo says:
thanks for sharing very useful info
olivia says:
So happy you were able to get real value from this post! We really appreciate your feedback and encouragement!
Olivia, & The E2Language Team
Jaskaran says:
plz help me for pte exam on 17 march
olivia says:
Sure if you’re interested in signing up for one of our paid packages go ahead and check out this explanation on how you can register: https://help.e2language.com/support/solutions/articles/28000011304-how-do-i-sign-up-for-a-package-
Olivia & The E2 Team
Onkar says:
Share your exam experience and preparation stories Jaskiran!!
Abhitesh says:
Pls send me a free PTE study timetable and an online course recommendation from E2Language? I have registered as a free member and gone through the packages but am unable to decide which one to enroll with. Please guide at earliest. Planning to take PTE by 15 May
olivia says:
Hi there!
We have E2 Duty Tutors who are trained to help exam aspirants pick the package that will be their best fit!
Go ahead and please send a request for recommendation here: https://help.e2language.com/support/tickets/new
Specify:
-For exam
-Your exam date
-If you’ve taken the exam before
-What your scores were in detail
Olivia & The E2 Team
Vignesh says:
Hello,
I’ve been doing some PTE practice using content in a few websites for over a month now. E2L provides one of the best content, both the blog and YouTube channel. Thanks for the great quality!
Have been giving mock tests in a website where I purchased the PTE voucher, but the results (manually evaluated) were discouraging. My score was fluctuating between 65 and 75.
Last weekend, I took my first scored practice test (version A) from Pearson’s PTE official site and scored 90 (with only Spelling scored at 81, and so Writing came down to 89). I was actually surprised on seeing this (have cleared cache, rebooted, and verified a few times since then just to be sure 😉 ).
My question is: how reliable the results of this practice test are? Is it greedy to expect a similar result in the main test, if not the same, with all the distractions you described in this article?
I’m trying not to be complacent, continuing to practice, and also planning to take version B of the practice test coming weekend (few days ahead of my main test) just to be sure there was no computer malfunction in my first.
Thanks for looking into this!
Vignesh
Jui says:
Hi, I am following your blog since 2 weeks. I gave PTE exam twice already, but unfortunately each time I received poor marks in W-59; L:58. And average marks in R: 71 and S:81.
Could you please guide me to achieve 65 plus in. W and L?
olivia says:
Our E2 Duty Tutors can help!
They often suggest to students the best package that most suits their needs! Please share them in detail: Your score breakdown, your goal, and your next exam date: https://help.e2language.com/support/tickets/new
If you message through our support desk they can get back with you directly.
THANKS!
Olivia, & The E2 Team
Anna Mercado says:
Hello e2Language team! I purchased your PTE express and mock test. The methods you shared worked and the level of difficulties answering your practice materials are just about the same as the actual test. I passed my PTE and got the required scores for my application. Thank you very much!
I wish I read this blog before I took my PTE last Tuesday. You accurately described the testing environment. The person who was seated beside me wasn’t talking, she was shouting and I was distracted. Unintentionally, we tend to speak louder with our headphones on. Don’t expect that the proctor will intervene to manage the noise. These tips could have been useful. Although I got the score I wanted, I think I could have a done a little better on Speaking if not for the noises. To those who haven’t taken their test, follow the recommendations given.
jas says:
hi I need 55+ overall I already attempt one time my score was L R S W 43 47 41 42 How i can improve my scores i am using e2 language online classes.plz help me.
olivia says:
Hi there could you contact us here: https://help.e2language.com/support/tickets/new
Nik Soni says:
Hi, I am one of your students. I have learnt a great deal from the live classes. however, despite 2 PTE attempts, I couldn’t get 79 on my writing. I understand that it may be my Essay that is pulling my marks down. would anyone be able to advise me?
My scores were 1st PTE L-90, R-77, S-90, W-78 enabling skills, G-61, OF- 90, P-90, S-84, V-78 WD-45
2nd PTE L-80, R-86, S-90, W-73 enabling skills G-64, OF-90, P-90, S-61, V-90 WD-47
olivia says:
Absolutely! But would you please contact us via: https://help.e2language.com/support/tickets/new That way our E2 Duty Tutors can directly help you! 🙂 Plus we’ll be able to pull up your account and such!
Thanks!
Olivia, & The E2 Team
Raini says:
Pte-the biggest sham out there,you don’t need to improve your English,you just need to learn the techniques
Connie D. Dyson says:
Thanks for sharing such an important blog. Do you have any other tips blog for PTE exam preparation?
Faisal Naeem says:
Hi,
Describe Image and Re-tell lecture are kind of challenging because one cannot generate ideas in such a short span of time.What is the one thing that one can do to speak without hesitation and with relevant ideas.
Kindly share some input on this.At times one just feels blank with no sudden ideas in mind.
Thanks
sumaiyya shaikh says:
Would you like to receive a free PTE study timetable and an online course recommendation from E2Language?
where is the form link?
E2Language Team says:
Hello there,
I can see this blog post was written in 2016, so our PTE courses have changed since then! Our packages can be found here: https://www.e2language.com/Course/PTE and you can email us for more information: [email protected] 🙂
All the best,
Maree from your E2 team
Tushar Mahajan says:
Such a nice content for PTE aspirants. Just loved this. I find this very helpful. Thanks for sharing such nice information.
Bharti English Classes says:
I appreciate your work on PTE-Exam-Secrets was best post. You have given some points from which everyone can crack the IELTS exam with the help of Experts. I like your blog too much. Thanks
E2Language Team says:
Glad you like our blog!
B-GHUD Education says:
Great post. Thank you for sharing
Varun Dhawan says:
I am really impressed with so much detail on PTE Exam Secrets was included here. I’m also curious to learn more on this. Thanks a bunch for sharing such nice information!
englishfirm trainer says:
Really appreciate your post. I will recommend to my students.
Siobhan MacDonald says:
Thank you!
Siobhan MacDonald says:
Thank you!
Siobhan MacDonald says:
Thank you!
Keralthomas says:
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