The PTE Academic exam boasts a comprehensive syllabus and a well-defined exam pattern. The exam pattern includes four main sections: Speaking and Writing, Reading, Listening, and an unscored section used for research purposes. The Speaking and Writing section evaluates pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary, grammar, content coherence, and creativity. It includes tasks like describing images, summarizing written texts, and writing essays.
The Reading section tests reading comprehension, vocabulary, inference, and identification of main ideas. The Listening section assesses comprehension of spoken English in diverse contexts. These sections collectively measure proficiency for academic and professional settings. Staying updated with the latest test information on the official PTE website is vital to excel in this dynamic language proficiency assessment.
PTE Academic Exam Syllabus—Complete Guide!
The PTE Academic exam features a comprehensive syllabus that evaluates test-takers' English language skills across four main sections: Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing. The PTE Academic syllabus covers a wide range of language skills, including pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and written expression. Test-takers should focus on improving these skills to perform well in the exam. Here's an overview of the syllabus for each section:
1. Speaking Section:
- Personal Introduction: This section requires test-takers to introduce themselves briefly.
- Read Aloud: Test-takers read a passage aloud, assessing pronunciation and fluency.
- Repeat Sentence: In this task, test-takers listen to a sentence and repeat it accurately.
- Describe Image: This task assesses the ability to describe an image or graphic.
- Re-Tell Lecture: Test-takers summarize a lecture in their own words.
- Answer Short Questions: Respond briefly to questions based on audio or text prompts.
2. Reading Section:
- Multiple-Choice, Choose Single Answer: Test-takers read a passage and choose the correct answer to a question.
- Multiple-Choice, Choose Multiple Answers: Select multiple correct answers based on a passage.
- Re-Order Paragraphs: Re-arrange sentences to form a coherent passage.
- Reading: Fill in the Blanks: Fill in the missing words in a text.
- Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks: Complete a text by selecting missing words from a dropdown list.
3. Listening Section:
- Summarize Spoken Text: Listen to a spoken text and summarize it in writing.
- Multiple-Choice, Choose Single Answer: Listen to a spoken passage and select the correct answer.
- Multiple-Choice, Choose Multiple Answers: Choose multiple correct answers based on a spoken passage.
- Highlight Correct Summary: Select the correct summary of a spoken text.
- Multiple-Choice, Fill in the Blanks: Complete a transcript by selecting missing words.
- Highlight Incorrect Words: Identify and correct errors in a transcript.
- Write From Dictation: Listen to a sentence and write it accurately.
4. Writing Section:
- Personal Introduction: This section requires test-takers to introduce themselves briefly.
- Read Aloud: Test-takers read a passage aloud, assessing pronunciation and fluency.
- Repeat Sentence: In this task, test-takers listen to a sentence and repeat it accurately.
- Describe Image: This task assesses the ability to describe an image or graphic.
- Re-Tell Lecture: Test-takers summarize a lecture in their own words.
- Answer Short Questions: Respond briefly to questions based on audio or text prompts.
- Summarize Written Text: In this section, test-takers need to write a concise summary of a written passage.
- Write Essay: The essay task evaluates writing skills, including coherence, vocabulary, and grammar usage.
See Also: PTE Exam Registration
PTE Test Exam Format
The PTE (Pearson Test of English) Academic exam follows a structured pattern designed to assess a candidate's English language proficiency. The PTE Academic exam is delivered via a computer, and the sections are timed. The total duration of the exam can vary within a range depending on the specific combination of tasks you receive, with the minimum total time being around 2 hours and 45 minutes.
The sections evaluate a wide range of English language skills, including speaking, listening, reading, and writing, and the scores are based on your performance in each section. Your overall score is determined by your performance across all sections. Familiarizing yourself with the PTE Academic exam pattern, question types, and time limits is essential for effective preparation and successful performance on test day. Regular practice and careful time management are key to achieving the best results in each section. The exam consists of four main sections:
1. Speaking and Writing (77 - 93 minutes):
- Personal Introduction (Unscored)
- Read Aloud
- Repeat Sentence
- Describe Image
- Re-Tell Lecture
- Answer Short Questions
- Summarize Written Text
- Write Essay
2. Reading (32 - 41 minutes):
- Multiple-Choice, Choose Single Answer
- Multiple-Choice, Choose Multiple Answers
- Re-Order Paragraphs
- Reading: Fill in the Blanks
- Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks
3. Listening (45 - 57 minutes):
- Summarize Spoken Text
- Multiple-Choice, Choose Single Answer
- Multiple-Choice, Choose Multiple Answers
- Fill in the Blanks
- Highlight Correct Summary
- Multiple-Choice, Fill in the Blanks
- Highlight Incorrect Words
- Write From Dictation
4. Unscored Items (Not Timed):
These are research items used for developing and testing new questions for future PTE Academic tests. They do not contribute to your score.
