The PTE test is an English Language Proficiency test for non-native English speakers to prove their skills and abilities in speaking, writing, listening, and understanding English in various contexts. 

If you are thinking about taking an English Proficiency test for study, immigration, or work purposes, you are probably confused about which one is the best option for you, IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL. Hopefully, we covered IELTS and TOEFL in our latest articles, and Radviser, your one and only intelligent adviser’s new post will help you learn all about the PTE test.  

What Is the PTE Exam? 

Pearson Language Tests, known as PTE, is an English language test accepted by many educational institutes worldwide. Pearson Language Tests is part of the Pearson Learning Company assessing and validating the English language usage of non-native English speakers. This computer-based test is required for those students who want to study abroad or immigrate to a major English-speaking country. The PTE exam includes PTE Academic, PTE General, and PTE Young Learners. Candidates can take the test based on their purpose. The PTE test is an approval for English language proficiency. The PTE test focuses on daily English and tries to validate students' ability to understand and use English as spoken daily. Since PTE has a multi-level grading system, it will ensure a clear view of candidates' proficiency in English. 

Several factors distinguish the PTE from IELTS, TOEFL, or other English proficiency tests. The most important one is the test pattern and the results. PTE is entirely computerized, and its results will be declared very quickly in about two to five business days. For that, the PTE can be a suitable choice for those in a bit of a rush. 

Where Is the PTE Accepted?

The PTE Academic test is endorsed by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), responsible for the GMAT test. The PTE test score is aligned with the defined level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). PTE Academic score is valid proof for 6,000 academic institutions across the world. Many universities like London Business School, Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, and Yale accept the PTE score for admission. Some countries like Spain, France, and China accept the PTE as well. Apart from this, those who want to study abroad or immigrate to a major English-speaking country like Australia, New Zealand, the USA, the UK, and Canada can take the PTE exam to prove their English Language efficiency. 

The PTE General score is accepted by ministries and universities of Ukraine, Estonia, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, Albania, Colombia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, and Poland. 

PTE Eligibility 

The Pearson PLC Group requires no special criteria. But accordingly, students must be at least 16 years old—candidates who are below 18 years old need to represent parental consent for taking the PTE exam. The consent form can be downloaded from the official website of the PTE exam. There are no specific education qualification criteria required by the PTE exam conducting body, Pearson PLC Group. 

PTE Registration

For booking the PTE exam, candidates need a valid ID, i.e., Passport. They are required to show their ID on the exam day. To register for the PTE exam, do as below:

• Step 1: Go to the official PTE exam website. (Academic, General, and Young Learners)
• Step 2: Create an account with the required personal details. (or log in to an existing account) 
• Step 3: Once the registration process is completed, an email will be received from Pearson. 
• Step 4: Search for the nearest test center. 
• Step 5: Select the proper date, time, and slot.
• Step 6: Then make the payment and finalize the booking. 

Candidates can also register for the PTE exam via phone. Check for the specific contact number for your country. It is also necessary to read the handbook available on the official website before booking.

PTE Fees 

PTE exam fees will vary depending on the country in which candidates take the test. But as a general indicator, the prices are about 200 USD in the USA, 201 USD in the UK, 255 USD in Spain, 231 USD in Germany, and 246 USD in Australia. 

Candidates can ask for a full refund 14 calendar days before the test date to cancel a PTE exam. Canceling or rescheduling can be done on the PTE exam website or by phone. 

Candidates who cancel the test within less than 14 days but at least 7 calendar days before the test date will receive a partial refund of 50% of the paid fee. No refund will be available for canceling the exam less than 7 calendar days before the test day. The canceling cannot be done on the test date. 

Candidates who plan to reschedule the PTE exam with less than 14 days but at least 7 calendar days before the test date will be required to pay 50% of the test price. No refund or rescheduling is available less than 7 calendar days before the exam date. The policy does not include the test date. 

PTE Exam Types

The PTE exam includes PTE Academic, PTE General, and PTE Young Learners. There are some differences between PTE types that should be considered. 

1. PTE Academic 

PTE Academic can be taken in a year (240+ centers in 50 countries and over 365 days) as per the candidates' convenience and available dates. It will test speaking, reading, listening, and writing skills. The PTE Academic is delivered on a computer at an eligible exam center. The validity of the test score is two years. The PTE Academic is for those who are planning to get admission into a university or institute. 

2. PTE General 

PTE General can be taken three times a year (May, June, and December). The dates are available on the PTE official website. The PTE General test has two parts: a written paper test and a speaking test. The written section evaluates reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills through realistic approaches. This type involves 6 different proficiency levels to examine the general English language abilities of the candidates. The PTE General score will be valid for a lifetime.

PTE General registration should be done through the Edexcel Online system. The PTE General is suitable for those who want to test realistic communication skills. Pearson conducts the PTE General exam in partnership with Edexcel Limited, the largest awarding body for academic and vocational qualifications. 

3. PTE Young Learners

PTE Young Learners is designed for children from 6 to 13 years. This test includes story writing, picture matching, group speaking, and board games; it is an exciting test involving daily life scenarios to evaluate the children's English language skills in a comfortable situation. The PTE Young Learners score is valid for a lifetime. 

PTE Exam Patterns 

All three types of PTE exams have different patterns, which are explained below: 

1. PTE Academic Exam Pattern 

The PTE Academic exam contains three sections: speaking-writing, reading, and listening. These sections will be scored separately, and the PTE Academic total score will combine these three. 

Speaking and Writing  

The speaking-writing section of the PTE Academic test must be answered in 77-93 minutes. The question types are: 

• Personal Introduction
• Read Aloud
• Repeat Sentence
• Describe Image
• Re-tell Lecture
• Short Questions
• Summarize Written Text
• Essay”

It will test the candidates speaking abilities and written capabilities (grammar and spelling). The entire section takes 54 to 67 minutes.

Reading 

The reading section of the PTE Academic exam contains 15-20 independent and integrated skills items. It must be answered in 29-30 minutes. It includes questions like:

• Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks
• Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
• Re-order Paragraphs 
• Reading: Fill in the Blanks 
• Multiple Choice, Single Answer 

Listening 

The PTE Academic exam's listening section is based on audio or video clips, and it must be answered in 30-43 minutes. The questions are: 

• Summarizing Spoken Text
• Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
• Fill in the Blanks
• Highlight Correct Summary
• Multiple Choice, Single Answer
• Selecting Missing Word
• Highlight Incorrect Words 
• Write from Dictation 

The questions will be played once, and the candidates can take notes. 

2. PTE General Exam Pattern

The PTE General exam has specific parameters based on the alignment of CEFR. This test has a total of 6 proficiency levels which are identified below. 

A1

The A1 test is proper for beginners in English, and its speaking and written test is based on the social context. The foundation level or A1 is structured into a written paper and speaking test of 9 tasks having different questions linked to a general theme. It has listening, reading, speaking, and writing sections—the speaking test of 5 minutes, including sustained monologue, prescribed picture, and roleplay. The duration of this test is 75 minutes. 

A2

The A2 or elementary level of the PTE General exam is suited for beginners in English as well. It is structured into a written paper and speaking test having 9 tasks. The questions vary from hobbies, interests, transport, school, work, and more. The speaking test is like the foundation level and aligned with CEFR level A2. The test duration is 1 hour and 35 minutes.

B1

The B1 or intermediate level of the PTE General exam is proper for candidates with intermediate English knowledge and planning to study, work, or everyday use. The candidates will be assessed based on speaking and writing skills (information, ideas, feelings, and opinions about daily life, entertainment, education, tourism, travel, and social situations). This format has 9 tasks and an additional section of the speaking test, discussion. The test will take about 1 hour and 35 minutes.

B2

The B2 or upper-intermediate level of the PTE General exam has also 9 tasks with similar written and speaking tests as B1. It is aligned with level 2 and CEFR level B2. This test will take about 2 hours and 30 minutes. 

C1

The C1 or operational proficiency level of the PTE General test is suited for candidates planning for higher education abroad and required to prove their understanding of academic, social, and professional contexts. The writing and speaking skills must be fluent. The speaking test is in 9 questions, and it takes about 2 hours and 55 minutes.

C2

The C2 or proficient level is the last level of the PTE General test. It is suitable for higher education planning in an English institute. It takes about 2 hours and 55 minutes. It requires an advanced competence level to read between the lines and answer abstract themes and concepts.

3. Young Learners Exam Pattern 

The written forms of this test have 6 tasks which test listening, reading, and writing (one: listening, two: listening-writing, three: reading-writing, four: reading, five: reading-writing, six: writing). It takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes. The speaking test contains two tasks which take about 20 minutes (seven: speaking, eight: speaking). The test is based on realistic content, fun activities, and familiar situations and is designed to integrate skills. 

PTE Scoring Methods

A computer predominantly reads the PTE test, which will reduce the waiting time for the candidates. There is no exact passing score for the PTE exam. Although, from the total score of 10 to 90, a score of 50 to 63 is considered competent. For a better chance in the admission and the university application process, a score in the range of 65 to 75 is expected. 

Candidates will be notified through an email about the scores. Then, they must log in to the Pearson account. In the "View Score Report" section, the details will be accessible.

How to prepare for the PTE Test?

Preparing for the PTE test depends on the candidates' level of proficiency. The first step to prepare for this test is to be familiar with the test format. Once you choose your proper type, you can study based on the details related to that. Then try to take mock tests and practice the previous exams. PTE mock test will help you find out your improvements and weaknesses. And finally, it is important to understand the scoring method. This will give you a better view of what to expect from each section. 

Final Words 

In this article, Radviser prepared a full guide about PTE and its patterns. We also provide you with a comprehensive Library about many topics you may face through the admission or job-hunting process. Check out the new articles and let us know if you have a special subject in mind.