PTE General: Everything You Need to Know About This Test
The Pearson Test of English (PTE) General is a test designed for everyone who wants to prove their English ability. The PTE general test spans all levels of proficiency. The primary purpose of the test is to assess all four language skills, i.e., reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
The comprehensive test
has six levels to validate an individual's communication and vocabulary skills.
Most of the universities in Australia accept PTE General for admissions.
One can register
online for the PTE General Test using the Edexcel online system. The test is
completely computer-based. There is no age limit for the test; however, if you
are planning for permanent residency (PR) in any country, the age between 25 to
35 is preferred, which increases your chances of getting PR. On the contrary,
if you are going to apply after the age of 40, the chances of getting PR to get
lower.
Tasks
- Read Aloud - read a short text passage aloud and record it.
- Repeat Sentence - listen to the recording and repeat the sentence you heard.
- Describe an Image - analyze an image and describe it within 40 seconds.
- Re-tell a Lecture - listen to the lecture and summarise it.
- Answer Short Question - listen to the audio and answer the question.
- PTE Writing
- Summarise Written Text - write a summary of the given text.
- Write an Essay - write 300 words argumentative essay within 20 minutes on a given topic.
- PTE Reading
- Multiple Choice Questions - read a prompt and answer the questions.
- Re-order Paragraphs - sequence sentences and paragraphs in a logical manner.
- Fill in the Blanks - drag the correct words to their corresponding spaces in the text.
- PTE Listening
- Summarise Spoken Text - listen to a short recording and write a summary of what you heard.
- Highlight Correct Summary - listen to the recording and select the right answer.
- Select Missing Word - select the right word to end the recording.
- Highlight Incorrect Words - find the words that the speaker did not use in the recording.
- Write from Dictation - Listen to the sentence and type it in the text box.
What are the Key
Features?
- The tasks given above may arise in different parts of the test (Such as Reading and Writing or Listening and Reading); the higher the level, the more abstract it becomes.
- In PTE exam, the skills will be integrated through exams and tests, not only by linguistic skills. For example, there is a dictation task for students who make notes via telephone. Also, there is a writing task where the students use information from the previous reading exercise and select the relevant content.
- The material is used more authentically at each level and more frequently from level 3, so students will be exposed to text types and audio that they may be familiar with in everyday life, such as podcasts, websites or newspaper articles.
- Additionally, you can visit the resource section of Pearson PTE General to see how the test aligns with courses, and you can prepare yourself for the PTE General test using the sample materials as much as possible.
Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs)
What are the PTE Test
Dates?
The PTE General test dates may vary depending on the locations because some centers offer test sessions in February, May, June, October, November and December. However, some centers can provide you with one or two dates.
What is the Duration
of the Test?
The duration depends
on the level of test you are taking; the minimum time of the test is 90 minutes
and the maximum time of the test is 3 hours.
How Long is the Test
Result Valid?
- The PTE General certificate last forever; once you complete the test, there is no need to re-take the test; you can use the certificate anytime. Moreover, if you are unclear about your plans but want to give an English qualification test, then you can apply for the PTE General test.
- The level four series, with the focused PTE coaching, language building and sample material practices, can help students to achieve the best score in the PTE General exam.
