Pearson Test of English - Academic (PTE Academic) is a computer-based English proficiency test which assess Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening skills in academic English using artificial intelligence. The test is designed to evaluate the non-native English candidates to apply in Universities, Professional Bodies and Government organizations that require English language proficiency for admission or visa purpose.
PTE Academic is trusted by universities, colleges, and governments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, USA and Ireland and other parts of the world. It is the fastest computer-based English test which permits the student to illustrate language skills. It is not only approved for study permit but also for all Australian and New Zealand visa and migration applications. The computer-based marking using AI ensures all test takers are scored impartially and accurately.
The test is of approx. 2 hours which is taken in a small, friendly test center environment. The test focuses on English used in academic surroundings and students will listen the audio files recorded in real environment not studio recordings. The exam starts with an unmarked voice recording of the candidate, it is a part of advanced biometric data that assists applied institutions to verify the identity of the test taker. The test is of 120 to 135 minutes and the test taker can expect their results to be delivered online, within 2-5 business days.
Faster & Fairer way to test English | |||
.png) | Get results in typically 2-5 business days | .png) | Fully computer-based test, taken in a test center |
.png) | Accepted by over 3,500 universities & colleges globally
| .png) | Test is a distinctive combination of AI evaluation and human expertise which reduces bias risk. |
.png) | A single 2-hour test | .png) | Assesses academic English |
What are the main sections of PTE Academic?
PTE Academic consists of three sections covering various aspects of the English language.
Section One: Speaking & Writing
You must demonstrate your verbal communication skills in this section.
Speaking & Writing starts with a personal introduction. This introduction gives academic institutions your general background and does not score.
| Question type | Prompt Length | Time to Answer | Task |
| Read Aloud | Text up to 60 words | 30–40 seconds to read the text and prepare | Read the text on the screen aloud. |
| Repeat Sentence | 3–9 seconds | 15 seconds | Repeat the sentence after listening to a recording. |
| Describe Image | Not applicable | 40 seconds | Describe the image on the screen in detail. |
| Re-tell Lecture | Up to 90 seconds | 40 seconds | Retell the lecture in your own words after listening to or watching it. |
| Answer Short Question | 3–9 seconds | 10 seconds | Answer a question with one or a few words. |
| Summarize Written Text | Text up to 300 words | 10 minutes | Write a one-sentence summary of the passage. |
| Essay | 2-3 sentences | 20 minutes | Write a 200–300 words essay on a given topic. |
Section Two: Reading
This section assesses your reading comprehension skills. You will read some passages and answer questions about the content.
| Question type | Prompt Length | Task |
| Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks | Text up to 300 words | Text appears on-screen with several gaps. Drag words from the box below to fill the gaps. |
| Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer | Text up to 300 words | Answer a multiple-choice question on the content or tone of the text by choosing more than one answer. |
| Re-order Paragraphs | Text up to 150 words | Put the text boxes in a random order in the correct order. |
| Fill in the Blanks | Text up to 80 words | The text appears on a screen with several gaps in it. Drag words from the box below to fill the gaps. |
| Multiple Choice, Single Answer | Text up to 300 words | Answer a multiple-choice question on the content or tone of the text by choosing one answer. |
Section Three: Listening
The PTE listening section includes many audio recordings. You must listen to and answer questions about the content.
| Question type | Prompt Length | Task |
| Summarize Spoken Text | 60–90 seconds | Write a 50–70 word summary of a recording. |
| Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers | 40–90 seconds | Answer a multiple-choice question on the content or tone of the recording by choosing more than one answer. |
| Fill in the Blanks | 30–60 seconds | A transcript of a recording appears on the screen, with several gaps. After listening to the recording, type the missing word in each gap. |
| Highlight Correct Summary | 30–90 seconds | After listening to a recording, choose the paragraph that best summarizes the recording. |
| Multiple Choice, Single Answer | 30–90 seconds | Answer a multiple-choice question on the content or tone of the recording by choosing one answer. |
| Select Missing Word | 20–70 seconds | After listening to a recording, choose the missing word that completes the recording from a list of options. |
| Highlight Incorrect Words | 15-50 seconds | While listening to the recording, identify the words in the transcript that differ from what is said. |
| Write from Dictation | 3-5 seconds | After listening to a recording of a sentence, type the sentence. |
Alignment between PTE Academic, CEFR, TOEFL iBT, and IELTS
English language proficiency is measured more precisely based on the Global Scale of English standard. The numeric scale ranges from 10 to 90 which measures with reference to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, or CEFR.
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The score report card is based on the scores in Communicative skills and Skill Profile. The statistics of Skill Profile provide the guidance on how to improve the weaker areas.
PTE and IELTS score comparison table:
| PTE Academic | 23 | 29 | 36 | 46 | 56 | 66 | 76 | 84 | 89 | N/A |
| IELTS | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 |
PTE and TOEFL score comparison table:
| PTE Academic | 38 | 42 | 46 | 50 | 53 | 59 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 78 | 84 |
| TOEFL iBT | 40-44 | 54-56 | 65-66 | 74-75 | 79-80 | 87-88 | 94 | 99-100 | 105 | 113 | 120 |
