In today’s blog, we will discuss how to prepare for PTE general exam.
PTE is a well-known English language exam that many colleges and institutes worldwide accept as a language proficiency test.
PTE has two types:
- PTE General
- PTE Academic.
The PTE General exam, also known as the Pearson Test of English General, is a widely recognized English language proficiency test designed for non-native English speakers. The test measures the ability to understand and use English in everyday situations and assesses language skills such as speaking, listening, writing, and reading.
Whether you’re planning to study abroad, immigrate to an English-speaking country, or simply looking to improve your English proficiency, preparing for the PTE General exam is an important step towards achieving your goals.
Let’s move on to How to prepare for PTE General exam. Before discussing that, you must know its format.
What Is PTE General Exam?
The PTE General exam is mainly used for English learning purposes and assesses all four language skills:
- Speaking
- Reading
- Writing
- Listening
Note: This exam is not recognized for the immigration process- only for work purposes and learning.
Before learning how to prepare for PTE general exam, you must understand who accepts the PTE general exam.
Who Accepts PTE General?
If you plan to study in the UK, US, Australia, or Canada, you should take the PTE Academic test.
Australia and New Zealand recognize the result of this test for immigration and work visas.
But, PTE General is mainly taken by English language learners to measure their track progress and language skills and determine their weaknesses in language.
Latvia, Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Greece, Spain, and Switzerland are some countries that accept PTE General for employment and higher education.
Also Read:- How To Prepare For PTE In 10 Days
How To Prepare for PTE General Exam
The PTE General Exam is a globally recognized English language proficiency exam. If you are planning to take this exam, there are many tips you can take to prepare yourself to achieve your desired score.
Understand The Test Format
The first step in preparing for the PTE General Exam is understanding the test format. The exam consists of six levels, each with its unique format. Each level is designed to test different levels of language proficiency. Therefore, it’s important to determine the most suitable level for your proficiency. It is the first tip on how to prepare for PTE general exam.
Analyze Your Skills
Before you start preparing for the PTE General Exam, evaluating your English language skills is required. You can check your strengths and weaknesses by taking a sample test or using practice materials. This step will help you identify which areas to focus on and develop a study plan accordingly.
Plan Study Schedule
You must set aside sufficient practice and revision time to prepare for the PTE General Exam. Create a study schedule that suits your schedule, and give enough time for each exam section. Also, ensure you have enough time to revise before the test day. It is another tip on how to prepare for PTE general exam.
Practice With PTE Sample Tests
One of the best ways to prepare for the PTE General Exam is to practice with sample tests. You can find sample tests online or use practice materials, and these tests will help you become familiar with the test format and the types of questions you can expect on the exam.
Focus on Areas of Weakness
Once you have identified areas of weakness, make sure to focus on them during your study. It will help you improve your overall language proficiency and increase your chances of achieving a high score on the exam. Practice speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills in the areas you need to improve.
Improve Vocabulary
Vocabulary plays a crucial role in achieving a high score in the PTE General Exam. Therefore, developing your vocabulary by practicing with vocabulary exercises and using new words in your writing and speaking practice is essential. It is the sixth tip on how to prepare for PTE general exam.
Develop Writing Skills
Writing skills are crucial to the PTE General Exam. Therefore, developing your writing skills is essential by practicing with writing exercises and focusing on grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.
Improve Speaking Skills
The speaking section of the PTE General Exam requires you to communicate fluently and accurately. Therefore, it’s essential to practice speaking with others, record your speaking practice, and get feedback from an English language tutor. It is the eighth tip on how to prepare for PTE general exam.
Improve Listening Skills
The PTE General Exam’s listening section requires you to hear carefully and understand spoken English. Therefore, it’s important to practice listening to English language materials, such as TV shows, movies, and podcasts, and focus on understanding the content.
Take Mock Tests
Finally, take mock tests to simulate the actual test experience. It will help you become familiar with the test format, time constraints, and types of questions you can expect on the exam. Additionally, you can identify areas of weakness that require further improvement before the exam day.
These are the tips on how to prepare for PTE general exam.
Section-Wise Tips To Prepare For PTE General Exam
Here are some section wise tips on how to prepare for PTE general exam.
PTE Speaking Tips
The speaking and writing portions of the PTE will last between 70 and 90 minutes. You will face this section first on the test. Want to know what to plan?
Go on reading!
Record a quick introduction of yourself before you begin working on chores. This action is taken solely for security reasons and is not evaluated.
Let’s take a look below for speaking tips
- Learn To Summarise.
Practice retelling brief lectures without focusing on specifics. You will have little time, so train yourself to focus on essential concepts.
- No Rush.
The time will be limited, but it doesn’t suggest responding as quickly as possible. Practice speaking at an average pace.
- Work On Your Vocabulary.
You’ll have to use your own words to describe a picture. Make sure you can discover synonyms for comments, understand what they represent, and use them effectively to express concepts.
PTE Writing Tips
- Pay Attention To Grammar, Spelling, And Punctuation.
You lose points on the assignment for each writing error. We advise you to study your understanding of the text and practice rewriting it. Pay attention to grammar and spelling.
- Learn The Limits.
Your essay should contain 300 words, or your summary sentence must be within the limit between 5 and 75 comments. You won’t get points if you cross the word limit. That’s why we suggest you write in limits.
- Practice Writing Complex Sentences.
Write longer sentences consistently. You must produce a summary in only one sentence for the task, Summarize Written Text. You should become proficient at using connector words to get the core concept from the text.
Here are other module-wise tips on how to prepare for PTE general exam.
PTE Reading Tips
- Learn Grammar Rules And Practice Vocabulary.
Study grammar rules, then work on your vocabulary. Although it might seem obvious, you need the fundamentals of grammar to succeed. Pay attention to idioms, famous phrases, and collocations. To learn the rules and new words, utilize flashcards.
- Read A Lot.
Your English reading skills will improve with this simple but powerful strategy. Try to read a variety of texts, including academic literature and newspapers. Before moving on to the intricacies of each paragraph, make sure you can articulate its central point.
- Master Time Management
You have a limited time of 40 minutes to complete the PTE reading section. Because of this, we advise you to perform reading lessons and shorten your time on each one.
PTE Listening Tips
- Keep A Diary.
When listening to recordings, note the titles and attempt to summarize each. This will teach you how to identify the main points of spoken texts.
- Take Notes.
This essential ability will be helpful on the PTE exam and apply to all sections. Learn to use shortenings, abbreviations, and symbols, as you will only have a little time on the test.
- Listen To Native Speakers.
Listening to various speakers with varying accents is the best approach to improving your listening abilities. We suggest you pay attention to native speakers from the US, UK, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia. Also, you can listen to non-native speakers from India, China, and Europe. It will help you to learn the different punctuations.
So, these are the section-wise tips on how to prepare for PTE general exam.
Also Read:- Is PTE Easier Than IELTS
Test Levels Of The PTE General Exam
After learning how to prepare for PTE general exam, you must know the test level for the exam.
The PTE General exam has six levels which are explained below:
Foundation Level – A1
This PTE general exam is suitable for people just learning the language because both the spoken and written portions are done in a social setting, and their survival skills are tested.
The PTE general foundation level exam is divided into a speaking and written test consisting of nine assignments with various question types connected to a basic theme.
Duration: 75 minutes.
The test has reading, listening, writing, and speaking modules. The five-minute spoken test included.
- Prescribed picture
- Roleplay
- Sustained monologue
Level 1
This exam is suitable for those just learning English and is structured into a written paper and spoken test with nine tasks.
The PTE general questions vary from school, transport, hobbies, home, and more. The said test is similar to the foundation level and is aligned with CEFR Level A2.
Duration: 1 hour 35 minutes
Level 2
This exam is suitable for people who know English and planning to work, study, or for everyday use.
The test taker will be assessed based on their writing and speaking skills as ideas, feelings, information, and opinion on daily circumstances.
Level 2 aims at topics like tourism, education, travel, entertainment, and more. In addition, spoken tests – ‘discussion’ but the task format is similar to 9 tasks. This is aligned with the CEFR Level B1.
Duration: 1 hour 35 minutes
Level 3
This task is similar to Level 2 and is aligned with CEFR Level B2. In total, there are nine tasks with similar written and spoken tests.
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Level 4
The PTE General exam is suitable for the ones who are required to show their skills in professional contexts, understand academic or social, and plan for higher education abroad.
Their speaking and writing skills should also be fluent, and themes now will mainly be based on abstract, like pollution, conservation, and alike. The spoken test is of 8 minutes and comprises similar tasks.
Duration: 2 hours 55 minutes
Level 5
This last test is suitable for people planning higher education in an English institute.
His duration is also extended to 2 hours and 55 minutes. These tests require an advanced competence level to answer the abstract themes presented.
Duration: 2 hours 55 minutes.
PTE General exam score
It is important to understand the PTE general exam score after learning about how to prepare for PTE general exam.
The total marks of PTE General in spoken tasks is 25, and in writing jobs is 75. PTE scores have unlimited validation and do not expire.
The exam contains 13 sections, of which nine teams are written tests and four are spoken interviews. Below you see the table for scores.
Score points in written components
| Sections | Skills | Score |
| 1 | Listening | 10 |
| 2 | Listening and Writing | 10 ( 5 listening, 5 writing ) |
| 3 | Listening | 10 |
| 4 | Reading | 5 |
| 5 | Reading | 5 |
| 6 | Reading | 8 |
| 7 | Reading | 7 |
| 8 | Writing | 10 |
| 9 | Writing | 10 |
| Total | 75 |
Score points in a spoken interview
| Sections | Skills |
| 10 | Speaking |
| 11 | Speaking ( only featured at levels 2-5, Not levels A1 and 1 ) |
| 12 | Speaking |
| 13 | Speaking |
Note: 25 total score points are allocated among the marking criteria of sections 10 to 13.
Final Words
So, this is the end of ‘How to prepare for PTE General exam.’ This blog discussed the PTE General exam format, score, and some test levels.
Preparing for the PTE General exam requires familiarizing yourself with the exam format, studying the exam content, practicing with sample tests, improving your English language skills, and managing your stress levels. By following these steps, you can increase your chances of success on exam day and achieve the score you need. Remember to stay focused, dedicated, and confident, and you will be on your way to reaching your goals. Good luck!
I hope you enjoyed this post and learned many things about how to prepare for PTE general exam.
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