How Much PTE Preparation Time Do I Need?

Pearson Test of English – Academic (PTE-A) is a standardised English language test. This test is usually given by candidates willing to study/work abroad. It is generally to prove whether a student is proficient enough in the English language. It is also taken by candidates who want to work and settle abroad. Although, while preparing for the test, students often remain confused about this one question – How Much PTE Preparation Time Do I Need? So, read this blog to know more about this.

It is a computer–based test (CBT) of two hours. The test comprises 3 sections, i.e. reading, listening, and speaking & writing skills. The PTE result is generally accepted by majorly all universities worldwide. It is also accepted for migration applications. 

Exam Type	English Proficiency Exam
Mode of examination	Online, Computer-based
Sections	Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking
Score validity	2 years
Duration of the exam	3 hours

Pro Tips to Ace the PTE Examination

PTE is one of the most important and popular tests which you need to clear if you are planning to study or work abroad. Now students do not have to worry about the question – How Much PTE Preparation Time Do I Need? All you need is to have sufficient practice for appearing in this exam. There is no fixed number of days, weeks or months that you need to depend upon to score well in the exam. Many aspirants join exam coaching to help themselves prepare for the exam. Allocating the right amount of preparation can always be tricky as it depends on many factors such as:

• What score are you aiming for?
• How much time are you left with to prepare?

Many aspirants who appear for the exam are in the perception that since they are fluent in the English language they will be able to score well, but this is not the case. Just knowing the language is not sufficient as it is a professional exam in which you will be assessed on your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. Below are some tips which can be useful for your PTE preparation so you will not have to worry about – How Much PTE Preparation Time Do I Need?

1. Get familiar with the computer-based test 

The PTE examination is a 2-hour computer-based test. Candidates appearing for the test must have a good typing speed as this is a time-bound test. Practice typing on the keyboard earlier to improve your speed as you will be required to type essays under the writing section of the exam. 

2. Practice sample question papers

There are many sample copies of the test which you can practice on. By solving sample papers, you will get an idea of the question paper and the questions which are usually asked. The scores that you receive will also help you to know your weaker sections and based on that you can improve on those sections separately.  

3. Take down notes on each type of question  

It is recommended that candidates appearing for the test must take down notes and mark the questions which they feel are easy or hard. By doing this the candidates will get an idea and according to that, they can further plan out their preparation. 

4. Have knowledge of the exam pattern 

The candidates appearing for the PTE test are assessed on their English speaking, writing, reading and listening skills. A total of 20 types of questions are asked and you are allotted specific time to spend on those questions. The speaking and writing section of the test contains seven different types of questions. The reading test contains five questions and the listening section contains eight questions. 

Also Read:  PTE Test Preparation: Getting Started with PTE 

Section-wise Time Duration of PTE Test 

Section	Time
Reading	32-41 minutes
Listening	45-57 minutes
Speaking and Writing	77-93 minutes

The PTE test can be prepared well if you follow all the tips and tricks in all four sections, namely: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. All the sections are important and none can be left behind. The PTE section-wise Preparation Tips are given below:

PTE Speaking and Writing Section

1. In the speaking section, do not begin speaking into the microphone unless it is recording. Speak clearly and try not to hurry. Maintain a pace and stick to that. 
2. Be done with your speaking before the progress bar reaches the end. When the recording will end, the word, ‘recording’ changes to ‘completed’. 
3. Do not stop if you say something wrong. Speak in a formal language with the correct pronunciation of words. Stay aware of fumbles. 
4. For the essay writing section, you will get 20 minutes to write an essay between 200 and 300 words. Try to remain neutral while writing your essay. Avoid repeating the sentences or words and make sure you use correct grammar and vocabulary. 

Reading Section of PTE Academics Examination 

The PTE Reading section has four parts. Students are supposed to answer all questions carefully. The four parts are given below:

Multiple-choice Questions, Choose Single Answer

1. It is advised that the candidates should focus on the frequency of the questions such as often, always, and never, and it would be possible to eliminate those words from the options to get the correct answer. 
2. 60% of the answers can be found in the first or the last lines of the passage. So the candidates are advised to go through the paragraph.  

Multiple-choice Questions, Choose Multiple Answers 

1. Read the question first so that you know what you should focus on. 
2. Do not spend more than 2 minutes on each question. Choose more than one options which you think is right. 

Fill in the Blanks Questions 

1. Often, the missing words will have a synonym in the passage provided. So the candidates are advised to look for such words. 
2. Understand the entire sentence which has the blank and check if it requires a noun, verb or adjective. 

Re-order Paragraphs 

1. Look for independent sentences. The candidates are advised to look for sentences that do not depend on any other sentence. The candidates should read all the paragraphs carefully.
2. If you have ‘years’ in your paragraphs, the chronological order will be of great help to you. 

PTE Listening Section

1. Write the keywords as they will help you to summarise the test. 
2. Listen to the audio very carefully and do not pause in the middle of the recording. Try and concentrate on the main theme of the audio.
3. Try to make a synopsis of the lecture in your own words as it will help you in summarising the section of the test. 

Some Extra Tips to Help You Prepare for the Test

For the students worrying about – How Much PTE Preparation Time do I Need? This section provides some great tips. The PTE preparation can be easily done at home. Follow the steps given below to ace this exam:

• Practise from preparation blogs which contain academic content. It mainly focuses on grammar, sentence structure, pronunciation, and punctuation.
• Listening to native English accents, especially TED talks and podcasts will help you to get an idea of the vocabulary and speed.
• Record yourself speaking while practising the PTE sample test. 

Note: As the PTE exam professionally tests your English Language skills, it requires thorough preparation. If you keep in mind the right tips and tricks by following the simple steps discussed in the above blog, you can do well. 

FAQs

We hope that this blog answered the question – How Much PTE Preparation Time Do I Need?

For more PTE-related queries you can reach out to Leverage Edu on 1800572000 and schedule a free session today.