PTE Academic Tutorial - pte-blog.com · PTE Academic: Reading Item Overview I tem Task Skills...

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PTE Academ ic

Tutorial

September 2011

Version 7

© Pearson Educat ion Ltd 2011. No part of this publicat ion may be reproduced without the pr ior perm ission of Pearson Educat ion Ltd 2011.

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I m portant Test Tips

Do

Use correct punctuat ion for writ ing tasks: full stops, capital let ters, com m as, etc

Answ er the quest ion. I f the quest ion asks you to write or speak about sport , write or speak about ‘sport ’

NOT ‘science’

Keep st r ict ly w ithin the w ord lim it given for writ ing tasks

Respond quickly and keep speaking during speaking tasks. The m icrophone will close after 3 seconds of

silence and stop recording

Don’t W rite ENTI RELY in capital let ters. Only use capitals when needed: at the beginning of sentences,

nam es, etc

Click Next before you have com pleted the task and are ready to m ove on

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Contents

Sect ion Skills I tem Type Page

Overview Test Overview 1

I tem Overview 2-4

Test I nt roduct ion 5-6

Speaking and W rit ing Part 1 Overview 7

Speaking Personal int roduct ion 8

Speaking & Reading Read aloud 9

Speaking & Listening Repeat sentence 10

Speaking Describe im age 11

Speaking & Listening Re- tell lecture 12

Speaking & Listening Answer short quest ion 13

Writ ing Sum m arize writ ten text 14

Writ ing Write essay 15

Reading Part 2 Overview 16

Reading Mult iple-choice, choose single answer 17

Reading Mult iple-choice, choose m ult iple answers 18

Reading Re-order paragraphs 19

Reading Fill in the blanks 20

Reading & Writ ing Fill in the blanks 21

Opt ional Break 22

Listening Part 3 Overview 23

Listening & Writ ing Sum m arize spoken text 24

Listening Mult iple-choice, choose m ult iple answers 25

Listening & Writ ing Fill in the blanks 26

Listening & Reading Highlight correct sum m ary 27

Listening Mult iple-choice, choose single answer 28

Listening Select m issing word 29

Listening & Reading Highlight incorrect words 30

Listening & Writ ing Write from dictat ion 31

PTE Academ ic: Glossary

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Recording status box Audio status box

Current status

Volume control bar

Progress bar

Response box

Cut, Copy, Paste buttons

Word Count

Timer

Next button

PTE Academ ic: Test

Overview

PTE Academ ic is designed to test your

English reading, writ ing, listening and

speaking skills.

The test takes approxim ately three

hours to com plete. This includes an

un- t im ed int roduct ion to the test and one

opt ional scheduled break of up to 1 0

m inutes.

There are three t im ed parts:

Speaking and writ ing

Reading

Listening

Each part m ay contain a num ber of

sect ions. Each sect ion is individually

t im ed.

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PTE Academ ic: Speaking and Writ ing I tem Overview

I tem Task Skills assessed Prom pt length Tim e to answ er

Read aloud A text appears on screen. Read the text

aloud reading and speaking text up to 60 words

var ies by item ,

depending on the

length of text

Repeat

sentence

After listening to a recording of a

sentence, repeat the sentence

listening and

speaking 3-9 seconds

15 seconds

Describe

im age

An im age appears on screen. Describe

the im age in detail speaking N/ A

40 seconds

Re- tell

lecture

After listening to or watching a lecture,

re- tell the lecture in your own words

listening and

speaking up to 90 seconds

40 seconds

Answ er short

quest ion

After listening to a quest ion, answer with

a single word or a few words

listening and

speaking 3-9 seconds 10 seconds

Sum m arize

w rit ten text

After reading a text , write a one-

sentence sum m ary of the passage reading and writ ing text up to 300 words 10 m inutes

W rite essay Write a 200–300 word essay on a given

topic writ ing 2-3 sentences 20 m inutes

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PTE Academ ic: Reading I tem Overview

I tem Task Skills assessed Prom pt length

Mult iple- choice,

choose single

answ er

After reading a text , answer a m ult iple-choice quest ion on the

content or tone of the text by select ing one response reading

text up to 110

words

Mult iple- choice,

choose m ult iple

answ ers

After reading a text , answer a m ult iple-choice quest ion on the

content or tone of the text by select ing m ore than one response reading

text up to 300

words

Re- order

paragraphs

Several text boxes appear on screen in a random order. Put the

text boxes in the correct order reading

text up to 150

words

Reading: Fill in the

blanks

A text appears on screen with several gaps. Drag words from the

box below to fill the gaps reading

text up to 80

words

Reading and

W rit ing: Fill in the

blanks

A text appears on screen with several gaps. Fill in each gap from a

drop-down list of response opt ions reading and writ ing

text up to 300

words

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PTE Academ ic: Listening I tem Overview

I tem Task Skills assessed Prom pt length

Sum m arize

spoken text After listening to a recording, write a 50-70 word sum m ary listening and writ ing 60-90 seconds

Mult iple choice,

choose m ult iple

answ ers

After listening to a recording, answer a m ult iple-choice quest ion on

the content or tone of the recording by select ing m ore than one

response

listening 40-90 seconds

Fill in the blanks A t ranscript of a recording appears on screen with several gaps.

After listening to the recording, type the m issing word in each gap listening and writ ing 30-60 seconds

Highlight correct

sum m ary

After listening to a recording, select the paragraph that best

sum m arizes the recording

listening and

reading 30-90 seconds

Mult iple choice,

choose single

answ er

After listening to a recording, answer a m ult iple-choice quest ion on

the content or tone of the recording by select ing one response listening 30-60 seconds

Select m issing

w ord

After listening to a recording, select the m issing word that

com pletes the recording from a list of opt ions listening 20-70 seconds

Highlight

incorrect w ords

The t ranscript of a recording appears on screen. While listening to

the recording, ident ify the words in the t ranscr ipt that differ from

what is said

listening and

reading 15-50 seconds

W rite from

dictat ion After listening to a recording of a sentence, type the sentence listening and writ ing 3-5 seconds

PTE Academ ic: Test

I nt roduct ion

There is an unt im ed Test I nt roduct ion

at the start of the test .

NDA Rem inder

You are rem inded of the non-disclosure

agreem ent you signed as part of the

term s and condit ions of the test .

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Equipm ent Check

You have an opportunity to check you have the

correct keyboard and that the headset and

m icrophone are working.

Test I nform at ion

You receive further inform at ion about what to

expect during the test in the Test I nt roduct ion.

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Part 1 : Overview

I n Part 1 you are tested m ainly on your Speaking

and W rit ing skills. You are rem inded of what to and

what not to do in the test . Pay close at tent ion to this or

you w ill lose score points or score zero in som e

cases.

Speaking sect ion 1 contains the Personal int roduct ion.

Speaking sect ion 2 contains a num ber of item types

where you first listen to an audio, then respond into the

m icrophone.

Listening: The Current Status counts down unt il the audio

clip begins to play. When the progress bar reaches the

r ight hand side the audio clip stops playing.

Speaking: The Current Status counts down unt il the

m icrophone opens. Start speaking when the status

changes to Recording. Som e item types have a short tone

to indicate the end of the preparat ion t im e.

You m ust finish before the progress bar reaches the r ight

hand side. I f you rem ain silent for longer than 3

seconds, the recording w ill stop . You will not be able

to re- record.

W rit ing sect ions 3 - 6 contain a num ber of individually-

t im ed item s. You are required to write two sum m aries and

one essay OR three sum m aries and one essay OR two

sum m aries and two essays.

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Speaking: Personal

int roduct ion

This is an opportunity to give your

selected inst itut ions som e

inform at ion about yourself. This

item is not scored.

The recording status box displays a

countdown unt il the m icrophone opens.

You have 2 5 seconds to prepare .

After the tone, start speaking

im m ediately. Do not start speaking

before the m icrophone opens because

your voice will not be recorded.

You should speak clearly. There is no

need to rush.

You have 3 0 seconds to record your

response . Finish speaking before the

progress bar reaches the end. The word

“Recording” changes to “Com pleted’’.

You are only able to record your

answer once.

Your response will be sent together

with your score report to the

inst itut ions selected by you.

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For this item type you need to read

a w rit ten text a loud.



You have 3 0 - 4 0 seconds to prepare ,

depending on the length of the

passage. You hear a short tone. After

the tone, start speaking im m ediately.

Do not start speaking before the

m icrophone opens because your voice

will not be recorded.


need to rush.

Finish speaking before the progress bar

reaches the end. The word “Recording”

changes to “Com pleted” .


response once.

Speaking & Reading: Read aloud

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For this item type you need to

repeat the sentence you hear.

The audio begins to plays autom at ically.

When the audio finishes, the m icrophone

opens and the recording status box

shows “Recording” . Speak into the

m icrophone im m ediately ( there is no

short tone) and repeat exact ly what you

heard.


need to rush.




You are not able to replay the audio. You

are only able to record your response

once.

Speaking & Listening: Repeat sentence

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describe an im age.



You have 2 5 seconds to study the

im age and prepare your response .

You hear a short tone. After the tone,

start speaking im m ediately. Do not

start speaking before the m icrophone

opens because your voice will not be

recorded.


need to rush.



changes to “Com pleted’’.


response once.

Speaking: Describe im age

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For this item type you need to re- tell

w hat you heard .

The audio begins to play autom at ically.

You m ay also see an im age related to

the audio. After the audio finishes, you

have 1 0 seconds to prepare .



You hear a short tone. After the tone,

start speaking im m ediately. Do not start

speaking before the m icrophone opens

because your voice will not be recorded.


need to rush.



changes to “Com pleted’’.


response once.

Note: While the audio is playing, you can

take notes on the erasable noteboard

provided.

Speaking & Listening: Re- tell lecture

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For this item type you need to reply

to the quest ion in one or a few

w ords.


You m ay also see an im age.

When the audio finishes, the m icrophone

opens and the recording status box

shows “Recording” . Speak into the

m icrophone im m ediately ( there is no

short tone) and answer the quest ion

with one or a few words.


need to rush.




You are not able to replay the audio. You

are only able to record your response

once.

Speaking & Listening: Answer short quest ion

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W rit ing: Sum m arize writ ten text

For this item type you need to w rite

a sum m ary of the text in one

sentence.

You have 1 0 m inutes to w rite your

sum m ary . Make sure to include the

m ain points of the reading passage in a

full, single sentence of no m ore than

7 5 w ords.

The Word Count at the bot tom of the

screen counts the num ber of words you

write. There are also cut , copy and paste

but tons which you m ay use while

const ruct ing your sum m ary.

Cut: Select text from your answer that

you wish to rem ove and left -click “Cut ” .

Copy: Select text from your answer that

you wish to copy and left -click “Copy” .

Paste : Place the cursor where you wish

to paste the cut / copied text and left -click

“Paste” .

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w rite a 2 0 0 - 3 0 0 w ord

argum entat ive essay in response to

a prom pt .


essay.



write. Make sure to write a m inim um

of 2 0 0 w ords, but no m ore than 3 0 0

w ords.

There are also cut , copy and paste

but tons which you m ay choose to use

while const ruct ing your response.



Copy: Select text from your answer

that you wish to copy and left -click

“Copy” .

Paste: Place the cursor where you wish

to paste the cut / copied text and left -

click “Paste” .

W rit ing: Write essay

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Part 2 : Overview

I n Part 2 you are tested m ainly on

your reading skills.

Part 2 contains a single t im ed sect ion.

Read the inst ruct ions to each quest ion

carefully and answer as directed.

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the passage and answ er the

m ult iple- choice quest ion.

There are several possible response

opt ions but only one is correct .

To select an opt ion click on it using the

left but ton on your m ouse. I f you change

your m ind, left -click on the opt ion again

to deselect it , or left -click on a different

opt ion.

The opt ion you select is highlighted in

yellow.

Reading: Mult iple-choice, choose single answer

Reading: Mult iple-choice, choose m ult iple answers


the passage and answ er the

m ult iple- choice quest ion. There is

m ore than one correct response .

You need to select all the response

opt ions that you think are correct from

the list of possible opt ions.




to deselect it .

The opt ions you select are highlighted in

yellow.

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Reading: Re-order paragraphs


restore the original order of the text

by select ing text boxes and dragging

them across the screen.

There are two ways you can m ove the

text :

1. Left -click on a box to select it ( it will

be out lined in blue) , hold the left m ouse

but ton down and drag it to the desired

locat ion.

2. Left -click on a box to select it , and

then left -click on the left and r ight arrow

but tons to m ove it across. On the r ight

panel, you can also use the up and down

arrow but tons to re-order the boxes.

To deselect a box, left -click elsewhere on

the screen.

Reading: Fill in the blanks

For this item type you need to drag

and drop w ords across the screen

to correct ly fill in the gaps in the

text .

There is a passage with som e m issing

words. You have a list of words in the

blue box that you can use to fill the

gaps in the text . There are m ore

w ords than gaps so you will not use

all the words provided.

Left -click on a word to select it ; keep

the left m ouse but ton held down and

drag the word to the gap where you

want to place it . You can also drag

words between gaps. To rem ove a word

from a gap, drag it back to the blue

box.

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Reading & W rit ing: Fill in the blanks

For this item type you need select

the m ost appropriate w ords from a

drop- dow n list to restore the text .

There is a passage with som e m issing

words. Beside each gap, there is a

but ton with a drop-down list . Left -click

on this but ton to reveal the drop-down

list of opt ions for that gap. Select the

opt ion you think best fills the gap.

To change your m ind, left -click on a

different opt ion.

Opt ional Break

After Part 2 you have the opt ion to

take a break. The total t im e

available is 1 0 m inutes, but you

should allow up to 5 m inutes to sign

back in and be seated.

I f you want to take a break, you m ust

leave the

test ing room .

I f you spend m ore than 10 m inutes in

total on the break, that t im e is taken

from the next part of the test .

I f you want to take a break, raise your

hand to signal the Test Adm inist rator.

When you return to your seat ,

rem em ber to put your headset on ready

for Part 3.

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Part 3 : Overview

I n Part 3 you are tested m ainly on

your listening skills.

This part consists of quest ions that are

based on audio or video clips which

begin to play autom at ically. You hear

each audio or video clip only once so

listen carefully. You are allowed to take

notes.

For each quest ion you have the

opportunity to adjust the volum e. While

the audio clip is playing, m ove the

cont rol bar to the r ight to increase the

volum e or to the left to decrease the

volum e.

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Listening & W rit ing: Sum m arize spoken text

For this item type you hear an audio

recording and need to w rite a 5 0 - 7 0

w ord sum m ary on w hat you heard.


sum m ary .


You are only able to listen to the audio

recording once.



write. Make sure to write a m inim um of

5 0 w ords, but no m ore than 7 0

w ords.

There are also cut , copy and paste

but tons which you m ay choose to use

while const ruct ing your sum m ary.



Copy: Select text from your answer that

you wish to copy and left -click “Copy” .

Paste: Place the cursor where you wish to paste the cut / copied text and left -click

“ Paste” .

Listening: Mult iple-choice, choose m ult iple answers

For this item type you need to listen

to the recording and answ er the

m ult iple- choice quest ion. There is

m ore than one correct response .



recording once.

You need to select all the response

opt ions that you think are correct from

the list of possible opt ions.




to deselect it .

The opt ions you select are highlighted in

yellow.

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Listening & W rit ing: Fill in the blanks

For this item type you are presented

w ith a t ranscript of the audio

recording, how ever som e w ords are

m issing. Restore the t ranscript by

typing in the m issing w ords.

The audio plays autom at ically. You are

only able to listen to the audio recording

once.

Left -click on each gap and type in the

m issing word. You can also use the Tab

but ton on the keyboard to m ove between

gaps.



provided and then fill in the gaps.

Listening & Reading: Highlight correct sum m ary

For this item type you need to select

the sum m ary that best m atches the

recording.



recording once.







opt ion.


yellow.

Note: I t m ay be difficult to read and

listen at the sam e t im e. I t is

recom m ended that you listen first , m ake

notes on the erasable noteboard and

then read the sum m aries.

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Listening: Mult iple-choice, choose single answer


listen to the recording and answ er

the m ult iple- choice quest ion.



recording once.




left but ton on your m ouse. I f you

change your m ind, left -click on the

opt ion again to deselect it , or left -click

on a different opt ion.


yellow.

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Listening: Select m issing word

For this item type the last w ord or

group of w ords in the recording has

been replaced by a beep. Select the

m ost appropriate opt ion to com plete

the recording.



recording once.







opt ion.


yellow.

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Listening & Reading: Highlight incorrect words

For this item type you are presented

w ith a t ranscript of the audio

recording, how ever the t ranscript

contains som e errors. W hile

listening and reading, you need to

select the w ords in the text that

differ from w hat the speaker says.

The audio begins to plays autom at ically.


recording once.

To select a word click on it using the left

but ton on your m ouse. I f you change

your m ind, left -click on the word again

to deselect it .

The words you select are highlighted in

yellow.

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Listening & W rit ing: Write from dictat ion

For this item type you hear a short

sentence. Type the sentence into the

response box at the bot tom of the

screen.



recording once.



provided.

Rem em ber to check your spelling.

Acknow ledgem ents

The copyright in this docum ent is ow ned by Edexcel. I n the case of 3 rd party m ateria l, every

effort has been m ade to contact copyright holders to obtain their perm ission for the use of

m ateria l.

"Using SPSS for W indow s and Macintosh Analyzing and Understanding Data",

Samuel Green and Neil Salkind, I nternat ional Edit ion, 5th Edit ion, Sep 2007

"Gorilla Dist r ibut ion" © TigerHomes.Org

"Left on the Shelf: Dealing w ith Product Recall" , AON Risk Bullet ing, I ssue 124 Jan 18th 2007

"The Green Heart of Sum atra" , Michael Sullivan, Morning Edit ion © 2007 NPR , August 8 2006

“Com e rain or shine – W eather r isk” © The Econom ist Newspaper LTD, London 10.02. 2007

“Educat ion for All and Mult igrade Teaching” ed. Angela W. Lit t le. The I ndependent , 2007

“Lean Product ion” , Copyright © 2000 S-Cool Lim ited

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“Sydney Turns Off Lights for 'Earth Hour'” , Phil Mercer, By perm ission VOA, 01.04. 2007

“The Northw est Passage” , PBS Nova: WGBH Science Unit Podcast © 1996-2007 WGBH Educat ional Foundat ion, January 22

2007

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