PTE Core Listening Practice

This section lasts about 30 minutes and includes seven different question types. The questions are based on audio or video clips that play automatically, and each clip is heard only once. Candidates can take notes while listening to help them remember key details and answer questions accurately. This section assesses your ability to understand spoken English in academic and everyday contexts, focusing on comprehension, summarization, and identifying key information.

Speaking

Writing

Reading

Listening

Understanding PTE Core Listening Question Types to Score Higher

  Summarise  
					Spoken Text
				  

In this task, you listen to an audio recording and write a short summary of 20–30 words. It assesses your ability to understand, interpret, and express key information from spoken content accurately and concisely

Prompt Length	Skills Assessed	Number of Questions	Time To Answer	Total Score
45-75 seconds	Listening & Writing	1-2	8 Minutes	10

Important Scoring Criteria- PTE Core Summarise Spoken Text

Your score is based on how accurately and clearly you capture the main ideas of the recording, organize them logically, use correct grammar and vocabulary, maintain proper word count, and spell words correctly.

Aspect	Explanation
Content	Evaluates whether your summary includes all main points of the recording. Missing or misrepresented points reduce your score.
Form (Word Count)	Assesses if your summary meets the required length of 20–30 words. Summaries too short, too long, written in all caps, or as bullet points are penalized.
Grammar	Checks for correct grammatical structures. Errors that hinder communication lower your score.
Vocabulary	Evaluates your word choice and how effectively you convey ideas. Lexical errors may reduce clarity.
Spelling	Assesses correct spelling and typing. More than three errors significantly lower the score.

Summarise Spoken Text

Tip	Explanation
Listen for the main idea ﬁrst	Pay attention to the ﬁrst part of the audio where the main topic is introduced. Identifying this quickly makes it easier to focus on details later.
Take quick and organized notes	Write down only the key points: names, reasons, examples, and main ideas. Organized notes will help you write a clear summary.
Use connectors to guide your summary	Words like ﬁrst, however, and in conclusion show how the ideas are linked. These help structure your summary effectively.
Paraphrase, don’t copy	Focus on understanding the message, then rewrite it in your own words. This makes your summary unique and meets scoring requirements.
Keep your language simple and clear	Avoid complicated grammar. Use short, clear sentences to explain ideas and avoid mistakes that can lower your score.
Proofread your summary	After writing, take a minute to check for spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. A clean, error-free summary will always score higher.

  Multiple Choice, 
					Multiple Answers
				  

In this task, you will listen to an audio recording and answer a multiple-choice question related to its content or tone. There may be more than one correct answer, so you must select all the options that apply. The recording is played only once, and you can take notes while listening.

Prompt Length	Skills Assessed	Number of Questions	Time to Answer
50-90 seconds	Listening	1-2	Not Applicable

Important Scoring Criteria: PTE Core Listening Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer

Your score is based on how accurately you identify all correct responses and avoid selecting incorrect options. Each selection affects your score.

Aspect	Meaning
Correct Responses	Each correct option you select earns 1 point. Listening carefully and identifying all the correct options increases your score.
Incorrect Responses	Each incorrect option you select deducts 1 point. Avoid guessing blindly as it can lower your overall score.
Minimum Score	If no correct answers are selected or the response is irrelevant, you get 0 points.

Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers

Tip	Explanation
Read the question before the audio	Reading the question ﬁrst prepares you to listen for speciﬁc details in the audio, so you can focus on what matters most.
Take organized notes	Jot down key points and important details, such as facts, examples, and opinions. These notes will help you identify the correct options.
Listen for the overall meaning	Don’t focus on matching exact words. Pay attention to the meaning of the speaker’s message, as the right answers reﬂect the overall idea.
Pay attention to the speaker’s tone	Tone can help you understand the speaker's attitude like serious, excited, doubtful. This is important for questions that ask about tone.
Don’t choose too many options	Only select the options that clearly match what you heard. If you’re unsure about an option, leave it out to avoid mistakes.
Eliminate clearly wrong answers	Cross out answers that don’t ﬁt with the audio. This narrows down your choices, making it easier to ﬁnd the correct ones.

Fill In The Blanks

In this task, you will listen to an audio recording and complete its transcript by typing the missing words in each blank. The recording is played only once, so you must focus on listening carefully for exact words and spellings. This task tests both your listening accuracy and writing skills.

Prompt Length	Skills Assessed	Number of Questions	Time to Answer	Total Score
30-60 Seconds	Listening & Writing	2-3	Not Applicable	either 0 or 1

Important Scoring Criteria: PTE Listening Fill In The Blanks

Your score is based on how accurately you identify and spell the missing words from the recording. Correct
spelling and correct word choice are essential.

Aspect	Explanation
Correct Word	Each word correctly typed and spelled as heard in the recording earns 1 point.
Incorrect Word	Each word that is incorrect, misspelled, or left blank earns 0 points.

Fill In The Blanks

Tip	Explanation
Pay attention to grammar clues	Grammar helps you identify what kind of word (noun, verb, adjective) should go in the blank. This ensures your answer ﬁts correctly in the sentence.
Don’t stop listening after one blank	Keep listening through the entire audio. If you pause to focus on one word, you might miss the next blank or context. Stay calm and listen for the whole sequence.
Use spelling rules after listening	Spelling matters! After you listen, double-check your answers for correct spelling, especially for plurals, verb endings, and common spelling patterns.
Review all answers after the audio	After the playback, take time to compare your notes with the text. This ﬁnal check helps you ensure the answers are correct and the spelling is accurate.
Focus on the context, not just the word	Understand the meaning of the sentence. The correct word should ﬁt naturally in the context, not just sound right.
Listen for logical connections	Pay attention to how the blanks relate to each other. Often, words in the blanks are connected, so understanding the relationship between them helps you choose the right word.

  Highlight Correct  
					Summary
				  

After listening to a recording, select the paragraph that best summarizes the recording.

Prompt Length	Skills Assessed	Number of Questions	Time to Answer	Total Score
30-90 Seconds	Listening & Reading	2-3	Not Applicable	either 0 or 1

Important Scoring Criteria: PTE Listening Highlight Correct Summary

Your score depends on selecting the paragraph that accurately captures the main ideas of the recording; correct selection earns points, while incorrect selection does not.

Aspect	Explanation
Correct Response	You earn points by selecting the paragraph that accurately reﬂects the main ideas and key points of the recording.
Incorrect Response	No points are awarded if you select a paragraph that misrepresents the recording, omits key points, or includes irrelevant information.

Multiple Choice, Single Answer

Tip	Explanation
Skim the question and options ﬁrst	Quickly read the question and choices before the audio begins. This helps you understand what to listen for, making it easier to follow the speaker’s message.
Focus on the main idea	Pay attention to the speaker's overall message rather than small details. The correct answer is often based on the core idea of the audio.
Identify the speaker’s purpose	Listen for why the speaker is sharing the information (e.g., explaining, suggesting, warning). Understanding the purpose helps eliminate irrelevant options.
Take brief notes	Write down key points or keywords, such as main ideas, examples, or changes. Avoid writing too much, as it can distract you from listening.
Eliminate obviously wrong options	Cross out answers that don’t match the speaker’s message. Often, some choices will contain incorrect or extra details that can be ruled out.
Compare options after listening	Focus on the audio ﬁrst, then check the options. After listening, match your notes with the available choices to select the best answer.

  Multiple Choice, 
					Single Answer
				  

In this task, you will listen to a short audio recording and select the paragraph that best summarizes the content or main idea. You must identify the most accurate summary based on the key points and tone of the speaker. The recording plays once, so active listening is essential.

Prompt Length	Skills Assessed	Number of Questions	Time to Answer	Total Score
30 - 60 seconds	Listening	1-2	Not Applicable	either 0 or 1

Important Scoring Criteria: PTE Core Listening Multiple Choice, Single Answer

Your score is based on selecting the single response that correctly answers the question according to the recording. Accuracy is key; only the correct option earns points.

Aspect	Explanation
Correct Response	Selecting the option that accurately answers the question earns 1 point.
Incorrect Response	Selecting the wrong option earns 0 points.

Select Missing Word

Tip	Explanation
Listen for the speaker’s tone and direction	Pay attention to the speaker’s attitude (positive, negative, or neutral). The correct answer usually matches the tone, helping you predict the ending.
Focus on the ﬁnal idea or message	The last few sentences often lead to the missing word. Understanding the speaker’s main point helps you predict what ﬁts logically and removes options that don't make sense.
Eliminate options that change the meaning completely	Some options might sound right grammatically but don’t ﬁt the context. Eliminate choices that are too extreme or contradict the speaker’s message.
Pay attention to linking words	Words like however, therefore, and ﬁnally signal the direction of the message. These guide you toward the expected ﬁnal idea, making the correct choice clearer.
Don’t overthink after the recording ends	After the audio ends, take a few seconds to reﬂect. Choose the word that ﬁts your notes and overall message. Changing your answer too many times can lead to mistakes.

  Select Missing 
					Word
				  

In this task, you will listen to a short audio clip and choose the word or phrase that correctly completes the sentence. You must focus on context, meaning, and pronunciation to identify the correct option. The recording plays once, so attentive listening is required.

Prompt Length	Skills Assessed	Number of Questions	Time to Answer	Total Score
20-70 Seconds	Listening	1-2	Not Applicable	either 0 or 1

Important Scoring Criteria: PTE Core Listening Select Missing Word

Your score is based on accurately selecting the word that correctly completes the recording. Choosing the correct word earns points, while an incorrect choice earns none.

Aspect	Explanation
Correct Response	Choosing the word that accurately completes the sentence or phrase based on the recording earns 1 point.
Incorrect Response	Choosing a wrong word or a word that does not fit the recording earns 0 points.

Highlight Incorrect Words

Tip	Explanation
Skim the transcript before the audio	Quickly read the transcript to get an idea of the topic. This prepares you to predict the vocabulary you’ll hear and spot words that might not ﬁt.
Focus on key meaning words	Pay close attention to nouns, verbs, and adjectives, as these are more likely to change. Understanding the sentence meaning helps you catch mismatched words.
Follow along with your cursor	Use your cursor to move word by word as you listen. This keeps you in sync with the speaker and prevents you from losing track during fast speech.
Trust the audio, not the transcript	Don’t rely on the transcript, even if it looks correct. Always choose the word you hear in the audio, as the written words may not match what’s actually spoken.
Skip uncertain words	If you're unsure about a word, avoid clicking it. It’s better to skip it than risk selecting the wrong word and losing marks.
Stay calm during fast speech	If the speaker talks quickly, stay focused. Move your cursor steadily and don’t rush ahead. Stay in sync with the speaker and don’t get overwhelmed.

  Write From  
					Dictation
				  

After listening to a short sentence (3-5 seconds), type the sentence exactly as you hear it. Focus on accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Prompt Length	Skills Assessed	Number of Questions	Time to Answer
3 - 5 seconds	Listening & Writing	3-4	Not Applicable

Important Scoring Criteria: PTE Listening Write From Dictation

Your score depends on how precisely you type each word of the sentence you hear, with attention to correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Aspect	Explanation
Correct Response	1 point for each word typed exactly as it was spoken in the recording, including correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
Incorrect Response	0 points for any word typed incorrectly (e.g., misspelled, wrong punctuation, or incorrect grammar).

Write From Dictation

Tip	Explanation
Focus on the meaning of the sentence	Understanding the overall meaning helps you remember the structure naturally. When the sentence makes sense, recalling the exact words becomes easier.
Use your erasable notepad wisely	Quickly jot down key words, initials, or phrases during the audio. These notes will help you reconstruct the full sentence accurately when typing.
Pay close attention to plural forms and tenses	Small details like plural forms, verb tenses are easy to miss but crucial for accuracy. Listen carefully for these details.
Type immediately after listening	Don’t wait too long to type. Start reconstructing the sentence while it's still fresh in your mind to avoid forgetting important words.
Check for spelling accuracy	Every word needs to be spelled correctly to earn a point. After typing, review for common mistakes, especially longer academic or complex words.
Maintain correct word order	Using the wrong word order can cost points. Trust your grammar knowledge to place words logically if you're unsure, as word order is essential for accuracy.

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