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The Listening section of the PTE Academic tests your ability to understand spoken English in academic and real-life contexts. This includes listening to lectures, conversations, and recordings, then answering questions based on them.
After listening to a recording (60-90 seconds), write a 50 – 70 word summary in your own words.
| Prompt Length | Skills Assessed | No. of Question |
|---|---|---|
| 60-90 Seconds (PTE Academic) & 45-75 (PTE Core) | Listening & Writing | 1 (PTE Academic), 1-2 (PTE Core) |
Your score is based on how clearly you capture the main ideas, organize them logically, use correct grammar and vocabulary, maintain proper word count, and spell words correctly.
Aspect | Score |
|---|---|
| Content | Judges check if you have included all the main points from the recording. Your summary should show that you understood the recording fully, presenting ideas in a clear, logical order, and using your own words instead of copying sentences directly. Irrelevant details should be avoided. |
| Form (Word Count) | Your summary should be written in one complete sentence. The ideal length is 50–70 words. Summaries that are too short or too long, or written as bullet points, all caps, or incomplete sentences, are considered incorrect. |
| Grammar | Your sentences should be grammatically correct. This means using proper tense, punctuation, and sentence structure so that your ideas are easy to understand. |
| Vocabulary | Use the right words to express ideas clearly. Avoid repeating the same words too often; instead, try to paraphrase and use a variety of vocabulary to show language range. |
| Spelling | Make sure all words are spelled correctly. Incorrect spelling can make your summary hard to read and may reduce your clarity. |
After listening to a recording, answer a multiple-choice question on the content or tone of the recording by selecting more than one response.
| Prompt Length | Skills Assessed | No. of Question |
|---|---|---|
| 60-90 Seconds (PTE Academic) & 45-75 (PTE Core) | Listening & Writing | 1 (PTE Academic), 1-2 (PTE Core) |
Your score is based on how accurately you identify all correct responses and avoid selecting incorrect options.
Aspect | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Correct Responses | Each correct answer you select earns 1 point. Make sure to listen carefully and identify all correct options. |
| Incorrect Responses | Each wrong option you select deducts 1 point. Avoid guessing blindly, as it lowers your score. |
| Minimum Score | If no correct answers are selected, or the response is irrelevant, you get 0 points. |
A transcript of a recording appears on the screen, with several gaps. After listening to the recording, type the missing word in each gap.
| Prompt Length | Skills Assessed | No. of Question |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60 Seconds | Listening (PTE Academic), Listening & Writing (PTE Core) | 2-3 |
Your score is based on how accurately you identify and spell the missing words from the recording.
Aspect | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Correctly Filled Blank | Each gap that is filled with the correct word earns 1 point. |
| Incorrectly Filled Blank | Given if the word is incorrect, misspelled, or left blank. |
After listening to a recording, select the paragraph that best summarizes the recording.
| Prompt Length | Skills Assessed | No. of Question |
|---|---|---|
| 30-90 Seconds | Listening & Reading | 2-3 |
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. |
After listening to a recording, answer a multiple-choice question by selecting one response that correctly answers the question.
| Prompt Length | Skills Assessed | No. of Question |
|---|---|---|
| 30-90 Seconds (PTE Academic) 30-60 Seconds (PTE Core) | Listening | 2-3 (PTE Academic), 1-2 (PTE Core) |
Your score depends on selecting the single response that correctly answers the question based on the recording. Choosing the correct answer earns 1 point, while selecting an incorrect answer earns 0 points.
| Response Type | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Correct Response | Selecting the option that accurately answers the question based on the recording earns 1 point. |
| Incorrect Response | Selecting an option that is wrong or does not match the recording earns 0 points. |
After listening to a recording, select the missing word that correctly completes the sentence or phrase from a list of options.
| Prompt Length | Skills Assessed | No. of Question |
|---|---|---|
| 20-70 Seconds | Listening | 1-2 |
Your score depends on selecting the single response that correctly answers the question based on the recording. Choosing the correct answer earns 1 point, while selecting an incorrect answer earns 0 points.
| Response Type | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Correct Response | Choosing the word that accurately completes the sentence based on the recording earns 1 point. |
| Incorrect Response | Choosing a wrong word or one that does not fit the recording earns 0 points. |
While listening to a recording, identify the words in the transcript that are different from what is actually said in the audio.
| Prompt Length | Skills Assessed | No. of Question |
|---|---|---|
| 20-70 Seconds | Listening | 1-2 |
| Response Type | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Correct Response | Each word correctly identified as different from the recording earns 1 point. |
| Incorrect Response | Each word marked incorrectly (either marked but correct, or missed incorrect word) deducts 1 point. |
| Minimum Score | 0 points - if no correct responses are given. |
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 | No. of Question |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 Seconds | Listening & Writing | 3-4 |
Your score is based on how accurately you type each word of the sentence you hear, including correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
| Response Type | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Correct Response | Each word typed exactly as spoken in the recording earns 1 point. |
| Incorrect Response | Each word typed incorrectly or misspelled earns 0 points. |
Follow these practical strategies to improve your listening skills, understand recordings accurately, and answer questions effectively to achieve a higher score in the PTE Listening section.
| Tip | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Listen Carefully | Pay close attention to details, keywords, and tone in the recording. |
| Take Notes | Jot down key points, numbers, dates, or names to help answer questions later. |
| Focus on Main Ideas | Identify the main message or purpose of the recording, not just individual words. |
| Practice Active Listening | Engage with recordings by summarizing or predicting content as you listen. |
| Avoid Distractions | Ensure you are in a quiet environment to concentrate fully on the audio. |
| Improve Vocabulary | Learn common academic and everyday words to understand recordings easily |
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