Listening is crucial to communication because it builds trust, demonstrates empathy, and strengthens relationships. These aspects of listening are important if someone wants to go to an English-speaking country for higher education.
The PTE academic listening section is the last part of the test, which evaluates the candidate’s ability to understand the tone and accent of native English speakers. In this blog, we have discussed the PTE academic listening section and its question types, format, marking system, and preparation tips.
Table of Contents
PTE Academic Listening Section: An Overview
- The PTE Academic exam consists of 53-74 questions across 20 different question types in the speaking, writing, reading, and listening sections.
- The listening part of the PTE academic exam remains the same for both home and test centre formats.
- They have similar structures and difficulty levels, too.
- The listening section is 30-43 minutes long and includes 8 questions/types.
- Below, we have tabulated the features of the PTE academic listening section.
| Features | PTE Academic Listening Section |
|---|---|
| Types of Questions | 8 |
| Total Questions | Varies depending on the difficulty level and progress of the test taker |
| Time Duration | 30-43 Minutes |
| Text Sources | Academic journals University level textbooks Research papers |
Pattern of the PTE Academic Listening Test
- The listening section is the third component of the PTE Academic test, which evaluates the test taker’s ability to engage in academic conversations and lectures through listening.
- It contains 8 different question types of various difficulty levels
- It uses the English that test takers might hear in an academic environment.
- The time duration allowed to complete this section is 30-43 minutes.
| Question/Task Type | Task | Skill Assessed | Time Duration to Respond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summarise Spoken Text | Write a 50-70 word summary | Listening & Writing | Not applicable |
| Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer | Answer an MCQ on the content or tone of the recording by selecting more than one responses | Listening | Not Applicable |
| Fill in the blanks | Type the missing word in each gap | Listening & Writing | Not Applicable |
| Highlight Correct Summary | Select the paragraph that best summarises the recording | Listening & Reading | Not Applicable |
| Multiple Choice, Single Answer | Select one response to answer MCQ | Listening | Not Applicable |
| Select Missing Word | Select the missing word that completes the recording from a list of options | Listening | Not Applicable |
| Highlight Incorrect Words | Identify the words in the transcript that differ from what is said | Listening & Reading | Not Applicable |
| Write from Dictation | Type the sentence after listening to a recording | Listening & Writing | Not Applicable |
How to Answer Questions in the PTE Academic Listening Section?
Below, we have discussed how PTE academic test takers can respond to various types of tasks in the listening section.
Summarise Spoken Text
- The test taker will hear an audio recording on a specific topic
- After hearing this, they need to write a 50-70 word summary
- They have 10 minutes to listen and write their summary in about 50-70 words
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer
- For this, test takers will listen to the recording and answer the MCQ
- They need to select all of the correct responses
Fill in the Blanks
- A transcript of the audio will be presented to the test taker, but some words will be missing.
- They need to restore the transcript by typing in the missing words
- While the audio is playing, test takers can take notes on the noticeboard
Highlight Correct Summary
- Test takers need to select the summary that best matches the recording
- They need to match the summary with the recording
- They can listen first and make notes on it, then read the summaries to find the matching one.
Multiple Choice, Single Answer
- Test takers need to listen to the recording
- After listening, they can select the best possible answer
Select Missing Words
- A recording will be played only once
- The last word or group of words in the recording will be replaced by a beep sound.
- Test takers need to select the most appropriate option to complete the recording.
Write From Dictation
- An audio recording will be played containing a short sentence
- Test takers need to type the sentence into the response box
What Skills Are Evaluated in the PTE Academic Listening Section?
The listening part of the PTE academic exam assesses the following skills in a test taker.
- Active listening skills
- Organisation of ideas
- Attention to details
- Ability to draw conclusions
- Understanding the speaker’s tone, attitude, and intent behind the statement
General Strategies to Answer PTE Academic Listening Questions
The following are the general strategies for answering the PTE Academic listening questions.
- Make yourself aware of the pattern, format, and types of the PTE academic listening section questions.
- Go through the instructions given in the exam
- Listen to podcasts, audiobooks, and English news broadcasts.
- Concentrate on understanding different accents, restating information, and following lectures.
- Practise completing tasks within the time given for the listening section.
- Develop strategies to ensure you can easily attempt all the questions.
- Regularly practice with official PTE mock tests. Smart Academy also provides you with seamless access to these practice tests.
Key Takeaways by Smart Academy
The listening part of the PTE exam assesses how well a test taker can understand and comprehend everyday conversations and lectures in academic settings.
PTE Academic is an integrated skills test, which means that the listening section evaluates all communication skills at a time, e.g., listening, writing, speaking, and reading. To prepare for this section, it is advisable for test takers to listen to English podcasts and news everyday and practice with the official PTE mock tests.
FAQs
What are the question types in the PTE academic listening section?
There are 8 question types in the PTE academic listening section. These are summarisation of spoken text, multiple choice multiple answers, fill in the blanks, highlighting correct summary, multiple choice single answer, selecting missing words, highlighting incorrect words, and writing from dictation.
How can I practice for the listening part of the PTE academic exam?
You can enroll in the PTE prep courses offered by Smart Academy, where you will get access to the official test materials for preparation, including personalised study plans, guidance from experienced tutors, and mock tests.
How many questions are there in the PTE academic speaking and writing section?
There is no specified number of questions in the PTE academic listening section because it differs depending on the test taker and the format of the test. However, test takers can expect to face around 12-20 questions.
What is a good score on the PTE academic test?
A PTE score of 65 or higher is generally considered good to fulfill the English language proficiency requirements for various global universities and visa applications.
What PTE score is required by the USA universities?
Depending on the university and course, the PTE requirements for the USA universities might vary. For undergraduate programs, a score of 55-65 is considered good, while for master’s degree courses, 60+ score can be required.
