PTE Listening can be very easy if you pay attention to all parts of the test carefully! Here are the top 6 PTE listening tips you should know to easily score 79+ in the PTE Exam.
1. Know the listening section of PTE test!
It may surprise you, but many people don’t know what to expect on test day. There are eight listening exercices that contribute to your score. Yes, eight listening exercices!
Summarize Spoken Text
Multiple-choice, choose single answer
Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers
Fill in the blanks
Highlight correct summary
Select Missing word
Highlight incorrect words
Write from Dictation
Make sure you practice all of them as each exercice is different from the others.
Also, remember it’s a one-shot exercice. Unlike the reading or writing parts, you can listen only once to recordings. You miss it, you lose it.
2. Listen actively.
You are not listening to music here. Listen to the meaning of the conversation.
Put yourself in the situation and anticipate what is coming. It is especially true for the Select Missing Word part where you have to complete the end of a sentence without hearing it.
Write down keywords, repeated words, anything that seems relevant to the topic discussed.
Listening Tip: Prepare yourself by listening to talk shows on radio or podcast. Avoid the TV as you will get distracted easily.
3. Is that even English?
Did you ever meet someone you don’t understand at all? What if it happens on your test day?
There are so many different accents around the world that you should not focus solely on British accents but other accents too, such as Australian, American, Irish, Indian.
4. Don’t practice alone!
On your test day, you will be in a room with other candidates and some may talk loudly! You can be easily distracted by others and completely lose track of your test. To help you with your PTE listening practice, we've added a background noise button inside each exercise on the platform. Click on it to start hearing people talking in the background.
Studying quietly in your bedroom with no one around is good but not the best. Sometimes, turn on the TV or the radio to create a background noise when you study. Or even use our app when you travel by bus or train on your way to work.
Doing this will prepare you for the real test.
5. Be aware of negative marking in the PTE Test.
In the Multiple choice, Choose multiple answers section, you will lose a mark if your answer is wrong. So, if you score 2 points for correct options, but score -2 for two incorrect options chosen, you will get 0 points for that particular question.
Annoying, isn’t it? Make sure you master that section! Skim the answers before the recording even starts. Listen carefully for the keywords that match the answers. If you are not sure about one response, do not select it.
6. Watch the time.
In the Summarize spoken text section, you will hear the recording only once! Don’t try to write down the full speech.
Instead, note the keywords (date, name, place) and keep listening actively to the conversation. Picture yourself in the situation. In this way, it will be easier for you to summarise what just happened.
Then, speak with a constant flow and elaborate a little on your keywords without rushing at the end.
