PTE Reading Tips & Tricks 2024: How to Improve PTE Reading Test Score
PTE
Talk to ExpertPTE Preparation - Reading Tips: The trick to boosting your PTE Reading practice is to read the online resources available on the official website and the ones available to you offline as well with focus, and understanding. For difficult words and spellings, you may check their pronunciations online and then try to repeat them. You will be using these skills at once when attempting the exam, but while practising you will have to learn them step-wise.
The full form of PTE-A is the Pearson Test of English - Academic. It is one of the most sought-after English language tests for candidates wanting to study abroad. PTE-A is one of the fastest-growing standardised English tests that is accepted by over 3500+ universities worldwide. The exam assesses four key skills of communicating in English, i.e. reading, listening, speaking and writing and in this article, we are going to focus on the PTE Reading section of the exam. Read on as we talk about the most commonly followed PTE preparation tips and practices for its Reading section.
All About the PTE Reading Section
This section will give you a brief about the PTE Reading section to understand the preparation tips in a better way. Part 2 of the PTE exam is PTE Reading which is 29-30 minutes long. Since PTE is an integrated skills assessment test, in this section, test takers are also assessed for their writing skills along with their reading skills in one of the questions (fill in the blanks). The PTE Reading section consists of 5 different types of questions as given below:
Predict your IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE in just 4 steps!
- Fill in the Blanks: Reading and Writing
- Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer
- Re-order Paragraphs
- Fill in the Blanks
- Multiple Choice. Single Answer
Top PTE Reading Practice Tips and Tricks
To ace your PTE reading test, we have provided some of the top PTE Reading preparation tips and tricks for the benefit of the PTE test taker.
- Ability to read quickly while understanding the meaning of the text simultaneously.
- Build on your Vocabulary
- Don't ignore technicalities
- Time management is crucial to ace the Reading section
- Grammar is extensively important in this section
- Opt for an elimination strategy
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PTE Reading Test Module
PTE Reading Practice: The table below shows us the current and new PTE Reading Section Question Topics and the number of questions per topic that would be tested during the PTE exam.
| PTE Reading Section Question Topics |
PTE Question Format |
|---|---|
| Fill in the blanks –reading & writing |
5 - 6 |
| Multiple choice, multiple answers |
1 - 2 |
| Re-order paragraph |
2 - 3 |
| Fill in the blanks –reading |
4 - 5 |
| Multiple choice, single answer |
1 - 2 |
| Total Questions |
13 - 18 |
| Time Allocation |
29 - 30 minutes |
PTE Reading Section Strategies from the Experts
PTE Reading Practice: As informed earlier, this article has been solely dedicated to understanding how to perform better in the PTE reading test. Read on as we take our PTE aspirants step-by-step to the best PTE test strategies that need to be followed for tackling the PTE reading test of the PTE exam.
PTE Reading Tips: Multiple-choice, Choose Single Answer
- Understand the main message of the passage and focus on keywords to find the correct answer.
- Focus on the frequency words (for example - always, sometimes, never many, all, often, never, only) eliminate those options and maybe you will find the correct answer.
- Since there is no negative marking for this question, answer the question and don’t leave it blank.
- Make use of the rule of elimination. Narrow down your options as much as possible.
- Read the question before you read the text to understand what kind of information to look for.
- 60% of the answers can be found in the first or last two lines of the passage.
- Remember the information in the passage as the questions will not be asked in chronological order and you will find the answer anywhere in the passage.
- Learn to paraphrase, which means conveying the meaning using different words.
PTE Reading Tips: Multiple-choice, Choose Multiple Answers
- Since this question has negative marking, don’t select options if you are not entirely sure. If you are not sure, leave it.
PTE Reading Tips: Re-order paragraphs
- First, search for a headline including a major idea from the paragraph.
- Sentences starting with pronouns like he, she, her, they, them, those, etc will never be the first sentence.
- Look for contradictory phrases with, however, but, although additional phrases like also, moreover, furthermore, besides. Find the sentence before it.
PTE Reading Tips: Fill in the blanks
- There is no negative marking, so answer all the questions even if you are not sure.
- Concentrating on the parts of speech before and after the blank, it will help in finding the missing word.
- Most of the time, missing words will have a synonym in the text provided.
Also, Read
PTE Reading Section Exam Pattern
In the PTE exam, Part 3 of the PTE test will assess your PTE Reading skills. The total time allotted for the PTE Reading section is between 32 - 41 minutes. Note: Part 3 contains a single timed section
PTE Reading Section - Overview
| PTE Reading Section | Task / Skills assessed | Word length |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple-choice, choose a single answer | After reading the text, answer a multiple-choice question on the tone or content of the text by selecting one response (Reading) |
text up to 110 words |
| Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers | After reading the text, answer a multiple-choice question on the tone or content of the text by selecting more than one response (Reading) |
text up to 300 words |
| Re-order paragraphs | Several text boxes appear on the screen in 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 the screen with several gaps. Drag words from the box below to fill the gaps (Reading) |
text up to 80 words |
| Reading and Writing: Fill in the blanks | A text appears on the screen with several gaps. Fill in each gap from a drop-down list of response options (Reading and Writing) |
text up to 300 words |
PTE Exam Preparation Tips
PTE Study Material: Often students start the preparation by either joining a coaching centre or simply signing up for free practice tests. What a student forgets is that, like any exam, even language proficiency exams have to be dealt with a methodology. Here are the most important PTE study tips that would help you perform in the PTE Academic Exam. It is, however, important to note that no amount of tips, tricks or tools can outwit the dedication and efficiency of the practice. So, improve these skills and practice them over and over again to succeed.
PTE Study links
What are the best PTE Books and Resources?
Candidates can prepare for their PTE Academic using a range of official course books. Candidates can choose from the below-mentioned study material to excel in their PTE test. For a list of the best books and resources, click here.
Best Books to Prepare for PTE Academic and PTE App
Books for PTE Reading Section: Candidates looking for the best PTE test material can refer to the Expert PTE Academic Coursebook B1 & B2. Often touted as one of the best books for PTE preparation, the Expert series is a great way to prepare for PTE Academic if you have more time to study. This follows a preparation course structure and takes you through lessons designed to prepare you for PTE Academic. Choose from level B1 or B2, depending on your language level. PTE Academic Expert contains access to MyEnglishLabs – digital practice for all students.
PTE Prep: Offline Practice Test
A lot of times candidates may opt out of buying books. They could simply refer to the official Pearson PTE Academic to download a full version of the PTE Academic test in pdf format. Candidates would be able to solve this exam in the offline mode allowing them to understand the exam much better.
PTE Exam Preparation: PTE Official Practice App
Candidates can now practice for their PTE Academic examination on the go. All they would be required to do is download the PTE Academic Official Practice App. The app is available on multiple platforms and this would allow students to practice for their PTE Exam on the go. The app provides students with a study planner, practice activities, and useful information about the test.
We would love to hear from you. Do get in touch with us in the comments below and for assistance with university admissions request a call back from our Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors.
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| The Future of IELTS, PTE, GRE & TOEFL exams in the face of COVID-19 |
Q: Is the PTE Academic test easy to crack?
For a candidate who is well versed with the PTE syllabus and who has prepared well for the exam with total sincerity and enthusiasm would be able to crack the PTE Academic test without hurdles.
Q: Is PTE test hard to pass?
No. Candidates should note that the exam has been designed to test the candidates’ English proficiency levels. Hence, a candidate who is well prepared would qualify for the PTE Academic exam with flying colours.
Q: Is 75 a good PTE score?
Yes. A 75 PTE score falls under the 'Very Good' category. A PTE 75 score is equivalent to IELTS 7.5 - 8.0 band score. However, candidates should note that the real determining factor is their preferred university PTE score requirements. If they are eligible to apply with their PTE scores, good or else they can always re-take the test.
Q: How to prepare for UK 10th board exam 2025?
Those who are preparing for the UK Class 10 exam 2025 are recommended to follow the tips below.
- Know the exam pattern
- Make a proper time table as per the syllabus
- Solve previous year question papers
- Make short notes of important formulas and theorems
- Revise regularly
- Figure out weaker areas and learn them well
With proper planning and hard work, students can easily clear the UK 10th board exam.
Q: How can I self-study for PTE?
Candidates are advised to build a PTE study plan that would equally focus on the candidate's strengths and weaknesses to start with. Candidates should also leave enough room for weak topics and above all practice as many PTE Mock Tests as possible. Practising PTE Mock Test papers that are available on the official website is extremely important to achieve your desired score on the PTE test.
Q: Can I prepare for PTE test in 15 days?
Yes, it is possible to prepare for the PTE test in 15 days with a focused and organized approach.? However, it requires dedication and the ability to prioritize the essential skills and sections of the exam.
Given the limited time frame, it is essential to create a structured study plan that allocates time for each of the test's components. Prioritizing areas based on their significance in the exam can lead to better outcomes. Engaging in exercises tailored for the exam and working with sample questions will allow you to hone your skills where you feel less confident.
Q: Is 1 month enough for preparing for my PTE exam?
Your PTE exam preparation depends upon how consistently you prepare for it. You need to practice daily to polish your English language skills, read articles, and immersive yourself thoroughly into the language to get a better preparation outcome before your exam.
Your total exam preparation time also depends upon your previous knowledge of the language and how good are your basics in English. Remember, good basics are the key to solving any English exam question.
Candidates are advised to prepare for the PTE Academic exam before booking their test slot. Hence, candidates who have appeared for their PTE Academic exam before or who are well prepared for the exam can use the one month for revision and appear for the test. Others would definitely need a more substantial amount of time to be well-versed in the exam.
Q: Can I take PTE Academic test without studying?
Candidates are advised to appear for the PTE Academic exam after having prepared well for the exam. Candidates are advised to refer to online/offline study material available on the official PTE website and also go through our preparatory guide.
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