There is a stock of people who aspire to settle in Australia for work and academic-related purposes. Being one of the diverse and industrial countries, Australia is the most sought-after country for migration. When it comes to migration, the English Proficiency Test is a vital criterion. Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE) checks the language ability of people coming from non-English speaking countries. It is mandatory to take any English proficiency test and clear it to prove that you are capable of living in an English-speaking country.
As one of the most widely accepted English proficiency exams, PTE is a good choice. Embassies utilise the exam in their applicant selection procedures. Preparation may be done alone or with expert assistance by enrolling in an English coaching program, which offers coaching for PTE variety of paid preparation courses and seminars to help you succeed in the PTE Academic.
The tests are evaluated using Pearson Automated Scoring Technology which ensures a neutral gauging. PTE Academic score is accepted for Student Visas, Permanent Residency Visas, and Work Visas. People prefer PTE over IELTS for fast results. You will get the score within 2-5 working days. PTE score is accepted in 6000 organisations around the world.
Who can take the PTE Test?
People migrating under a family visa don’t need to clear any English proficiency tests. But people moving under a work visa definitely should have cleared the test with the required marks. It takes from 6 months to 1 year for the whole process of PR Visa. There is a need for skilled professionals in Australia. You can get a nomination from the Australian government, if you have skills that will help in the economic growth of the country. The more points you score, the higher are the chances of getting PR quickly.
Test Timing:
The PTE test is conducted for a duration of 2 hours ( 120 minutes ). Below you can find the proper breakdown:
- Speaking & Writing – 54 to 67 minutes
- Reading – 29 to 30 minutes
- Listening – 30 to 43 minutes
The test can be taken from anywhere in the world. Just take it in an authorised centre which comes under PTE exam centres. The test centres are located in 350+ centres around 110 countries. One-time PTE score is valid for 2 years to use for educational purposes and 3 years for immigration purposes.
PTE Test Pattern:
PTE evaluates the English proficiency of applicants in all ways. The different questions in each section are listed below in the same sequence as you get in the actual exam:
Speaking and writing:
- Personal Introduction
- Read Aloud
- Repeat sentence
- Describe Image
- Retell Lecture
- Answer short question
- Summarise Written text (10mins each)
- Essay (20mins)
Reading:
- Reading and Writing: Fill in the blanks
- Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers
- Reorder paragraphs
- Reading- Fill in the blanks
- Multiple-choice, choose single answer
Listening:
- Summarise spoken text
- Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers
- Fill the blanks
- Multiple choices, choose a single answer
- Highlight the correct summary
- Select missing word
- Highlight incorrect words
- Write from Dictations
Get a grasp of the test
First things first, you should get to know the test pattern in and out. Start with a sample test which is available on the PTE official website itself. This will help you understand the type of questions asked, time limit, and overall outlook of the test. Invest some time consistently every day so that it is easy to achieve a big total. It involves a wide range of topics from various forms of English proficiency.
What is the eligible PTE score?
The minimum PTE score required for a PR visa is 65. Acquiring 65 is easy but scoring more than that i.e 90 is the real deal. The higher marks mean higher chances of accepting your visa and considerably lessen your waiting time.
PTE Preparation tips:
- Most of the time, the listening test might turn out to be tricky. Pay attention to the pronunciation carefully and jot them down. Often, people get confused and find it difficult to figure out the words spoken. Develop the habit of listening to podcasts, audiobooks, and youtube videos to crack this section easily. Always use headphones.
- Be extra careful while attending multiple choice questions as they may carry negative marks.
- For the ‘Fill in the blanks’ section, it is advised to pen down the notes as you might miss one or two details from the audio.
- In summary answers, cut down to the bone and put out only highlights that describe the essence of the information.
The whole process of PR takes about 6 months to 1 year. Invest dedicated hours of practice, take online mock tests, and prepare well for the D-day. So, just be patient and keep working at it!