English proficiency tests are conducted on computers in countries all over the world, and PTE Academic is one of the most widely used tests. It measures four key aspects of your English proficiency: speaking, writing, reading, and listening. Therefore it becomes utterly essential to maximize your PTE Academic score. And in this article, I will be telling you exactly this! Hang on, to know till the last point.
In order to achieve your desired PTE Academic score, you need to understand your English proficiency level. All questions you attempt will be used to measure your performance. The first step is to work on the area that requires improvement and keep working on it until you are confident about it.
Let me discuss all the strategies in detail:
1. Understand the PTE format
When you know how the test will be formatted and what questions you’ll encounter in each section of the exam, you’ll be more confident on test day. Make sure you understand how PTE Academic is structured. The main key to achieving a high score on the PTE exam is understanding the exam pattern and the types of questions that will be asked.
Read this article, “PTE Exam: Exam format 2022“, to understand the format perfectly.
2. Learn test strategies
Knowing the PTE format alone is sufficient for your preparation. You must also learn about the tricks and strategies for tackling each section. The different sections of the test require different skills, so it is essential to be aware of the different strategies to use during the test in order to achieve a high score.
3. Establish a strong foundation of grammar and vocabulary
During preparation, use functional and topical language to build a strong grammar and vocabulary foundation. Become familiar with a wide range of social and current issues, as well as familiar topics related to your own life. Be sure to keep notes of useful words and phrases and use them as often as possible.
4. Take advantage of every opportunity to practice
Practicing your skills in your spare time is a great way to improve. Whether you are at home, in the classroom, or at work, speak English as much as you can. Learn and practice English by participating in English-speaking groups. Make sure to write in English every chance you get, such as by sending emails to friends and contacts, keeping a journal, etc.
5. Take sample tests
Also, you should simulate a real test by putting yourself under timed conditions. In addition to training you mentally, it will prepare you emotionally for the actual day of the test. You can find many PTE sample tests online. Don’t miss out on them, and prepare well. Additionally, make sure that all these practice papers are authentic and reliable.
6. Learn time management
Despite your great vocabulary and fast reading skills, time management is of the utmost importance. It is therefore essential for you to read properly, listen carefully, write correctly, and speak clearly within the given time limit in order to get a good grade on this test. To make sure no questions are left unanswered, manage your time appropriately for each section.
7. Don’t overlook the negative markings
Negative marking is only applied to multiple-choice, choose multiple answers questions. You can find this type of question, in the PTE, in both the reading and listening sections. Therefore, respond only when you are certain your answer is correct. Otherwise, you will lose points.
8. Identify and address weak areas
Ultimately, your PTE score depends on how well you perform in each section. As a result, you should focus on improving your weaker skills and devise a study plan. It is crucial to determine the areas where you are weak and put more effort into them.
Some strategies to Maximize PTE Academic Score in Speaking
- Listen to TED talks and read their transcripts. Put this on your schedule at least once a week. It is essential to understand how the speaker’s voice is adjusting and how he is stressing important words.
- Speak in a manner that conveys a message in the speaking section. Avoid sounding robotic.
- Your voice recording will stop if you are silent for more than three seconds.
- Moderate your pace when speaking. If you speak too fast, your pronunciation score may be negatively affected. Whenever you come across a comma or a full stop, pause for less than one second.
- If you are assigned the task of describing the image, make sure not to overburden your content with details. Suppose that you have a graph with lots of details, but you should talk only about the highs and lows.
- Whenever you mention high or key points, use phrases such as “Increasing dramatically, rapidly decreasing, rising moderately, increasing substantially, rapidly reducing, fluctuating significantly”.
- In Read Aloud task, break long sentences into smaller ones so you can remember them.
Strategies to Maximize PTE Academic Score in Reading
- Keep up with the latest news and articles on the environment, technology, medical, and global affairs. Get into the habit of reading an English newspaper daily for at least 60 minutes.
- Make connections between the options and the essay sentences by reading the paragraphs for meaning.
- Be sure to check the prompt and essay for even minor discrepancies. Choose only the options that you feel are 100% accurate.
- Look for independent sentences in the paragraph reorder task. When there is more than one independent sentence, look for words that link or connect those sentences.
- Read for meaning in the Fill in the blanks task. In order to score well on this section, you need to do this. See if there are any grammatical clues or how the word sounds within the sentence.
Strategies to Maximize PTE Academic Score in Writing
- As part of the Summarize written text assignment, you will have 10 minutes to read the essay and summarize it. Spend the first three minutes reading the essay. Next, note down the keywords and the main idea.
- Ensure that the summary is written in such a way that anyone can comprehend it, not just the examiner. It is only possible to achieve this with a lot of writing practice.
- Avoid using unnecessary words. Put words in the sentence that fit perfectly.
- The time constraint is a major obstacle in the Essay writing test. The time limit for completing your essay is 20 minutes. Give yourself 2 minutes to read the question prompt and plan your ideas, 15 minutes to write the essay, and 3 minutes to proofread.
- Read widely to increase your vocabulary.
- As you have a limited amount of time to complete the task, increase your typing speed.
Strategies to Maximize PTE Academic Score in Listening
- A notebook will be provided to you. While listening to the audio, write down any keywords and main ideas you notice. When summarizing the recording, make sure you include any particular year or event mentioned.
- Pay attention to the audio only once. Four to five options may be available. If you are sure, select more than one option.
- Make sure you fill in the blanks with the correct spelling and take note of the plural and singular forms.
- Don’t forget to capitalize the first letter of the sentence and end with a full stop. Otherwise, it will negatively affect your score.
The most important thing is not to lose confidence when facing difficult questions. Answer the question with confidence and believe in your hard work because it always pays off. You can improve your PTE scores by following the tips and strategies above. Wishing you the best of luck.