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PTE Listening Tips and Tricks 2024: Fill in the Blanks, MCQ Questions

PTE Listening Tips and Tricks 2024: Fill in the Blanks, MCQ Questions

Edited By Porishmita Paul | Updated on Jul 16, 2024 02:38 PM IST | #PTE Academic

The last part of the PTE Academic test is the PTE listening module. The PTE listening section tests your ability to understand spoken English in an academic environment. The PTE listening section evaluates your ability to understand a variety of accents, both native and non-native.

Top 5 PTE Listening Tips and Tricks

Some of the useful and effective PTE listening tips and tricks will surely help you excel in the exam. The PTE exam can prove your English language skills and add to your credibility in securing admission to renowned universities of the world. Some important PTE exam listening tips are given below:

Listen Actively

You have to constantly stay attentive and focused in your PTE exam listening section and also for all other modules of the PTE exam as the listening scores are also integrated into your speaking, reading, and writing modules of the PTE exam. As a student ready to attempt the PTE exam you should practice listening to various English conversations, lectures, and documentaries to understand the varied accents people use across the globe.

Take Digital Notes

This is one art of making notes, it is quite easy and you just need to develop yourself with rigorous practice so that you do not miss the main idea and the supporting ideas. Use your own symbols, signs, abbreviations, and short forms. Remember that no one is grading you on your notes, they are for you to understand and write finally.

Pay Attention to the Details

As mentioned above, you have to be very attentive. While making notes pay attention to the keywords that you can expand, the main ideas, and the supporting ideas so that you can use all your efforts in typing the final answer in a logical way using correct cohesive devices.

Check for Grammatical Errors

The most important aspect of the PTE exam is the grammar of the English language, you are expected to be well versed with the basic elements and average knowledge of the grammar range will also help you score high in the PTE exam. Punctuation plays the most significant role when it comes to PTE exam grammar knowledge.

Be Aware of Negative Markings in the PTE Test

You should be extra vigilant in questions like Multiple choice- Choose Multiple answers and Highlight the incorrect words as these questions carry negative marks. So unless you are sure do not do a guesswork here.

PTE Listening Module

The PTE exam listening section can be the most scoring PTE exam section if you concentrate well and follow the PTE listening tips and tricks. This article will discuss the PTE listening format, PTE listening tips and PTE listening strategies.

The table will show you what you will see in the PTE exam listening section, which you will take online on a computer.

PTE Exam Listening Section

Task Type

Number of Tasks

Task description

Skills Assessed

Text /Recording length

Summarize spoken Text

2-3

After listening to the recording, write a summary of 50-70 words.

Listening and Writing

60-90 seconds

Multiple choice- Choose Multiple Answers

2-3

After listening to the recording, answer a multiple-choice question by selecting more than one response.

Listening

40-90 seconds

Fill in the blanks

2-3

The transcription of the recording appears on the screen with several blanks. While listening to the recording, you must type the missing words.

Listening and Writing

30-60 seconds

Highlight correct summary

2-3

After listening to a recording, select the paragraph that best summarizes the recording.

Listening and reading

30-90 seconds

Multiple choice- Choose the single answer

2-3

After listening to the recording, answer a multiple-choice question of the recording by selecting one response.

Listening

30-60 seconds.

Select the missing word

2-3

After listening to the recording, select the missing word or group of words that complete the recording.

Listening

20-70 seconds.

Highlight incorrect words.

2-3

The transcription of the recording appears on the screen. While listening to the recording, identify the words in the transcription that differ from what is said.

Listening and reading.

15-50 seconds

Write from Dictation

3-4

After listening to a recording of a sentence, type the same sentence.

Listening and writing

3-5 seconds

The above table gives a clear idea of all the question types in the PTE exam listening section and now we will check some of the PTE exam listening tips and tricks according to each question type. Always remember that each recording in the PTE exam listening section is played only once and you are allowed to use your erasable noteboard booklet and pen, and use these notes as a guide when answering the questions.

PTE Listening Tips: Summarize Spoken Text

Some of the effective PTE listening tips - to summarize spoken text is as follows:

  • Be ready to take notes as you listen to the main and supporting ideas of the speech that is given.

  • Do not try to write down every word, you might end up losing the main points in this way.

  • When the audio stops, carefully look at the notes so that you can recollect the entire information.

  • Develop your own technique of note-making by using abbreviations, symbols, and short forms.

  • While summarizing do not use short forms of the words that you type, remember that full stop only comes at the end of the summary and not anywhere in between. It has to be a long continuous sentence.

  • Do not forget to use discourse markers, cohesive words, and sequential words.

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PTE Listening Tips: Multiple-Choice, Choose Multiple Answers

One of the important parameters to be mindful of while attempting the PTE exam listening section multiple choice- choose multiple answers is that this also has negative marking. One wrong selection will lead to a -1.

Some of the top strategies for multiple choice- choose multiple answers are as follows:

  • Read the question carefully and skim all the options before the audio begins.

  • Be attentive to the audio and note all the key points and supporting points and the way these points were developed in the audio.

  • Use the elimination method to reach the correct answer choice.

  • Be aware of the time and do not spend too much time here.

  • Play safe and select only one option if you are not sure.

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PTE Listening Tips: Fill in the Blanks

Some of the useful strategies of the PTE exam listening test- Fill in the blanks question type is as follows:

  • Quickly skim the text to gain a general idea of the topic.

  • Be ready to write all answers in the erasable note book that is given to you and transfer all answers carefully after the audio stops.

  • Do not check spelling at the time of noting in the note pad, you will end up missing the next answer.

  • Familiarize yourself with the quarterly keypad and practice correct typing.

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PTE Listening Tips: Multiple-Choice, Choose Single Answer

Some of the useful strategies for the PTE Listening Test- Multiple choice- choose single answer is as follows:

  • Use the time to read the questions quickly.

  • As you listen be attentive to the development of ideas the speaker is giving for the information.

  • After you have chosen the option, check again that each of the other options is incorrect.

  • Be aware of the time and do not spend too much time on this.

  • Practice dedicatedly and expand your vocabulary by creating a list of words with their meanings.

PTE Listening Tips: Highlight the Correct Summary

Note -making technique works best for PTE exam listening section and specially for all the lecture-based questions. Some of the important tips for PTE exam listening test- Highlight correct summary-based questions are as follows:

  • Develop your own rapid technique of making notes by using abbreviations, symbols, and sign language.

  • Practice skimming sets of summaries using practice tests available on online portals.

  • Use the elimination method to eliminate all the wrong information.

  • Find podcasts of lectures along with their transcripts to practice more and more before the exam.

PTE Listening Tips: Select the Missing Word

This question of the PTE exam listening section seems to be easy if you stay focused on what you hear and can infer the last part of the information that is given in the audio. Some of the effective PTE exam listening test tips for Select the missing word question type are as follows:

  • Develop your skills of predicting the ideas that you will hear. Listen to 20 seconds of a lecture and predict what the speaker will say next.

  • Expand your vocabulary of academic words in context.

  • As you listen, make a mental map of what you are hearing.

  • Do not make notes on this question as it is important to listen for the development of the idea.

PTE Listening Tipst: Highlight Incorrect Words

The most easy yet challenging of this PTE exam is Listening test Questions- Highlight incorrect words that come with a negative mark. You need to be very careful in what you hear and select only the wrong words. Some useful PTE exam listening tips for Highlight incorrect words are as follows:

  • Remember that the audio will be played only once so you are expected to be very careful.

  • Keep up with the speaker and do not waste time in thinking whether your selection was right or wrong.

  • Do not change your mind until you really think and feel you have made a slight error.

  • Do not guess as you will end up getting a negative mark here.

PTE Listening Tips: Write from Dictation

The last question of the PTE exam and also of the PTE exam listening section test. This question can help you score well if you have practised really well.

Some of the useful tips for PTE exam listening test question - write from dictation are as follows:

  • When the audio begins, focus on the meaning of the sentence.

  • Write the keywords quickly, you can leave pronouns, and articles. Then finally type the correct sentence.

  • Use your knowledge of grammar and word form to complete the sense of the sentence.

  • Check the spelling of every word before you submit.

How is PTE Listening Scored?

Check out the PTE exam listening section scores based on each question type:

Summarize Spoken Text

Content

2 Provides a good summary of the text. All relevant aspects are mentioned

1 Provides a fair summary of the text, but one or two aspects missing

0 Omits or misrepresents the main aspects

Formal

2 Contains 50-70 words

1 Contains 40-49 words or 71-100 words

0 Contains less than 40 words or more than 100 words. Summary is written in capital letters, contains

no punctuation or consists only of bullet points or very short sentences

Grammar

2 Correct grammatical structures

1 Contains grammatical efrors with no hindrance to communication

0 Defective grammatical structures which could hinder communication

Vocabulary

2 Appropriate choice of words

1 Some lexical errors with no hindrance to communication

0 Defective word choice which could hinder communication

Spelling

2 Correct spelling

1 One error

0 More than one error

  1. Multiple Choice - Choose Multiple answer

Communicative Skills: Listening

Partial credit scoring:

  • Points are deducted for incorrect options chosen

  • 1 point for each correct response

  • -1 point for each incorrect response

  • The minimum score is 0

  1. Fill in the blanks

Partial credit scoring

1 Each correct word spelled correctly

0 Minimum score

  1. Highlight correct summary

Correct or incorrect

1 Correct response

0 Incorrect response

  1. Multiple choice- Choose a single Answer’

Correct or incorrect

1 Correct response

0 Incorrect response

  1. Select Missing word

Correct or incorrect

1 Correct response

0 Incorrect response

  1. Highlight incorrect words

1 Each correct word

-1 Each incorrect word

0 Minimum score

  1. Write from dictation

Partial credit scoring

1 Each correct word is spelled correctly

0 Minimum score

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How is listening in PTE?

The listening part of the PTE exam is quite easy if the students do regular practice before the exam and also familiarise themselves with the PTE exam format and PTE exam listening tips and tricks.

2. How to get 65 in PTE listening?

Not just 65, you will surely score high in the PTE listening test if you develop certain strategies like listening attentively and understanding various accents, making notes on what you hear, and developing your vocabulary.

3. How much time for listening in PTE?

In all, the entire listening section of the PTE exam will be covered in less than an hour, the only expectation is that the candidates must perfect themselves in the PTE listening skills.

4. How to improve listening skills in PTE?

You can improve listening skills for the PTE exam by regularly listening to authenticated English podcasts, making notes, and speaking aloud what you have heard. This little trick will help you in all modules of the PTE exam.

5. Why my PTE listening score is low?

Multiple reasons can influence your low PTE listening score. However, the negative marking system of the PTE listening test generally affects the average score. Therefore, students are advised to answer wisely and avoid blind guessing to get a good PTE score.

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