PTE Academic Listening: Question Types, Format & Preparation Tips
Listening is a vital component of effective communication, as it helps build trust, demonstrates empathy, and fosters meaningful connections. These qualities are especially important for students planning to study in English-speaking countries. The PTE Academic Listening section, being the final part of the test, assesses a candidate’s ability to comprehend the tone, accent, and intent of native English speakers.
In this blog, we provide a detailed breakdown of the PTE Academic Listening section, including its question types, format, marking system, and preparation tips to help you perform at your best.
- PTE Academic Listening Section: An Overview
- Pattern of the PTE Academic Listening Test
- How to Answer Questions in the PTE Academic Listening Section?
- What Skills Are Evaluated in the PTE Academic Listening Section?
- General Strategies to Answer PTE Academic Listening Questions
- Key Takeaways by AdmitX
- FAQs
PTE Academic Listening Section: An Overview
- The PTE Academic exam comprises 53–74 questions, covering 20 different question types across its four core sections: Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening.
- The Listening section remains consistent in both the home-based and test centre formats, with similar structure and difficulty levels in each. It is the final section of the test, lasting between 30 to 43 minutes, and includes 8 distinct question types that assess your ability to understand spoken English in academic settings.
- Below, we have provided a comprehensive table highlighting the features of the PTE Academic Listening section to help you understand what to expect.
| Features | PTE Academic Listening Section |
| Types of Questions | 8 |
| Total Questions | Varies depending on the difficulty level and progress of the test taker |
| Time Duration | 30-43 Minutes |
| Text Sources | Academic journals University level textbooks Research papers |
Pattern of the PTE Academic Listening Test
- The Listening Section is the third component of the PTE Academic test.
- It assesses a test taker’s ability to understand and engage with academic conversations and lectures in English.Â
- This section features 8 different question types, each designed to evaluate various listening skills across a range of difficulty levels.
- The content reflects the kind of English commonly used in academic settings, ensuring candidates are well-prepared for real-world scenarios in universities and colleges.Â
- The time allotted to complete this section is approximately 30 to 43 minutes.
| Question/Task Type | Task | Skill Assessed | Prompt Length | Time Duration to Respond |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summarise Spoken Text | Write a 50-70 word summary | Listening & Writing | 60-90 seconds | Not applicable |
| Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer | Answer an MCQ on the content or tone of the recording by selecting more than one responses | Listening | 49-60 seconds | Not Applicable |
| Fill in the blanks | Type the missing word in each gap | Listening & Writing | 30-60 seconds | Not Applicable |
| Highlight Correct Summary | Select the paragraph that best summarises the recording | Listening & Reading | 30-90 seconds | Not Applicable |
| Multiple Choice, Single Answer | Select one response to answer MCQ | Listening | 30-90 seconds | Not Applicable |
| Select Missing Word | Select the missing word that completes the recording from a list of options | Listening | 29-70 seconds | Not Applicable |
| Highlight Incorrect Words | Identify the words in the transcript that differ from what is said | Listening & Reading | 15-50 seconds | Not Applicable |
| Write from Dictation | Type the sentence after listening to a recording | Listening & Writing | 3-5 seconds | Not Applicable |
How to Answer Questions in the PTE Academic Listening Section?
The Listening section in the PTE Academic test contains 8 question types, each designed to assess your ability to understand spoken English in academic contexts. Below is a breakdown of how to approach each task effectively:
Summarise Spoken Text
- You will hear an audio recording based on an academic topic.
- After listening, write a summary of 50–70 words capturing the main ideas.
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer
- Listen to the audio recording and select all correct responses from the options given.
- There may be more than one correct answer.
Fill in the Blanks
- You will be shown a transcript of the recording with some missing words.
- While listening, type the missing words into the blanks.
- Use the notepad to jot down words as you hear them.
Highlight Correct Summary
- After listening to the recording, select the summary that best matches what was said.
- You can take notes during the audio and use them to evaluate the given summaries.
Multiple Choice, Single Answer
- Listen carefully to the audio.
- Choose only one correct answer from the options provided.
Select Missing Words
- An audio recording will play with the last word(s) replaced by a beep.
- Choose the most appropriate word or phrase that fits in context.
Write From Dictation
- A short sentence will be played.
- You need to type the exact sentence in the response box.
- Accuracy in spelling and punctuation is crucial.
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What Skills Are Evaluated in the PTE Academic Listening Section?
The listening part of the PTE academic exam assesses the following skills in a test taker.
- Active listening skills
- Organisation of ideas
- Attention to details
- Ability to draw conclusionsÂ
- Understanding the speaker’s tone, attitude, and intent behind the statement
General Strategies to Answer PTE Academic Listening Questions
The following are the general strategies for answering the PTE Academic listening questions.
- Understand the pattern, format, and types of questions in the listening section.
- Carefully read the instructions before answering each question.
- Listen to podcasts, audiobooks, and English news channels regularly.
- Get used to different English accents (like British, American, and Australian).
- Practice note-taking to capture key points during audio playback.
- Work on understanding the main idea, supporting details, and tone of the audio.
- Always complete tasks within the given time limit.
- Build strategies to answer quickly and accurately.
- Regularly attempt official PTE mock tests for realistic practice.
Key Takeaways by AdmitX
The listening section of the PTE Academic exam assesses a test taker’s ability to comprehend everyday conversations and academic lectures in English-speaking environments. Since PTE Academic is an integrated skills test, the listening section is designed to evaluate multiple communication skills at once, such as listening, writing, speaking, and reading.
To perform well in this section, test takers are advised to regularly listen to English podcasts, news broadcasts, and academic discussions to get accustomed to various accents and tones. Practice with the official PTE mock tests to become familiar with the format, question types, and time management
FAQs
What are the question types in the PTE academic listening section?
There are 8 question types in the PTE academic listening section. These are summarisation of spoken text, multiple choice multiple answers, fill in the blanks, highlighting correct summary, multiple choice single answer, selecting missing words, highlighting incorrect words, and writing from dictation.
How can I practice for the listening part of the PTE academic exam?
You can use the official PTE test kit to prepare for the exam. This test kit offers several mock tests, guides, and other resources.
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How many questions are there in the PTE academic listening section?
There is no specified number of questions in the PTE academic listening section because it differs depending on the test taker and the format of the test. However, test takers can expect to face around 12-20 questions.Â
What is a good score on the PTE academic test?
A PTE score of 65 or higher is generally considered good to fulfill the English language proficiency requirements for various global universities and visa applications.
What PTE score is required by the USA universities?
Depending on the university and course, the PTE requirements for the USA universities might vary. For undergraduate programs, a score of 55-65 is considered good, while for master’s degree courses, 60+ score can be required.
