I've already written extensively about the Pearson Test of English, so if you're unfamiliar with it, start by reading other blogs that go over the fundamentals of the exam. Moreover, you can read about how this test differs from others that measure English proficiency, such as the TOEFL and IELTS. 

 

It's a composite test, and it can be difficult to understand the standards by which the various tasks are marked. And to be completely honest, when I first started teaching PTE, I did feel overburdened.

Let’s start things off with the reading as it is simpler as compared to other sections.

Know the Questions Types:

The questions that eventually affect your reading score are listed below. While you have 30 minutes to complete the five from the reading area, the other four are from other sections.

1. Fill in the blanks (Reading + Writing) 

 

This question type, while being a component of the reading portion, is one of those that also contributes to other sections. With the drop-down options, this question has blanks. The candidate must decide which response is most appropriate. To get the best scores on this work, one must be proficient in vocabulary and grammar since it requires both reading and writing skills. You will encounter five to six of these question prompts with several blanks, and their weight in the reading section's final score is nearly 22 points.

 

2. Fill in the blanks (Reading): 

These blanks are slightly different in the format in a way that there will be a pool of words at the bottom and multiple blanks in a prompt. The candidate should attentively read the prompt before dragging and dropping the proper words into the empty spaces. Nearly 15 points from this assignment will go towards your reading score.

3. Multiple Choice (Single & Multiple Answers): 

 

These question types are significantly less significant because the reading section will only receive 4 total points from them. There is no need to worry if you find it difficult to choose all of the right answers in a multiple-choice question. You can concentrate on other tasks, such as the ones listed above.

4. Reorder Paragraph: 

 

What causes my students the most difficulty is this question. The proper sequencing of a story is difficult to achieve. It requires a very high level of language proficiency and comprehension. Since this question is graded in pairs, you will receive one score for each pair of paragraphs that you correctly arrange. As a result, rather than attempting to anticipate the entire order of the story, the assignment should be addressed this way. Given that it contributes roughly 8 marks to the final score, this question type should be regarded as a crucial component.

5. Read Aloud: 

This question, which is a component of the speaking section, is quite important. The most practice should be given to this type of question because it contributes significantly to reading and speaking scores. However, completing the work is not particularly difficult. Only the text itself must be read aloud with accuracy and fluency.

6. Highlight Correct Summary:

Although it is a part of the listening section, it also counts for a little amount of the reading grade. Yet, this is not something to worry about. Via this question kind, very little marks are contributed. The only distinction between this question type and multiple choice is that you must choose the best summary of the subject you heard on the audio. Keeping notes throughout this section would aid in figuring out the written response.

7. Highlight Incorrect words: 

Another hearing section question that counts towards the reading portion of the exam. But, there will only be 2 or 3 questions like this on the exam, so it won't have a big impact on your result. The only challenging part of this job is choosing all the words that are different between the audio being played and the prompt. Although this question carries a negative marking policy, it is preferable to leave any term that you are unsure of than to choose the incorrect answer.

8. Summarize Written Text:

 

The task entails reading a prompt and summarizing it under 75 words. Therefore, it assesses both reading and writing skills. This task will contribute around 8 marks in reading.

Summary:

Question Type	PTE Section	Number of questions	Contributing Marks (Approximately)
Fill in the Blanks (R&W)	Reading	5 - 6	22
Drag & Drop Blanks (R)	Reading	4 - 5	15
Multiple Choice - Single Answer	Reading	1 - 2	1 - 2
Multiple Choice - Multiple Answers	Reading	1 - 2	1 - 2
Reorder Paragraphs	Reading	2 - 3	8
Read Aloud	Speaking	6 - 7	22
Highlight Correct Summary	Listening	1 - 2	1 - 2
Highlight Incorrect Words	Listening	2 - 3	2 - 3
Summarize Written Text	Writing	1 - 2	8

Written By: Ahmed Raza

Ahmed Raza is a contributing writer at Edify Group of Companies. He is also an experienced IELTS and PTE instructor. He has passion for teaching, writing and instructional design. He graduated from UET and embarked on the journey of teaching English Language tests afterwards.

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