PTE shorter Test Starting from November 16, 2021, Pearson has decided to bring some changes to their PTE Academic Test format all over the world as well as in Bangladesh. The question item types will completely remain the same, only a few adjustments will be made on the timing and test format. It will prove to be much more helpful for the test takers.
Changes on PTE Academic duration of the Test
The Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic test is a popular English language proficiency test that needs to be taken when considering going to study abroad whether it be for academic purposes or a job or for migration. This test started in 2009 in a fully computerized environment which assessed the test takers’ Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening skills using AI. And it has followed the same exam format ever since. But starting from November 16, 2021, Pearson PTE Academic is going to undergo some changes and shorten the PTE Test duration. The most important change to be noticed is the shortening of the PTE exam from 3 hours to 2 hours and a newer scorecard which will no longer show the Enabling score.
PTE Shorter Test will be commenced from November 16, 2021
The current format of PTE Academic consists of questions that take around 3 hours comprising of around 70 – 80 questions. But with the new system adopted by Pearson, the exam duration is being reduced by an hour. The entire PTE test will be completed in 2 hours and will have to answer only around 50 – 60 questions.
| Question Item type | Current test format (Before November 16, 2021) | New test format (After November 16, 2021) |
||
| No. of items | Time duration | No. of items | Time duration | |
| Speaking & Writing | 39 – 48 | 77 – 93 minutes | 28 – 36 | 54 – 67 minutes |
| 1. Read Aloud | 6 – 7 | 6 – 7 | ||
| 2. Repeat Sentence | 10 – 12 | 10 – 12 | ||
| 3. Describe Image | 6 – 7 | 3 – 4 | ||
| 4. Re Tell Lecture | 3 – 4 | 1 – 2 | ||
| 5. Answer Short Question | 10 – 12 | 5 – 6 | ||
| 6. Summarize written text | 2 – 3 | 1 – 2 | ||
| 7. Write Essay | 1 – 2 | 1 – 2 | ||
| Reading | 15 – 20 | 32 – 41 minutes | 13 – 18 | 29 – 30 minutes |
| 1. Fill in the blanks – reading & writing | 5 – 6 | 5 – 6 | ||
| 2. Multiple choice – Multiple answers | 2 – 3 | 1 – 2 | ||
| 3. Re-order paragraph | 2 – 3 | 2 – 3 | ||
| 4. Fill in the blanks – reading | 4 – 5 | 4 – 5 | ||
| 5. Multiple choice – single answer | 2 – 3 | 1 – 2 | ||
| Optional BREAK | 10 minutes | Removed | ||
| Listening | 17 – 25 | 45 – 57 minutes | 12 – 20 | 30 – 43 minutes |
| 1. Summarize spoken text | 2 – 3 | 1 – 2 | ||
| 2. Multiple choice – Multiple answers | 2 – 3 | 1 – 2 | ||
| 3. Fill in the blanks | 2 – 3 | 2 – 3 | ||
| 4. Highlight correct summary | 2 – 3 | 1 – 2 | ||
| 5. Multiple choice, single answer | 2 – 3 | 1 – 2 | ||
| 6. Select missing word | 2 – 3 | 1 – 2 | ||
| 7. Highlight incorrect word | 2 – 3 | 2 – 3 | ||
| 8. Write from Dictation | 3 – 4 | 3 – 4 | ||
New PTE Score Report
The score report for the PTE Academic displays the overall score along with the individual scores in your Communicative Skills which includes Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing. Additionally, it shows the Skills breakdown into each of their individual segments along with the enabling scores like Grammar, Oral Fluency, Pronunciation, Spelling, Vocabulary, and Written discourse.
However, the new score report that will be effective for the test takers who will give exams according to the new format, will not be shown their score breakdown in those mentioned enabling skills.
It is to be noted that, despite the removal of the Enabling skills breakdown from the score report, it will still be counted and considered for overall marking. And Pearson will be providing a better and elaborated form of feedback in its place.
Important Takeaways from PTE Shorter Test
- Difficulty Level
While some people might be frightened thinking that the reduced PTE Academic question items are going to raise the difficulty level to compensate, it is not the case. The PTE exam difficulty is going to remain as it initially was. Rather the only thing to note is, there is going to be less room for error.
In the current PTE exam system, due to having multiple PTE item types, even though one makes slight mistakes for not being cautious enough from the beginning, he/she might find their rhythm and fall in track eventually in the later parts. Which overall yields a better PTE score. But with lesser PTE item types, making mistakes in early questions might give more weight to the overall PTE score. One has to remain vigilant from the earliest of each item type. Upon sufficient practicing, and giving mock tests, this will no longer be an issue as they will already be accustomed to it.
- Increased concentration
Many times, the exam has been proven to be difficult for sitting in front of a screen at a stretch for as long as 3 hours. The optional break of 10 minutes in between does not really help much. And especially answering the final task of listening at the final 1 hour requires immense concentration level. Maintaining a strict level of vigilance for that long is really hectic and is a leading cause why some proficient English users can get a reduced score. Basically, it might seem that the test report may not reflect the actual expertise level of the PTE test taker.
Therefore, the reduced exam time is the solution to properly assess an individual of his/her English level. A total of 2 hours is adequate to judge someone properly their understanding and usage of the language. Besides, since the optional break is removed, it should not harm the flow of the test candidate’s focus.
- PTE Preparation Strategy
Since PTE Academic is not going to rise in the difficulty level, one should not worry about changing their technique of preparing for the PTE test. It is to remain as it always was. The requirement that was followed for university acceptance or for immigration will still remain the same. Some may argue that due to this PTE shorter Test, one is likely to make more mistakes due to rushing. But this is really not the case because the PTE exam has always depended on how the test takers have prepared for it.
Why the duration of PTE exam changes
The research team of Pearson has found out that a 3-hour exam module, while has proven to be effective, may not be the most suitable for people of every age. To accommodate and make the test convenient for as many as possible, they have decided that this new change will only benefit the test takers. Assessing anyone’s command over the English language is possible with this improved test format without any falter on the test score or quality. Essentially this reduced number of questions will hardly have any impact rather it will benefit everyone taking the exam.
PTE shorter version Mock Tests with PEC-Education
PEC-Education is going to introduce a shorter version of the PTE mock test according to the same duration of two hours and the same pattern of the PTE exam earlier than November 16, 2021. PTE mock tests from PEC-Education are fully online based and AI-based which can be attended online from anywhere in Bangladesh as well as from abroad.
PEC-Education also provides a similar environment to the PTE test center at the PTE test preparation center in Mirpur, Dhaka. PTE candidates from Bangladesh can avail of PTE test preparation materials and PTE online Mock Test for free from PEC-Education with the available different PTE online and Face to Face courses.
Conclusion
Pearson’s innovative approach to benefit everyone who needs to get their English proficiency level evaluated through means of PTE Academic is undergoing several changes. However, there won’t be any change in the difficulty level as the exam will still be marked by AI just as reliably, faithfully and justly. The only changes to note are that there will be a reduction of exam duration (from 3 hours to 2) and in the number of questions. The Score Report will also change in appearance which won’t show the enabling skills but instead a report on how to improve those skill areas. And your score requirement will remain just it was.