PTE Core Listening: Format, Modules & Practice Tips

This blog includes basic information about the seven PTE Core Listening tasks, including their formats, scoring systems, and tips for each task.

Scroll down below to learn how to improve your PTE Core score in this section.

Key Takeaways

• The PTE Core Listening section has seven tasks, each with specific format and requirements to assess candidates’ listening skills.
• Test-takers can improve their skills by practising listening to podcasts, news, movies, or even lectures.
• Follow all our tips below and practise as much as possible to gain high scores in this section.

Related:

• PTE Core exam preparation tips

PTE Core Listening Format & Scoring System

Summarize Spoken Text

The PTE Core Summarize Spoken Text task evaluates candidates’ listening and writing skills. Your mission in this task is to listen to a recording and write a summary of 20 to 30 words. Pearson will play a 45-75-second audio, and you have 8 minutes to answer this section.

Listening carefully is crucial because you can only hear the recording once. You can take notes in the PTE Core Listening Summarize Spoken Text task. When the recording ends, PTE Magic suggests writing your summary as soon as possible to save time for later review. Test-takers can find a word count function at the bottom of the screen, which can help them measure the length of their summary.

Additionally, Pearson gives candidates access to the cut, copy, and paste buttons so they can easily and effectively organise their answers. Use these tools to optimise your summary—ensure your writing is easy to read and stays within the required word limit.

The Summarize Spoken Text task will test your ability to understand, analyse and summarise the main ideas in your answer. The task provides scores based on these five factors:

• Content: The accuracy of your summary, including the correct key details you mention, without being off-topic. You will receive higher scores if your summary focuses on key information and excludes unrelated details.
• Form: The number of words in your summary also affects your scores. Candidates must ensure their writing stays within 20 and 30 words to receive full credit. Any summaries written out of this range will get lower scores. Most importantly, you won’t get any scores if your summary is fewer than 5 or more than 40 words, so pay attention.
• Grammar: Pearson scores this factor based on your sentence structures. Test-takers who use clear sentences and effectively convey their answer without errors will receive the highest scores.
• Vocabulary: Your word choices are also crucial. We recommend using appropriate words by following the audio’s word use. Adding synonyms and academic terms also improves your PTE Core Listening Summarize Spoken Text score. Test-takers will get lower scores if their summaries don’t use flexible and correct word choices. 
• Spelling: How you write your summary also matters. Test-takers can use English from the United Kingdom, the United States, or Australia; however, they must maintain only one style. 

Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers

The PTE Core Listening Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers  task mainly evaluates your listening skills. PTE candidates will listen to a recording and answer a multiple-choice question. The question is related to the audio context and will last from 50 to 90 seconds.

You must listen carefully to the recording because it only plays once. Select all the correct answers from the given options when the recording finishes. Remember, this task has more than one correct answer, so ensure you finish the task without any mistakes.

To answer the question, click the option you choose. If you change your mind, click on the answer again to deselect it.

This task tests your ability to analyse and evaluate a short academic audio. The correctness of your selected answers will determine your score in this section.

Accordingly, candidates will get the highest score if all their selected answers are correct. In contrast, you will only receive a partial score if you answer one or more options incorrectly.

Note that this question only affects your listening score. It doesn’t evaluate your speaking and writing skills; it only requires your reading skills to understand the task’s instructions and the questions and given options.

Fill in the Blanks

Test-takers will encounter a recording transcript with several gaps in the PTE Core Listening Fill in the Blanks task. You need to listen to the recording and fill in the missing words in each blank. This task’s recording lasts from 30 to 60 seconds and plays automatically. Pay attention because you can only hear this once.

To answer, click on a blank and type in the word you heard. A tab button on the keyboard allows you to switch to other blanks quickly. Additionally, Pearson provides an erasable whiteboard, so use it to organise your notes and avoid missing words.

Your Listening Fill in the Blanks score is based on your answer content. With this, the test can address your listening ability and how accurately you can re-type the missing words. You will receive one point for each blank with a correct word and spelling. Test-takers who fill in all the blanks correctly will get maximum scores in this task, while those who don’t only receive partial credit.

The task affects your listening and writing scores. Your reading skills are needed to read the instructions and transcription, while your speaking skills are not assessed.

Multiple Choice, Single Answer

This task tests your ability to listen to a recording and select a paragraph that best summarises it. The audio usually lasts from 30 to 60 seconds. Pearson plays this audio automatically and only once, therefore, you must pay attention closely.

The test will show you several summarise options after the recording ends. Test-takers must choose the correct paragraph among these. To answer this task, click on the option you want. If you change your mind, click that option again to deselect it, or simply click another option.

The PTE Core Listening Multiple Choice, Single Answer task scores candidates based on their analytic and evaluative abilities on the recording they hear. Accordingly, you will get points if you choose the correct option. On the contrary, a wrong answer or no answer will not receive any points. This is a binary scoring system, meaning you either get full or no scores.

This section focuses on evaluating your listening skills. You also need reading skills to understand the requirements and the answer options given in this task. It does not affect your speaking and writing scores.

Select Missing Word

The PTE Core Select Missing Word task plays short audio and asks test-takers to select the missing word or phrase to complete the last part of the recording. The audio usually takes 20-70 seconds to finish, and there is no time limit for the question.

Pay close attention to the audio because you will only hear it once. When the audio ends, Pearson will show several answer options. Your goal is to click on the option that you find correct. Click on the option again if you want to reselect. You can also click directly on another option to change.

The PTE Core Select Missing Word task assesses your performance based on your ability to guess the content from the speaker’s speech. This task also follows the binary scoring system. The full score is for test-takers who successfully select the correct answer. You won’t receive any points if you choose the wrong word or phrase or do not answer. 

Highlight Incorrect Words

In this task, candidates will listen to an audio while reading its transcript. They must click on the words in the transcript that are different from the recording. The audio lasts 15 to 50 seconds and there is no time limit for answering. 

The recording will play automatically for once, so concentrate on what you hear. While listening, click on any words that you heard differently from the audio. Pearson will highlight the word in yellow once you click on it. Click on the selected word to redo your answer if needed. 

Additionally, this task focuses on how test-takers identify the differences between the audio recording and the text transcript. Each correct word you highlight brings you one point, while every wrong answer will deduct one point from your score. You will receive full scores if all your highlighted words are correct. In contrast, you only get a partial score if you include one or more wrong answers in your transcript.

The PTE Core Highlight Incorrect Words task affects your listening and reading scores. It does not contribute to your speaking and writing scores.

Write From Dictation

In the PTE Core Listening Write from Dictation task, Pearson will play a recording of a sentence. Your goal is to type out the exact sentence from what you hear. The audio is short and only lasts for 3 to 5 seconds. This task assesses your listening and writing skills; there is no time limit to answer it.

Again, the short audio plays automatically, and you only have one chance to listen. After the audio ends, type the sentence you just heard in the answer box at the bottom of the screen.

Pearson gives every candidate an erasable whiteboard for the test, so use it at your convenience. PTE Magic suggests writing down the draft sentence as you listen to capture all the words. Check your spelling and grammar after you type in your answer to avoid any mistakes.

This task determines your scores by how correctly you rewrite the sentence. You get full credit if your answer includes all the words in the sentence with correct spelling. If you add extra words which are not originally in the audio, or if you use wrong or misspelled words – the task will apply a partial credit system. 

Remember, the PTE Core Write from Dictation task tests your listening and writing skills so that these components will affect your respective scores. The task won’t evaluate your speaking skills, while your reading skills are needed to understand the instruction.

Best PTE Core Listening Practice Tips

Summarize Spoken Text

• Review and check: PTE Magic recommends saving at least 1-2 minutes to recheck your answer before you submit it. Pay attention to the grammar, including subject-verb structure, verb tenses, and word order. 

Moreover, misspelled words will lower your score, therefore, use words you are confident in spelling. Check to see if your punctuation is correct and if you have capital letters in the first letter of your sentences. 

• Use the whiteboard: Pearson gives test-takers an erasable whiteboard for better preparation. While you listen, use this to note the key details and supporting ideas. This helps you draft a brief idea of the summary, making your final answer more well-organised and easy to read. 

Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers

• Take notes: Read the task’s question and prepare to take notes seven seconds before the recording plays. While listening, note important details such as times, places, or events. This tip is crucial because sometimes the information is not in a similar order to the given options, so avoid selecting while listening.
• Focus on meaning: Options that include the exact word choice but with different meanings always take scores from careless test-takers. Choose options that best match the meaning of what you listen to. Make sure to understand the context thoroughly to select the accurate options quickly.
• Remember the scoring system: This task allows more than one correct answer, so pay attention to avoid making careless mistakes. Do not apply the random guessing method in this task because you will lose points for each wrong answer you make.

Fill in the Blanks

• Skim before listening: The seven seconds before the audio plays is your golden time to skim the text for better preparation. Focus on the overall context first and leave the blanks for now.
• Identify key elements: Names and titles that begin with capital letters, geographic places, organisations, and repeated nouns are the key details. Pay attention to these elements because they help you determine the main topic. 
• Take notes: Use your erasable whiteboard to write down all the words you hear for each blank. We suggest carefully concentrating on listening while you are note-taking. No need to pay attention to grammar or spelling in this step since the audio only plays once. 
• Control your timing: The next question only starts when you click the “Next” button on the screen. Therefore, spend some time checking your answer before continuing.

Multiple Choice, Single Answer

• Focus on the right information: Notice the main part of the question to help you target your listening effectively. For example, listen to the overall topic if the question asks about the main theme of the recording. If the question mentions specific details, focus on related information while listening. You should concentrate on the speaker’s point of view if the question requires you to state their opinions.
• Skim the question first: You have five seconds before the audio plays, so use this time to skim through the question quickly. This method helps test-takers to understand the general topic and specific clues of what they are about to listen to. 

Select Missing Word

• Know the steps: In this task, you will see three to five answer options. Your mission is to choose one among them to finish the recording. Remember to understand the steps to do the task since you only have one correct answer. 

If you want to change your answer, remember to follow these two steps:

1. Click on the selected option to deselect it.
2. Next, click on the new option you want to select.

• Review and check: Before you move to the next question, review your answer repeatedly. The next recording won’t start until you click the “Next” button, so use this time wisely.

Highlight Incorrect Words

• Skim first: SkimmingReview your answer repeatedly before you move to the next question before you listen is a crucial step to help you grasp the information. Pearson gives you 10 seconds before they play the audio, so skim through the transcription to catch the main context.
• Identify keywords: Words that give you information, whether nouns, adjectives or verbs, help you determine the text’s general topic.
• Follow the text with your mouse: While the recording plays, move your mouse to align with what you hear. This helps test-takers to point out the different words faster.
• Don’t take notes: Taking notes is bad in the Highlight Incorrect Words task. We suggest closely tracking the audio to spot the incorrect words immediately.

Write From Dictation

• Accuracy is key: Each correct word you type in the box will earn points. Therefore, type in as many words as you remember while making sure they are all in the correct order.
• Follow English grammar: For test-takers who are unsure about a word’s position, use English grammar to decide where to put the word. Good grammatical knowledge can help you form a phrase or sentence based on the word’s context. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

How Many Sections Are There In The PTE Core Listening?

The PTE Core Listening section has seven tasks, including Summarizing Spoken Text, Multiple-Choice Multiple Answers, fill-in-the-blanks, Multiple-Choice Single Answer, Selecting Missing Words, Highlighting Incorrect words, and Writing from Dictation.

What Are Some Strategies For A Better PTE Core Listening Score?

Test-takers can improve their skills by practising listening to podcasts, news, movies, or even lectures. While listening, focus on the main ideas and important keywords to note them down quickly. Getting familiar with all the tasks in the PTE Core Listening section and understanding their scoring systems is also helpful.

Plus, improve your vocabulary to extend your ability to understand the context. Lastly, review your performance after every practice session to learn from your mistakes. 

How To Prepare For Various Accents In The Test?

Listen to sources such as international news or foreign YouTube channels to get acquainted with diverse accents. Additionally, engage with people from different regions whenever you have a chance. International movies or shows are also good for listening to other English dialects.

The Bottom Line

The PTE Core Listening section has seven tasks, each with a specific format and requirements to assess candidates’ listening skills. To gain high scores in this section, follow all our tips above and practise as much as possible. Don’t forget to check out our PTE self-studying platform to master other sections as well. Good luck!

Last updated on 23/07/2024