How to prepare PTE exam at home - Complete Guide

Candidates applying for the PTE examination can start their PTE exam preparation at home using the official website, online study material, preparation guide, online tips, and test guidelines. Applicants can prepare for the PTE exam at home with the best motivation and dedication. 

How to prepare PTE exam at home? It takes two to three months for optimal preparation. Here are some important test tips and guidelines in general and section-wise to prepare for the test at home. 

Section-wise PTE test guidelines and tips

PTE or Pearson Test of English is a computer-based English language proficiency test for applicants willing to study abroad. PTE academic examination measures language proficiency in areas of speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills. It is a 3 hours entrance examination. The PTE exam score is a mandatory admission requirement for colleges and universities. 

PTE- Writing Section: Tips and Guidelines

• With average vocabulary and hold over grammar, an applicant can expect to score around 73 in the writing section. To get a perfect writing score of 90 out of 90, it becomes essential to have a stronghold over grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary. 
• Grammar and vocabulary are essential to ace up the score in the writing section. It is imperative to deliver grammatically correct answers.
• Lexical resources are significant to improve your score in the writing section. Avoid using standard terms and words in the English language used while communicating. Improve your vocabulary, learn new unique words from the English language dictionary and apply them while writing the answers. Using synonyms and idioms will help in improving the score.
• Be very careful regarding punctuations in your writing section. The wrong usage of punctuation is not expected in an English language proficiency test to study in an English-speaking country.
• Be very careful with the spelling while writing the answers. Use crisp and simple vocabulary if you are unsure about long and complicated words.
• Try to keep your answers short, relevant, and crisp. Sentence construction is significant in the writing section. Construct short sentences and avoid writing long sentences exceeding 20 words limit. Scoring algorithms in the examination cannot evaluate the sentences with more than 20 words with accuracy.
• Take care of capital letters and nouns in the sentences you use in the writing section. The initial word of the sentence should be capitalized.
• It is irrelevant to use examples or real-life experience unless it is asked for in the writing section.
• Do not write the summary based on the usage of 'I' or 'myself.' It should always be written in the context of a third person.
• Proofreading your writing answers is a vital exercise that should not be ignored. Always spare time for revision and proofreading. It helps you to detect minor as well as significant mistakes.
• Always focus on writing an excellent introduction and conclusion. Take out extra time in writing the conclusion as it summarizes the entire answer that you have written. 
• Summarize each paragraph in a complete sentence.  

PTE- Reading Section: Tips and Guidelines

• Skimming and scanning the entire reading passage will help the applicants find the correct answer without reading the entire passage. Detect the right keywords to find the relevant answer to the question. If you do not skim the keywords, detecting every answer to the relevant question will be time-consuming.
• Do not keep reading frequently used words like always, all, only, sometimes, never, and many to find the accurate answers within the time frame.
• There is no negative marking in the reading section; therefore, always attempt all the questions. If you try all the questions, increasing the reading score is high.
• Follow the rule of elimination in the reading section to filter out the options and write the correct answers within a short period. It will help you manage the time frame designated for the reading section.
• Always pay attention to every question. Read the question more than once to understand all the parts of the question and the expected answer. There are chances that you may miss out on parts of the question. Various questions will have more than one part to answer.
• Paraphrase the writing part. Use different words to write the same sentences and convey the same meaning. You need to have a stronghold over the vocabulary and synonyms. Do not use common English language words when writing your answers.
• Read English language newspapers and articles to make a habit of reading in speed and with ultimate accuracy. Practice skimming keywords and relevant answers from the passage instantly.
   

PTE - Speaking Section: Tips and Guidelines

• Possess positive body language with confidence in the speaking section. Make sure you do not fret while speaking during the speaking section.
• Learn the art of voice modulation. Raise your tone when you start speaking and reduce the tone at the end of the sentence, making the sentences sound more authentic and genuine.
• Take care of pronunciations. Every word that you speak adds to your pronunciation skills. If you are unsure about a long-complicated word pronunciation, avoid using it.
• Do not stammer or pause if you realize that you have made a mistake; instead, keep speaking. Even if you make a mistake while speaking, you should not make the examiner realize it with your attitude or stammering. Keep speaking without any disturbances, even if there is a mistake.
• Listen to the question very carefully. While you listen to the question, try to draft the answer in your mind so that you can instantly start speaking without any delay. This will create a good impression and help in acing up the speaking section score. 
• Be fluent while speaking. Do not stammer or pause between words and sentences. English fluency will be evaluated since it is an English language proficiency test.
• Do not use too many fillers in your sentence. Whatever you are speaking, it should be relevant and enriching. Try out new words and synonyms while speaking, which adds value and proves your vocabulary strength. 
• Continue speaking on a particular topic or answering a question unless the examiner asks you to stop or questions you further. For this, you need to have a stronghold over vocabulary and knowledge so that you can keep speaking until you are asked to stop.
• If you cannot manage the whole sentence, you should note the necessary keywords that you have heard.
• When you prepare for the examination, practice speaking with individuals fluent in the English language, it will help you detect various loopholes and weaknesses while saying which you can rectify for the examination.
   

PTE- Listening Section: Tips and Guidelines

• Listen actively, which means you need to pay more attention while listening to an audiotape or recording in the examination. If you do not remember the entire passage or sentence, focus on the important keywords.
• When listening to an audiotape or recording, skim and scan the important, relevant keywords for accurate information. You can always take notes or details and facts that you may forget later. Jotting down the notes and important points will help you construct your answers quickly.
• Watch English movies and listen to English songs to detect English language words precisely. Focus on both American and British accents.
• When you listen to new English language content, it will help you develop your vocabulary. It will be effortless for you to learn new words and synonyms.
• The listening section has negative markings. If you are unsure about any questions, do not make blind guesses.
• It is highly recommended to read all the questions before listening to the recording. If you have the questions in your mind, it will be easy to pick up the relevant facts and details while listening to the audiotape.
   

Conclusion

PTE exam is a widely accepted English language test for abroad education. Focus on all four sections simultaneously to ace up the PTE score. Having good PTE scores makes you eligible for admission to top universities and colleges. For more guidelines and tips to ace up the PTE score, get in touch with study abroad experts of upGrad Abroad.