Getting top scores in PTE or IELTS in the 1st attempt itself

September 05, 2020

Hi Everyone!! I thought of sharing my experience at a high level on how I managed to obtain a so-called ‘superior’ score (79+ each) in the Pearson Academic Test of English (PTE).

English language tests have been a nightmare and a decider for many visa aspirants who wish to fulfil their dreams of living, studying or working in Australia/NZ.

I was never someone who had participated in a lot of debates during my school and college days, and so I knew that the biggest challenge for me was to do well in the Speaking section.

My PTE score (one and only attempt)

90, 90, 81 and 81 out of 90 each in Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing sections respectively.
My overall score of 86 out of 90 in PTE is equivalent to getting the highest band score of 9 in IELTS.
Appeared for the PTE Academic on the 15^th of March 2017.

Why PTE?

PTE is getting popular especially among people who intend to migrate to Australia from other countries. Intended migrants are required to prove their English skills and hence they opt to appear for either of the following tests: PTE or IELTS or TOEFL iBT or OET or CAE.

Why I preferred PTE over IELTS?

PTE is completely a computer-based test.
It just takes 3 hours in a single session to get away with the PTE, while IELTS aspirants might be called in on another day at times.
It takes fewer number of days to get your PTE results. I got mine within 2 days. IELTS results can make you wait for as long as 13 business days.
PTE scores are accepted worldwide by thousands of universities, including reputed institutions like Harvard Business School and INSEAD etc.

What did I do to get a ‘superior’ PTE score?

Gave a complete day just to understand the question pattern.
Studied for an average of 4-5 hours for around 9-10 days.
Analyzed the difficulty level of each type of question.
Identified my weaker areas and did a lot of practice to improvise.
Figured out how much time I exactly had to respond to a particular question.
Gave 4-5 mock-tests and gained enough confidence before appearing for the actual exam.

My message to the PTE / IELTS aspirants

You need not be an expert in English to get a score of 79+ in each of the four sections.
Usage of complex words while responding to the questions is not at all required.
Speak clearly at a decent pace so that your examiner understands it well. Keep your energy level high, but do not rush.
Never exceed the word limit in the Writing section. Focus on the grammar and make an effort to reduce your spelling mistakes.
Take notes properly and frame complete sentences while handling the ‘Retell Lecture’ questions.
Coming back to the questions you’ve already attempted/left is not allowed. Do not get stuck to one question and move on to the next one. Time management is the key.
Be informed that few questions like ‘Multiple Choice – Choose Multiple Answers’ etc. do carry negative marks.
Keeping your ears ready from the word go is the most important thing you need to do to crack the Listening section, and obviously a lot of practice.
You might get a bit easier questions relatively at the end of every section, so ensure save enough time to attempt all the questions.
Do take that optional 10 minutes break before the beginning of the last section (Listening).
Do not panic even if you get a couple of question wrong. Try to make-up by answering other questions properly.
Even if you didn’t get the expected score at the 1^st attempt, don't lose heart. Another attempt with a better preparation should definitely be on your cards.

People who think are not that comfortable with English probably need to invest a few months of time and start reading newspapers or maybe start watching English movies to improve their English language skills. They should take the help of a dictionary and learn the meaning of words they think they should know at their level. All the best!!

'Like' our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/tips.to.pick.pte) and follow our blogs (https://tips-to-pick.blogspot.com.au/) to get PTE tips and scoring techniques question-by-question. All the best!!

Thank You.