PTE Exam: Best Ways to Prepare for It in Just 15 days

If you are taking your PTE exam in 15 days or for the first time, it’s normal to feel nervous. You might even wonder whether it’s possible to gain a good score on the test. So, it is possible to ace it even if you are not a native English speaker. But it will need a lot of effort and planning on your part. If you take the exam without familiarizing yourself with the PTE exam syllabus, and format or doing mock tests. Thus, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. Further, do not worry about this, in the article below there are tips that will help you succeed on your PTE test.

Tips to Crack Your PTE Exam in 15 Days

Many foreign colleges check your PTE scores for the admission process. So, before thinking about taking an education loan you need to focus on cracking your PTE exam first. It assesses your ability in four different divisions. These are Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening.

Look at the below tips to crack this exam within 15 days.

Understand PTE Exam: What It Contains

The first thing you should do is familiarize yourself with the PTE exam syllabus and pattern. There are a total of 52-64 questions in the test. Which are divided into parts 1, 2, and 3. It includes queries like Re-tell Lectures, Summarize Written text, Re-order paragraphs, and more. To understand each type of question, first, you should make a list of them all. Then write two things, next to each one:

• The skills it checks
• Things you can do to practice those skills

Take a look below for an example,

In the speaking section, you listen to a short lecture and then re-tell it in your own words. The abilities it assesses are:

• Listening: You need to understand the main idea of the lecture correctly. This skill is vital for any learner and professional.
• Vocabulary: Rather than preparing what you have heard, convert the lecture into your own words. This is something that a person does every day in their studies or workplace.
• Pronunciation: Other people must be able to understand your words while you are talking to them. Also, even words you are saying should be pronounced and your sentence should communicate your meaning.

Now that you have learned the skills to develop for the PTE Exam, read below to understand how you should practice. Below are some possible ideas:

• Watch short videos online and summarize them. Sites like BBC News or TED Talks have thousands of videos with a wide range of accents that you can practice with.
• Talking to others in the English language. Listen to what you heard and try to briefly understand what they say to you. They will let you if your summary is accurate and easy to understand. However, if you do not have any English-speaking friends, then sites like Italki and Hellotalk. These put thousands of learners in touch so they exchange learn and learn together.

Follow these processes for every section and question type of the PTE exam. Find out what is being tested, then try to recreate those conditions in your daily life. That way, you will be used to performing these tasks on the day of the test.

Speak & Write on a Wide Range of Topics

As you now know the question types of the PTE exam syllabus, you may notice that the exam covers a wide range of topics. So, you need to be able to understand what is being asked in each question and find related vocabulary to express yourself.

Moreover, to make your English more versatile, you should watch, read, and listen to as wide a range of topics as you can.

For example: watch dramas, podcasts, vlogs, and documentaries. In short, do not just watch the news in English as they tend to use a limited range of formal words.

Structure Your Answers, Avoid Using Templates

Although the topics you will talk or write about might vary, so you should try to structure your answers for certain tasks. This will help you to think quickly and to use the right English while in an exam situation. However, this is different from memorizing a script or template, which you should not do, as you don’t know what question will be in the test.

Thus, structuring your answers successfully will allow you to use a range of linking words and relevant vocabulary. It helps you to achieve your best scores.

Practice with the Mock Tests

Once you get near your PTE date availability, it’s now time to practice using official test materials. In short, you have to devote a large amount of time daily to practice exercises specifically made for the PTE. As well as work on sample questions and take IELTS mock tests. Focus on improving your abilities in the areas where you lack confidence.

Thus, these are tips you should follow if you are attempting a test in just 15 days or you are taking it for the first time.

Conclusion

Summing up, these expert tips can help you get a head start in your PTE journey. There are other ways you can crack the exam such as mock tests, study materials, and online or offline classes. Moreover, you should check your PTE date availability and center carefully while filling up the form.