How it works: do the four sections in order. After each one, press the button to mark it. Your results appear in the box above, and your study plan uses them to choose your first focus.
1. Reading (about 8 minutes)
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2. Listening (about 8 minutes)
Turn your sound on. Each recording is read aloud by your browser's voice.
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3. Writing (about 10 minutes)
Write a one-sentence summary of the text, then press Mark my writing. (The essay comes later, in your study plan.)
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4. Speaking (about 6 minutes)
Record each answer, listen back and check it against the checklist. Then choose how it went in the box at the top.
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What next?
Choose the study plan for your target. In your plan's dashboard, type your latest official PTE scores (if you have them) to see the gap to your target in each skill.
Answers, explanations and transcripts
Finish the test first, then open each section to check your answers. Every answer has an explanation.
PTE quick check: reading
Text for question 8: Multiple Choice, Single Answer
Text for question 9: Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
Answer key (10 answers)
| # | Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Many universities now ___ | encourage | 'Encourage someone to do something' is the only pattern that fits ('enforce students to' is not correct English). You 'complete a degree' (finish it); 'compete', 'complain' and 'compose' don't fit the meaning. |
| 2 | …Students who feel part of a community are often more likely to ___ | complete | 'Encourage someone to do something' is the only pattern that fits ('enforce students to' is not correct English). You 'complete a degree' (finish it); 'compete', 'complain' and 'compose' don't fit the meaning. |
| 3 | Public libraries have ___ | changed | The sentence is about how libraries are different now, so 'changed' fits. Libraries 'provide' (give) services; the other verbs look similar but mean something else. |
| 4 | …deal over the past thirty years. As well as lending books, many now ___ | provide | The sentence is about how libraries are different now, so 'changed' fits. Libraries 'provide' (give) services; the other verbs look similar but mean something else. |
| 5 | …to work is a simple way to fit exercise into a busy day. It can also ___ | save | After 'can also' you need a base verb: 'save'. After 'it' you need a verb with -s: 'produces'. After 'some people' you need a verb: 'combine'. The extra words are an adjective and two nouns, so they don't fit the grammar. |
| 6 | money on fuel and parking, and it ___ | produces | After 'can also' you need a base verb: 'save'. After 'it' you need a verb with -s: 'produces'. After 'some people' you need a verb: 'combine'. The extra words are an adjective and two nouns, so they don't fit the grammar. |
| 7 | no exhaust fumes. For longer trips, some people ___ | combine | After 'can also' you need a base verb: 'save'. After 'it' you need a verb with -s: 'produces'. After 'some people' you need a verb: 'combine'. The extra words are an adjective and two nouns, so they don't fit the grammar. |
| 8 | Why do some councils offer free native plants? | Because native plants need less water and care and support local wildlife. | 'For this reason' points back to the benefits in the first two sentences: less water, little fertiliser, and birds and insects. The passage doesn't mention prices, rules about lawns or requests from residents. |
| 9 | Which of the following are mentioned as benefits of part-time work for students? | Help with paying living costs · Experience that employers value · A routine and better planning | Rent and food (A), experience (B) and a routine (D) are stated. The passage never says students get higher marks (C) or free accommodation (E). Wrong choices lose marks, so only choose options you can find in the text. |
| 10 | Reorder Paragraph | (1) Keeping a study diary is a simple habit that can make revisi… → (2) At the end of each day, students write down what they studie… → (3) Before an exam, they can look back at these notes to decide … → (4) This means revision time is spent where it is needed most, r… | The first sentence introduces the topic and can stand alone. 'At the end of each day' explains the habit; 'these notes' refers back to what students write; 'This means' gives the result. |
PTE quick check: listening
Transcript: Highlight Incorrect Words
Our city's public bike scheme started five years ago with just two hundred bikes. Today there are more than a thousand, and riders can pick up a bike from any station and return it to another. The first thirty minutes of every trip are free.
Transcript: Listening: Fill in the Blanks
Welcome to the science building. The laboratories are on the ground floor, and the computer rooms are on level two. Safety glasses must be worn at all times in the laboratories, and bags should be left in the lockers near the entrance.
Transcript: Select Missing Word
Many people find it hard to fall asleep after using a phone in bed. The bright screen tells the brain that it is still daytime. So sleep experts suggest putting your phone away about an hour before you go to…
Transcript: Listening: Multiple Choice, Single Answer
If you're running late for a group meeting, send a short message to your team as soon as you can. Tell them when you expect to arrive and which part of the work you've finished. That way, they can start without you and won't waste time waiting.
Answer key (9 answers)
| # | Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Write the sentence you hear | Please check the timetable before you come to the first tutorial. | Every correctly spelled word scores a point. |
| 12 | Write the sentence you hear | Students can borrow laptops from the library for up to three days. | Every correctly spelled word scores a point. |
| 13 | Highlight the words that differ from the recording | ten (said: five), shop (said: station), cheap (said: free) | Each correct click earns a point; each wrong click loses one. |
| 14 | The laboratories are on the ___ | ground | Spelling counts: each word must be spelled correctly. |
| 15 | floor, and the computer rooms are on level two. Safety ___ | glasses | Spelling counts: each word must be spelled correctly. |
| 16 | …worn at all times in the laboratories, and bags should be left in the ___ | lockers | Spelling counts: each word must be spelled correctly. |
| 17 | near the ___ | entrance | Spelling counts: each word must be spelled correctly. |
| 18 | The recording stops before the end. Which option best completes it? | bed | The talk is about falling asleep, so the advice is to put the phone away before you go to bed. |
| 19 | Why does the speaker recommend sending a message? | So the team can start without waiting for you | 'That way, they can start without you and won't waste time waiting.' The speaker still expects you to arrive, so D is wrong. |
PTE quick check: writing
Model answer: Summarize Written Text (10 minutes)
Summarise the text in ONE sentence of 5–75 words.
Many schools are adding outdoor lessons because students are often more interested, remember practical ideas better and get more activity, although weather, limited space and safety needs mean outdoor learning is usually an addition to classroom lessons rather than a replacement.
PTE quick check: speaking
Transcript: Repeat Sentence
The computer lab will be open late on Thursday evening.
Model answer: Repeat Sentence
Listen, then repeat the sentence exactly.
The computer lab will be open late on Thursday evening.
Transcript: Repeat Sentence
Remember to bring your student card to every exam.
Model answer: Repeat Sentence
Listen, then repeat the sentence exactly.
Remember to bring your student card to every exam.
Transcript: Respond to a Situation
You borrowed a textbook from a classmate last week, and you have accidentally spilled coffee on the cover. You meet your classmate to return the book. What would you say?
Model answer: Respond to a Situation
Listen to and read the situation. Then say what you would say. You have 10 seconds to prepare and 40 seconds to speak.
Hi Sam, thanks so much for lending me your textbook. I'm really sorry, but I had an accident and spilled some coffee on the cover. The pages inside are fine, but the cover is stained. I'd like to fix this, so I'm happy to buy you a new copy, or pay for a cover if you prefer. Just let me know what works best for you, and sorry again.
Transcript: Answer Short Question
What do we call the meal that people eat in the morning?
Model answer: Answer Short Question
Listen to the question and answer with one or a few words.
Breakfast.
Frequently asked questions
Does the quick check give me a PTE score?
No. PTE scores come from Pearson's own scoring, which we can't copy. The quick check shows how many points you got on our questions in each section, and which section is weakest. For a real score, use your latest PTE result or an official Pearson practice test, and type it into your study plan.
Do I have to do all four sections?
No, but your plan works best with all four. You can come back and finish later; your results are saved in this browser.
How is speaking checked?
Record your answers, listen back and use the checklist under each task. Then choose how it went in the box at the top. It's a self-check, so be honest with yourself.
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