8 Steps to Follow If You Are Starting PTE Exam Preparation from Scratch

The PTE exam is a doorway for students willing to study abroad in top universities or professionals looking for opportunities to work abroad. In past years, the PTE exam has gained popularity, and the majority of individuals are taking it. If you are also one of those who is planning to take this exam, then you must prepare well. Here is a PTE preparation plan if you are attempting the exam for the first time.

Step 1: Understand the PTE Exam Structure

When starting the PTE preparation, you first need to understand the structure and format of the exam. This is important because it will help you strategically develop your preparation plan. The test evaluates your English language skills across four areas-Speaking & Writing,

Overview of Sections:

• Speaking & Writing (77 – 93 minutes): This task will include a personal introduction, description of an image, essay writing, and more.
• Reading (32 – 40 minutes): Includes tasks such as multiple-choice questions, reordering paragraphs, and fill-in-the-blanks.
• Listening (45 – 57 minutes): Features tasks such as summarize spoken text, fill-in-the-blanks, and highlight incorrect words.

Tip: Visit the official PTE website and explore sample questions for each section. To learn more about a section, you can visit Gurully’s blog.

Step 2: Assess Your Current English Level

Second, you must start enhancing your English language skills. This will help you pass the different sections of the exam.  

How to assess yourself:

• Take a PTE mock test to know the exam experience and evaluate your skills.
• You can also use free mock tests available to diagnose each section individually.

Tip: Create a list of your strengths and weaknesses in each section. This will give you a clear direction for your study plan.

Step 3: Create a Study Plan

To score high in the PTE exam, you need to create a study plan for effective preparation. From the results of the mock test, you can easily evaluate which section needs more attention. Set daily and weekly goals to keep your preparation on track.

How to structure your plan:

• Weeks 1-2: Focus on understanding the format and practicing individual tasks for each section.
• Weeks 3-4: Concentrate on strengthening areas where you need improvement, i.e., vocabulary, grammar, or listening skills.
• Weeks 5-6: Practice on PTE mock tests to understand exam conditions and improve time management.

Tip: Invest 2-3 hours daily to expand your vocabulary and practice general English communication skills.

Step 4: Master the Speaking & Writing Section

The Speaking & Writing section is the longest and most challenging part of the PTE exam. It requires you to perform a variety of tasks, from delivering short answers to writing an essay. Each task evaluates your ability to communicate clearly and coherently.

Strategies:

• For Speaking: Practice fluency and pronunciation. You can use the PTE practice app on mobile to record your responses to speaking prompts. This will help you track your fluency, clarity, and pronunciation.
• For Writing: Focus on structuring your essays well. You can easily practice using the free PTE practice application on mobile.  

Tip: Record yourself speaking for one minute on a random topic and play it back to evaluate your fluency and clarity. Do this daily to improve your performance.

Step 5: Enhance Reading Skills

The Reading section requires you to comprehend passages, answer multiple-choice questions, reorder paragraphs, and fill in blanks. This section can be tricky if you’re not a regular reader of English content.

Reading Tips:

• Skimming & Scanning: Learn to quickly skim through passages while identifying key information.
• Vocabulary: Regularly enhance your vocabulary by reading English newspapers, blogs, or journals. Learn synonyms and antonyms to improve your accuracy in answering reading questions.
• Reordering Paragraphs: Focus on understanding the logical flow of sentences and how they connect to each other.

Tip: Challenge yourself by reading one article daily from a newspaper or online publication. Summarize the article in 3-4 sentences to practice comprehension.

Step 6: Improve Listening Skills

The Listening section requires you to comprehend spoken texts and answer questions based on your hearing. Tasks include summarizing spoken text, filling in blanks, and identifying incorrect words.

Strategies for Preparation:

• Daily Listening Practice: Listen to podcasts, news broadcasts, and audiobooks to develop your listening skills.
• Note-taking: Practice writing down key points quickly. This will help you when summarizing spoken texts in the PTE exam.

Tip: Start listening to TED Talks or podcasts on interesting topics. Pause after every minute and summarize what you’ve heard.

Sep 7: Practice on Full-Length Mock Tests

Preparing for the PTE mock test is very essential as it helps you understand readiness for the PTE exam. You can practice on a full-length PTE mock test of Gurully. The mock test provides real-time exam simulation to help you improve your practice.

Tip: In the final three weeks of preparation, take at least three to four mock tests each week. After each test, review your results to identify mistakes and fine-tune your approach.

Step 8: Review and Analyze Your Performance

It is important to review your performance carefully after completing a mock test or a practice exercise. Analyze your mistakes and focus on improving them in future practice sessions.

Achieving success in the PTE exam requires a structured and dedicated approach. By following the eight-step plan outlined above, you can effectively prepare for the exam and maximize your chances of success.

If you are looking for a helping hand, Gurully is here to make your dreams come true. You can practice on full-length mock tests and get real-time exam simulation. The AI-driven scoring will give you accurate and instant scoring so that you can save time. You can also practice section-wise and strengthen your weak areas.