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PTE General Exam Pattern consists of two sections: a written section and a spoken interview. PTE exam measures your English language skills of writing, reading, speaking, and listening. Both the sections of PTE General are evaluated by examiners of the UK. The Pearson Test of English General test scores is being accepted by several universities and ministries of different countries around the world. The International Certificate of PTE General focuses more on the proficiency of communicating in English rather than test-taking skills. It is basically for learners of English who speak other languages and is a reward depicting positive achievement in English language learning.
PTE General Exam Pattern Overview
The PTE registration is done for both the PTE Academic exam and the PTE General exam. There are two sections in the PTE General Exam pattern: a written section and a verbal section. The spoken interview is taken 2 weeks prior to the written test. The written paper evaluates writing skills, reading comprehension, and PTE Listening skills. Whereas the spoken test evaluates the communication skills in realistic and familiar situations. The written test of PTE General comprises 75 marks whereas the interview is given the weightage of 25 marks. There are in total six levels of the PTE General test with respect to the Common European Framework of Reference. You can take the PTE general exam in May, June, August, November, and December and the students from the age of 16 are deemed as suitable for this exam.
The PTE general exam is directed and managed by Pearson in partnership with Edexcel Limited, which is considered as UK's substantial body for conferring awards for academic and vocational qualifications.
| TEST LEVEL | SESSION 1 - Time | Session 2 - Time |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation A1 | 5 minutes | 1 hr 15 mins |
| Level 1 (A2) | 5 minutes | 1 hr 35 mins |
| Level 2 (B1) | 7 minutes | 1 hr 35 mins |
| Level 3 (B2) | 7 minutes | 2 hrs |
| Level 4 (C1) | 8 minutes | 2 hrs 30 mins |
| Level 5 (C2) | 8 minutes | 2 hrs 55 mins |
PTE General Exam: Test Levels
The PTE General exam has distinctive parameters based on the alignment of CEFR. It has a total of six proficiency levels which are explained below;
Foundation Level – A1
This PTE general exam is suited for beginners in English and their spoken and PTE writing tests are taken in a social context and their survival instincts are also checked. PTE general foundation level exam is structured into a written paper and speaking test of 9 tasks having different question types which are all linked to a general theme.
Duration: 75 minutes
The test sections have listening, reading, PTE speaking, and writing. The spoken test of 5 minutes includes:
- Sustained monologue
- Prescribed picture
- Roleplay
Level 1
This PTE general exam is also suited for beginners in English and is structured into a written paper and spoken test having 9 tasks. The PTE general questions vary from hobbies to home, transport, school, and more. The spoken test is similar to the foundation level and is aligned with CEFR Level A2.
Duration: 1 hour 35 minutes
Level 2
This PTE general exam is suited for the ones having intermediate knowledge of English and planning to study, or work, or for everyday use. The test-takers will be assessed based on their speaking and writing skills as information, ideas, feeling, and opinions on daily circumstances. Level 2 aims at topics like entertainment, tourism, travel, education, and more. The task format is similar to 9 tasks, with an addition in the spoken test – ‘discussion’. This is aligned with CEFR Level B1.
Duration: 1 hour 35 minutes
Level 3
This task is very similar to Level 2 and is aligned with CEFR Level B2. There are 9 tasks in total, with similar written and spoken tests.
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Level 4
This PTE general exam is suited for the ones planning for higher education abroad and is required to show their skills in understanding academic, social, and professional contexts. Their written and speaking skills should also be fluent, and the themes now will mostly be based on abstracts like conservation, pollution, and alike. The spoken test is of 8 minutes and comprises of similar tasks.
Duration: 2 hours 55 minutes
Level 5
This is the last test that is suitable for candidates planning for higher education in an English institute and the duration is also an extended 2 hours 55 minutes. These tests will require an advanced competence level to answer the abstract themes presented.
Duration: 2 hours 55 minutes
PTE General Exam sample papers will help to prepare for the main exam. The PTE test is created on actual-life academic and general themes including graphs, summaries, and many additional items that are related to our surroundings. Moreover, the test also accommodates native and non-native accents which encourages the students from diverse countries to apply for this exam and to get an opportunity to study abroad.
PTE General Exam Score
Total marks in the writing task of PTE general is 75 and Spoken task is 25. General PTE test scores do not expire and have unlimited validation. The table below shows the different sections of the PTE General writing task and the respective maximum scores.
Score Points: Written component (all levels)
The table below shows the skills tested and average PTE Score points of all the sections of the spoken component of levels A1 and 1, and levels 2-5.
Score points: Score Component (all levels)
Performance of the candidates is measured following the different criteria as follows:
- Task Completion - In order to receive marks, test takers must complete the given task. Any unanswered questions or irrelevant answers do not receive score points.
- Meeting formal requirements - The response must be written according to the formal requirements. The format must be correct keeping the word limit in mind. For example, the word limit in level 1, i.e., CEFR level A2 section 8 is 50-70 and the tolerance is 40-77
- Analytic level descriptive criteria - The Analytic level descriptive criteria consist of four traits: range, accuracy, coherence, and orthographic control. The test taker’s performance is assessed on these factors.
- Global selection descriptive criteria - Finally, each section is assessed against the criteria of written interaction and written production.
Difference of PTE General and PTE Academic
Here is the detailed difference between PTE General and PTE Academic:
| Points of Difference | PTE General | PTE Academic |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | The candidates who want to measure their English language proficiency take PTE General. | The candidates who want to study in English-speaking countries like the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia usually take the PTE Academic test. |
| Exam structure | The PTE General is a set of six tests. These tests are administered at different levels: A1, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. | 3 modules- PTE reading, speaking and writing, and listening. |
| Accepting Countries | Ukraine, Spain, Greece, Poland, Switzerland, Italy, Latvia, and Lithuania. | Australia, along with the UK, the USA |
| Exam Slot | 90 minutes to 3 hours | 360 days a year. |
| Validity | No expiry | 2 years |
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
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