Is PTE a Better Choice?
by Syed Wasi
This is a fact now that PTE has opened the door of a second opportunity to people willing to go abroad. They no longer have to solely depend on IELTS or TOEFL. But the question is whether this relatively new language testing system is a better option or not. From my experience as both PTE and IELTS trainer, I must admit that PTE is a far better choice over any other language testing system available in Bangladesh or across the world. How is that so? Here are the reasons:
- This test if very fast. The usual time required from booking the test to getting the score is 7 days. Sometimes it can be as fast as 3 days! Yes, you heard it right- you can register the test 48 hours before. The test is done in 3 hours, and the score might even pop up the very day you took the test (or it will take maximum 5 working days)!
- PTE scoring is also quite lenient compared to other language tests. You will be surprised or even get shocked to know that each module in PTE is at least supporting one other module in terms of marks! What I mean here is that while you are doing speaking, you are also securing some marks for reading and listening alongside the core marks for speaking. This way, writing gives some marks to reading, and reading returns the favor to writing. And listening? This module is the most generous; it gives partial marks to both reading and writing. The diagram shown below will give you a clear idea about marks distribution.
- PTE gives lots of partial marks. For most tasks in each module, you don’t need to perform 100%. Whatever input you give, you get marks for that.
- Preference of specific tasks will also give you better marks. In each section, there are some important tasks that carry the most number of marks. Target those without wasting much time on other tasks to get better marks. For example, in reading, multiple choice questions only carry 20%-30% marks whereas the other 3 sections (Reorder Paragraphs, Fill in the Blanks: Reading, Fill in the Blanks: Reading and Writing) carry 70%-80% marks!
- Since PTE is scored by a computer, it is not biased at all. You get what you deserve.
