PTE Listening Tips, Format 2026, Question Types, & Practice papers

PTE Listening is the third part of the PTE exam. This section is designed to test your ability to listen, read, and write. The duration is approximately 30-43 minutes and has eight different question types. You must listen to audio or video clips played automatically to answer these questions. You can hear each audio or video clip only once. You are allowed to take notes on an erasable notepad. PTE Listening scores (ranges from 10-90) are calculated using automated algorithms that assess the ability to understand spoken english. Read this article carefully to understand the PTE Listening section question types, format, tips & tricks to score well.

PTE Academic Listening Format

The total questions in PTE Listening will be 12-20.  Here is the section overview.  

Question Type	Task	Number of Questions	Prompt Length	Scoring	Skills assessed
Summarize Spoken text	You need to write down 50-70 words summary after listening to an audio.	1-2	60-90 seconds	Partial Credit	Listening and Writing
Multiple Choice, Choose multiple answers	You will see a multiple choice options beneath the audio. You need to select more than one option you think are true based on recording you hear.	1-2	40-90 seconds	Partial Credit (will lose points for each incorrect option)	Listening
Fill in the blanks	The recording played have to be matched with the trancript written on the screen. You need to fill the blanks that the transcript has as you hear the audio	2-3	30-60 seconds	Partial Credit	Listening and Writing
Highlight correct summary	After listening to audio, you should select summary paragraph that best matches the lecture	1-2	30-90 seconds	Correct/ Incorrect	Listening and Reading
Multiple choice, choose single answer	After listening to audio, answer multiple choice question by selecting the one correct response from given options.	1-2	30-60 seconds	Correct/ Incorrect	Listening
Select missing word	You will hear a recording with missing word(s) by a beep sound. you need to select missing part from the given options.	1-2	20-70 seconds	Correct/ Incorrect	Listening
Highlight incorrect words	The audio clip of the transcript displayed on the screen will be played. You need to hear and identify the words (by left-clicking on them) that are different from the words in audio clip.	2-3	15-50 seconds	Partial Credit (will lose points for each incorrect option chosen)	Listening
Write from Dictation	A sentence is played in audio clip. You need to type the spoken sentence with exact words.	3-4	3-5 seconds	Partial Credit (for each word spelled correctly)	Listening and Writing

Now let’s look into essential PTE listening tips you should know to score 79+ easily in this Listening section. These tips are common for all question types.

Top 5 Useful PTE Listening Tips, Tricks & Strategies for Beginners

1. Listen Actively 

To score well in PTE Listening, it is important to actively listen to the recording. But, how can you do that? For this, consider taking basic steps. You can begin by watching movies both with and without subtitles; focusing without subtitles enhances your concentration. 

You can engage with podcasts on subjects that interest you. Furthermore, Be attentive while watching educational videos or listening to audio lessons in your PTE preparation. Make it a habit to take notes for better understanding.

2. Take the digital notes 

Note-taking is necessary for most listening questions. When taking notes, consider using a computer, particularly as the PTE listening task evaluates both your listening and writing skills. There will be limited response time. So, you will need to make notes as you listen and type down your answers later. It is important that candidates must able to frame their response related to the main idea of the recording. Hence it is better to start practicing this note-taking pattern on the computer to improve your efficiency in the exam. 

3. Time Management 

Time management is crucial to answer all the questions within the allotted time. Spare a few seconds after each answer, go through it, and make any changes if needed.  Practicing time management can be learned practically through mock tests, practice tests, live classes, etc. They will not only help you learn the PTE Exam Pattern but also make you understand time management skills along with listening skills.

4. Be aware of Negative Marking 

The question type like PTE Listening Multiple choice multiple answers carries negative marks. This means you will receive a negative point if your selected answer is incorrect. As a result, your total score for this type of question can come down to zero. So, If you are not sure about any response, do not select it or do not make any random guess. Listen carefully to pick the keywords to match your answers.

5. Pay attention to the details 

Don’t distract your mind while listening to the audio. Pay attention to all the keywords and minute details like pronouns, and tenses mentioned in it. Because considering these small but crucial aspects of language makes your answers better and more accurate. Candidates must also check the grammar, sentence structure, spelling, and vocabulary of their completed response.

Now that you have understood basic PTE listening tips, let’s look into other tips that guide you on how to answer each question type in the PTE listening task so that you can face the test with confidence. Without any further delay, let’s jump in:

How to Answer PTE Listening Question Types? Tips & Tricks involved

A breakdown of the 8 different question types is given below.

1. Summarize Spoken Text

The first question type you will get is Summarize spoken text, which tests your listening and writing skills. In this task, you need to write a 50-70 word summary after listening to an audio clip. The recording will be played only once, about 60-90 seconds, for you to listen. You can use the Erasable Noteboard booklet to take notes of key points. You have 10 minutes to write your summary. Mostly 1-2 questions will be asked of this type.

Tips

• Note down phrases or keywords that help you to summarize your text quickly. You can also use the cut, copy, and paste options displayed while framing the summary.
• Don’t forget to check grammar, word order, tenses, subject/verb agreement, spelling, and punctuation.
• Begin your summary with an overview sentence.
• To gain good marks for content, summarize the main point including the supporting points.
• Word count is given at the bottom of the screen. Make sure you write between 50 and 70 words.

2. Multiple Choice, Choose multiple answers

This second task Multiple choice, choose multiple answers will assess your listening ability. In this question type, you will listen to the recording played and answer the multiple choice questions. The audio clip is played only once for about 40-90 seconds. You have 7 seconds to read the question and answer. You should select correct response(s) from the list of options given. Your selected option will be highlighted in yellow colour. There will be one or two questions of this type. 

Tips

• Quickly scan through all the options. It will be easy for you to select the relevant option.
• Utilize the seven seconds before the recording begins to read the question and take notes of the main points while you listen.
• Select the option that matches the meaning of what you heard instead of choosing the option that has the same words or phrases as the recording.

3. Fill in the blanks

The third task is Fill in the blanks which tests the candidates' listening and writing skills. On the screen, you will see an audio clip to hear followed by a transcript with blank spaces. You need to type the missing word while listening to the recording. The prompt length of the audio is 30-60 seconds and is played only once. Do not leave any spaces blank as there is no negative marking. You will find 2 to 3 questions of this type. Difficulty level in this task is medium and practice is a must.

Tips & Suggestions:

You can practice this task using the below tips & suggestions:

• You will have 7 seconds before the recording begins, use it to skim the text given.
• You can write the notes on the erasable noteboard provided while hearing the recording and then type them in the gaps.
• And to type the word move the cursor on the blank space and click on it. Check the spelling of the word typed.

4. Highlight Correct Summary

This fourth task Highlight Correct Summary judges your reading and listening skills. An audio clip is played automatically to hear and you have to select the summary that best matches the recording out of several possible response options given. You will have 10 seconds before the recording begins to read the options. The audio recording is played for 30 to 90 seconds and you can hear it only once. Your response will be marked as either correct or incorrect. Hence, select the one you feel is right even if you are unsure.

Pro Tip: You can note the key points/ideas on your erasable notepad as you listen.

5. Multiple Choice, Single Answer

Multiple choice, single answer question type assess your listening skills. A recording is being played for 30-60 seconds, you need to listen to it and answer the questions. You can hear the audio clip only once. Out of several possible response options given, the selected one will be highlighted in yellow. You come across 1 to 2 questions of this type in the test.

Tips & Tricks

• You will be given 5 seconds before the recording begins, use the time to quickly read the question and answer options to understand better.
• Focus on the information you require in the recording.

6. Select Missing Word

The sixth question type select missing word will test your listening ability. In this task, you will see an audio clip box on the screen along with multiple options under it. The recording will be played only once to hear for about 20-70 seconds. You need to identify the last word or group of words in the recording that was replaced by a beep sound. Select the one correct option out of multiple possible response options given. Your response option, highlighted in yellow. Mostly you find 2 to 3 questions of this type in the PTE Listening test. 

Tips to follow on test day

• Most times beep could be the conclusion of the entire sentence. So, listen carefully to the entire recording.
• If you want to change the selected option click on it to de-select and then click the option you want to choose.

7. Highlight Incorrect Words

In Highlight incorrect words question type your listening and reading skills will be tested. A transcript is shown on the screen and the same you will hear in the recording with some errors. While listening and reading, you need to select the word in the text that does not match with the recording. You can listen to the audio recording only once and is played for 15-50 seconds. The words you selected will be highlighted in yellow. 

Best Tip:

• Use the 10-second time given before recording to skim the transcript.
• As the words are spoken move the cursor along the screen and quickly click on words that sound different from the text appeared.

8. Write From Dictation

The eighth question type - Write from Dictation tests the listening and writing skills of the test-taker. In this task, you need to type the sentence in the response box while listening to the recording that is played for 3-5 seconds. Before the recording starts you will be given 7 seconds to read the instructions. The recording will be heard only once. Your score on this task depends on the content you typed in the response box. 

Best Tip: To score well in this test gain a knowledge of core English grammar. Also, one suggestion is check and proofread your own content before submitting.

 

PTE Listening Practice Papers

PTE Listening Practice Test 1 Audio 1: Audio 2:   Audio 3: Audio 4:   Audio 5: Audio 6: Audio 7:	PTE Listening Practice Test 2 Audio 1: Audio 2: Audio 3: Audio 4: Audio 5: Audio 6: Audio 7:
PTE Listening Practice Test 3 Audio 1: Audio 2: Audio 3: Audio 4: Audio 5:	PTE Listening Practice Test 4 Audio 1: Audio 2: Audio 3: Audio 4: Audio 5:

Overall, the PTE Listening section approximately takes 45-57 minutes to complete, depending on the different types of questions you get. To give your best in this, you can choose your preparation through live classes, mock tests, practice tests, etc.  If you are looking for a reliable practice source, Feel free to connect with us for your PTE Learning support.

FAQs

1. How can I practice listening in PTE?

Follow the below tips while practicing for the Listening task in the PTE :

• Listen actively to the recording.
• Take the digital notes. Type down your answer while listening to the audio.
• Have proper time management to finish each section within the allotted time.
• At the end of each answer, spare a few seconds to go through it to make changes if needed.
• Pay attention to minute details like pronouns, and tenses mentioned in the audio.

2. What is the PTE test for?

PTE Academic is a single short test that assess your English speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. The PTE-A exam is a computer-based test with a duration of just 2 hours. PearsonPTE run regular test dates with last minute availability.

3. What is the listening format for PTE?

PTE Listening is the last part of the PTE exam.  This section measures your English listening and writing skills. It contains 8 different question types. You will have to answer 15-20 questions for the listening module. It will take 45 to 57 minutes to complete.

4. How is PTE Listening scored? 

PTE listening will have 15-20 questions in 8 different question types. You will listen to a recording for 40 to 90 seconds and choose the most suitable answers (many). You score 1 for each correct answer and lose 1 for each incorrect answer. You cannot get less than 0.