- Read Aloud
- A speaking task: read a short text aloud after ~30–40s prep. Scored on reading content, oral fluency, and pronunciation.
- Repeat Sentence
- A speaking task: hear a sentence and say it back exactly. Tests listening and speaking; aim for a full, fluent repetition.
- Describe Image
- A speaking task: describe a graph, chart, map, or picture in ~40s using a fixed template: overview → key features → trend.
- Re-tell Lecture
- A speaking task: listen to a lecture, then summarize its main points aloud in ~40s. Take notes on key ideas as you listen.
- Answer Short Question
- A speaking task: answer a simple factual question in one or a few words. Quick general-knowledge or vocabulary items.
- Summarize Written Text
- A writing task: read a passage and write ONE sentence (5–75 words) capturing its main idea. Scores reading and writing.
- Write Essay
- A writing task: write a 200–300 word argumentative essay on a prompt in 20 minutes. Tests structure, development, and grammar.
- Personal Introduction
- An untimed opening task in PTE Academic that is NOT scored; it is sent to receiving institutions but does not affect your result.
- Oral fluency
- How smoothly and naturally you speak — steady rhythm, few hesitations, no unnecessary repetition. A scored speaking trait.
- Pronunciation (PTE)
- How clearly you produce sounds, stress, and intonation so a listener understands you. Scored separately from fluency.
- Thesis statement
- A single sentence that states the clear, arguable position an essay will develop, usually placed at the end of the introduction.
- Topic sentence
- The sentence that states the main point of a paragraph; the other sentences support or develop it.
- Paraphrase
- Restate an idea in your own words while keeping the meaning. Essential for summaries and essay introductions.
- Coherence
- How logically ideas connect and flow across a text, helped by clear organization and transitions.
- Cohesion
- How sentences and ideas are linked with devices like pronouns, conjunctions, and transition words.
- Subject-verb agreement
- Grammar rule: a singular subject takes a singular verb, a plural subject a plural verb ('the result is' vs. 'the results are').
- Parallel structure
- Using the same grammatical form for items in a list or comparison: 'reading, writing, and speaking,' not 'reading, writing, and to speak.'
- Pronoun-antecedent agreement
- A pronoun must match the noun it refers to in number and gender ('every student … their' is widely accepted).
- Sentence fragment
- An incomplete sentence missing a subject, a verb, or a complete thought.
- Run-on sentence
- Two complete sentences joined without correct punctuation or a conjunction; a comma splice is one type.
- Comma splice
- Joining two independent clauses with only a comma; fix with a period, semicolon, or comma plus a conjunction.
- Independent clause
- A group of words with a subject and verb that can stand alone as a complete sentence.
- Dependent clause
- A clause that has a subject and verb but cannot stand alone; it begins with a word like 'because,' 'although,' or 'when.'
- Future perfect tense
- Describes an action that will be completed before a future point: 'By Friday, the team will have finished.'
- Present perfect tense
- Links past to present: 'The committee has reviewed the report' — completed but relevant now.
- Modifier
- A word or phrase that describes another; place it next to what it modifies to avoid a dangling or misplaced modifier.
- Dangling modifier
- A modifier with no clear word to describe: 'Walking to class, the rain started' — the rain wasn't walking.
- Conjunction
- A word that joins words or clauses: coordinating (and, but, or), subordinating (because, although), or correlative (either…or).
- Transition word
- A word or phrase (however, therefore, for example) that signals the logical relationship between ideas.
- Word count (essay)
- PTE essays must be 200–300 words; under or over the range lowers the form score, so check length before submitting.
- Argumentative essay
- An essay that takes and defends a clear position with reasons and evidence — the PTE Write Essay format.
- Concise writing
- Saying something in as few words as needed; cutting wordiness improves clarity and is rewarded in PTE writing.
- Tone (writing)
- The writer's attitude toward the subject, shown through word choice — formal, critical, neutral, or enthusiastic.
- Register
- The level of formality of language; academic writing uses a formal register, avoiding slang and contractions.
- Collocation
- Words that naturally go together: 'reach a conclusion,' 'conduct research' — choosing the right pairing aids fill-in-the-blanks.
- Meticulous
- Showing great attention to detail; careful and precise.
- Mitigate
- To make something less severe, serious, or painful.
- Corroborate
- To confirm or support a statement or theory with evidence.
- Ambiguous
- Open to more than one interpretation; unclear in meaning.
- Candid
- Honest and straightforward; frank.
- Placate
- To calm or soothe someone who is angry or upset.
- Redundant
- Needlessly repetitive; using more words than necessary.
- Consensus
- General agreement among a group.
- Nuanced
- Showing subtle, careful distinctions; not oversimplified.
- Eloquent
- Fluent and persuasive in speaking or writing.
- Verbose
- Using more words than needed; wordy.
- Cogent
- Clear, logical, and convincing.
- Obsolete
- No longer useful, current, or in use.
- Impartial
- Fair and unbiased; not favoring one side.
- Tactful
- Sensitive and diplomatic in handling difficult situations.
- Comprehensive
- Complete and wide-ranging; covering all or nearly all aspects.
- Scrutinize
- To examine closely and critically.
- Defer
- To postpone or delay an action or decision.
- Concise
- Brief but complete; expressing much in few words.
- Advent
- The arrival or coming of an important event, person, or thing.
- Intricate
- Very complex or detailed.
- Acclaim
- Strong public praise or approval.
- Evoke
- To bring a feeling, memory, or image to mind.
- Complementary
- Combining so as to enhance or complete each other.
- Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks
- A reading task with drop-down blanks; pick the word that fits both grammar and meaning. Despite the name, Pearson scores Reading only.
- Reading: Fill in the Blanks
- A reading task: drag words from a box into blanks in a passage. Tests vocabulary and collocation in context.
- Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers (Reading)
- Choose every correct option about a passage. Negative marking applies — a wrong pick cancels a right one.
- Multiple Choice, Single Answer (Reading)
- Pick the one best answer about a passage's meaning, purpose, or detail. No negative marking.
- Re-order Paragraphs
- Drag jumbled sentences into a logical order. Find the topic sentence first, then follow the linking words.
- Negative marking
- On multiple-answer items, an incorrect selection cancels a correct one — only choose options you are confident about.
- Main idea
- The central point a passage conveys — what the whole text is mostly about.
- Supporting detail
- A fact, example, statistic, or reason that explains or develops the main idea.
- Inference
- A logical conclusion drawn from textual evidence plus reasoning — implied but not stated outright.
- Author's purpose
- The reason a text was written — to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain.
- Author's tone
- The writer's attitude toward the subject, revealed through word choice.
- Word in context
- The meaning of a word as it is used in a sentence, which can differ from its dictionary definition.
- Skimming
- Reading quickly to get the gist or main idea of a text.
- Scanning
- Reading quickly to find a specific piece of information, such as a name or number.
- Correlation vs. causation
- A link between two things (correlation) does not prove one causes the other (causation) — a common reading trap.
- Connector / linking word
- A word like 'however,' 'therefore,' or 'moreover' that signals how ideas relate; key to re-order and fill-in tasks.
- Reference word
- A word like 'this,' 'they,' or 'such' that points back to an earlier idea — a clue for ordering paragraphs.
- Synonym
- A word with the same or nearly the same meaning as another.
- Antonym
- A word with the opposite meaning of another.
- Context clue
- Information in surrounding text — a definition, example, or contrast — that reveals a word's meaning.
- Mitigate (reading)
- To make less severe — common academic vocabulary tested in fill-in-the-blanks.
- Merge
- To combine or blend two or more things into one.
- Withstand
- To resist or endure successfully.
- Authentic
- Genuine; of undisputed origin.
- Impasse
- A situation in which no progress is possible; a deadlock.
- Nevertheless
- In spite of that; a contrast connector meaning 'even so.'
- Mutualism / mutually beneficial
- A relationship in which both parties gain, such as a fungus and tree exchanging nutrients.
- Preliminary
- Coming before the main part; early and not yet final or confirmed.
- Scarce
- In short supply; not enough to meet demand.
- Succinct
- Expressed clearly in few words; brief and to the point.
- Explicit
- Stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion.
- Tedious
- Tiresome because of length or dullness; boring.
- Conclusive
- Decisive; settling an issue beyond doubt.
- Substantiate
- To support a claim with evidence or proof.
- Unsubstantiated
- Not supported by evidence.
- Persevere
- To continue trying despite difficulty or setbacks.
- Curb
- To restrain or limit something.
- Cautious
- Careful to avoid danger or mistakes.
- Engaging
- Holding attention; interesting and appealing.
- Termination clause
- A part of a contract that explains how and when the agreement can be ended.
- Rigorous
- Thorough, demanding, and carefully precise.
- Decimate
- In modern usage, to destroy or greatly reduce something.
- Inconsistent
- Not in agreement; containing contradictory parts.
- Delegate
- To assign a task or responsibility to someone else.
- Novel (adjective)
- New and original; not previously known.
- Conclusive evidence
- Evidence strong enough to settle a question definitively.
- Detailed
- Including many particulars; thorough.
- Composed (writing)
- Created or written; also, calm and in control.
- Summarize Spoken Text
- A listening task: hear a 60–90s lecture and write a 50–70 word summary. Scores listening and writing.
- Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers (Listening)
- Choose every correct option about a recording. Negative marking applies.
- Multiple Choice, Single Answer (Listening)
- Pick the one best answer about a recording. No negative marking.
- Fill in the Blanks (Listening)
- Type the missing words into a transcript as you hear them. Tests listening and spelling.
- Highlight Correct Summary
- Pick the paragraph that best summarizes what you heard. Listen for overall gist, not details.
- Select Missing Word
- The recording ends with a beep over the last word(s); choose the option that best completes it.
- Highlight Incorrect Words
- Read a transcript while listening and click the words that differ from what is spoken.
- Write from Dictation
- Hear a sentence and type it word-for-word. High-value — it scores both listening and writing.
- Listening for gist
- Grasping the overall main idea and purpose of a recording rather than specific facts.
- Listening for detail
- Catching specific facts, numbers, or exact words in a recording.
- Signpost language
- Spoken cues like 'first,' 'on the other hand,' and 'in conclusion' that mark a talk's structure.
- Note-taking
- Writing keywords, names, and numbers (not every word) to capture a talk's main points for later use.
- Active listening
- Concentrating fully on a speaker to understand meaning, not just hearing sounds.
- Intonation
- The rise and fall of the voice that conveys meaning, emotion, or whether a sentence is a question.
- Stress (word stress)
- Emphasizing certain syllables or words; it can change meaning and aids comprehension.
- Connected speech
- How sounds blend together in natural speech (linking, contractions), which can make words hard to catch.
- Gist
- The general meaning or main point of a passage or talk.
- Paraphrase (listening)
- Restating what you heard in your own words — needed for Summarize Spoken Text and Re-tell Lecture.
- Keyword spotting
- Listening for the most meaningful content words to anchor your understanding of a recording.
- Spelling (listening tasks)
- Correct spelling earns the point in Fill in the Blanks and Write from Dictation; misspelled words score zero.
- Distractor
- An incorrect answer choice designed to seem plausible; common in listening multiple-choice items.
- Lecture structure
- A typical talk: introduction (topic) → body (reasons/examples) → conclusion (summary).
- Implication (listening)
- A meaning a speaker suggests without stating directly — inferred from tone and context.
- Detail question
- A listening item asking for a specific fact, figure, or example mentioned in the audio.
- Main-idea question
- A listening item asking for the overall point or purpose of the recording.
- Homophone
- Words that sound alike but differ in meaning/spelling (their/there) — a trap in dictation and fill-in-the-blanks.
- Summarize Group Discussion
- A speaking task added in August 2025: hear a discussion among about three speakers, then summarize it in your own words (up to 2 minutes). Scores listening and speaking.
- Respond to a Situation
- A speaking task added in August 2025: read or hear a described real-life situation, then give an extended spoken response (~40s). Scores speaking.
- Global Scale of English (GSE)
- Pearson’s 10–90 scale for measuring English proficiency, more fine-grained than the CEFR bands it aligns to. PTE reports your overall and four skill scores on it.
- Four communicative skills
- The four skills PTE reports as subscores: Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing — each on the 10–90 scale alongside the overall score.
- Skills Profile
- Private, test-taker-only feedback that replaced the old enabling-skill subscores in November 2021; it is not shared with institutions.
- Integrated scoring
- One PTE response can count toward more than one communicative skill — e.g., Re-tell Lecture scores listening and speaking; Write from Dictation scores listening and writing.
- CEFR
- The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (A1–C2); PTE scores align to it, with GSE 59–75 roughly B2, 76–84 C1, and 85–90 C2.
- Abstract (academic)
- Existing as an idea rather than a physical thing; also, a short summary at the start of a paper.
- Advocate
- To publicly support or recommend a cause or policy.
- Alleviate
- To make a problem or suffering less severe.
- Ambivalent
- Having mixed or contradictory feelings about something.
- Analogous
- Comparable in certain respects; similar.
- Anomaly
- Something that deviates from the standard or expected; an irregularity.
- Arbitrary
- Based on random choice or personal whim rather than reason.
- Articulate (verb)
- To express an idea clearly and effectively in words.
- Augment
- To make something greater by adding to it; increase.
- Catalyst
- Something that causes or speeds up an event or change.
- Coherent
- Logical and consistent; clearly connected.
- Compelling
- Convincing and powerfully holding attention.
- Conducive
- Making a particular outcome likely or possible.
- Conventional
- Following accepted or traditional standards.
- Cumulative
- Increasing by successive additions.
- Deteriorate
- To become progressively worse.
- Diminish
- To make or become less.
- Discrepancy
- A lack of agreement or consistency between things.
- Empirical
- Based on observation or experiment rather than theory.
- Exacerbate
- To make a problem or bad situation worse.
- Explicit (vocab)
- Stated clearly and openly, with no room for confusion.
- Feasible
- Possible to do easily or conveniently; practicable.
- Hierarchy
- A system in which people or things are ranked above one another.
- Hypothesis
- A proposed explanation made on limited evidence as a starting point for investigation.
- Implication
- A conclusion that can be drawn from something although not explicitly stated.
- Incentive
- A thing that motivates or encourages someone to do something.
- Inevitable
- Certain to happen; unavoidable.
- Innovative
- Featuring new methods or ideas; original.
- Integral
- Necessary to make a whole complete; essential.
- Intrinsic
- Belonging naturally; essential to the nature of something.
- Lucrative
- Producing a great deal of profit.
- Mundane
- Lacking interest or excitement; dull and ordinary.
- Negligible
- So small as to be not worth considering; insignificant.
- Paradigm
- A typical example or model of something; a framework of ideas.
- Plausible
- Seeming reasonable or probable.
- Pragmatic
- Dealing with things sensibly and realistically.
- Predominant
- Present as the strongest or main element.
- Prevalent
- Widespread in a particular area or at a particular time.
- Profound
- Very great or intense; having deep meaning or insight.
- Proliferate
- To increase rapidly in number; multiply.
- Refute
- To prove a statement or theory to be wrong.
- Reinforce
- To strengthen or support.
- Resilient
- Able to recover quickly from difficulties; tough.
- Robust
- Strong and healthy; able to withstand challenge.
- Skeptical
- Not easily convinced; having doubts.
- Subsequent
- Coming after something in time; following.
- Subtle
- So delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe.
- Tentative
- Not certain or fixed; provisional.
- Underlying
- Lying beneath the surface; fundamental but not obvious.
- Viable
- Capable of working successfully; feasible.
- Vital
- Absolutely necessary; essential.
- Phenomenon
- A fact or situation that is observed to exist or happen.
- Criteria
- Standards by which something is judged (singular: criterion).
- Constitute
- To be a part of a whole; to make up or form.
- Derive
- To obtain something from a source.
- Facilitate
- To make an action or process easier.
- Attribute (verb)
- To regard something as caused by a particular person or thing.
- Encompass
- To include comprehensively; surround or cover.
- Undermine
- To weaken or damage something gradually.
- Active voice
- The subject performs the action ('The team completed the study'); preferred for clear academic writing.
- Passive voice
- The subject receives the action ('The study was completed'); useful when the doer is unknown or unimportant.
- Article (a/an/the)
- Words that define a noun as specific (the) or general (a/an); a key fill-in-the-blank skill.
- Countable vs. uncountable noun
- Countable nouns take a/an and plurals (books); uncountable nouns do not (information, advice).
- Relative clause
- A clause beginning with who, which, or that that gives more information about a noun.
- Conditional sentence
- An 'if' sentence expressing a condition and its result; types range from real to hypothetical.
- Gerund
- The -ing form of a verb used as a noun ('Reading improves vocabulary').
- Infinitive
- The base form of a verb with 'to' ('to read'); some verbs take an infinitive, others a gerund.
- Preposition
- A word showing relationship in time or space (in, on, at, by); collocations matter in fill-in-the-blanks.
- Comparative & superlative
- Comparative compares two (taller); superlative ranks three or more (tallest).
- Punctuation: semicolon
- Joins two closely related independent clauses without a conjunction.
- Punctuation: colon
- Introduces a list, explanation, or quotation after a complete clause.
- Apostrophe
- Shows possession (student's) or contraction (it's = it is); 'its' (possessive) takes no apostrophe.
- Linguistic range
- The variety of vocabulary and sentence structures used; greater range raises essay scores.
- Word form
- The correct part of speech for a slot (analyze/analysis/analytical); often tested in fill-in-the-blanks.
- Discourse marker
- A word or phrase that organizes speech or writing (firstly, in contrast, to sum up).
- Hedging language
- Cautious wording (may, suggests, tends to) used to avoid overstating claims in academic English.
- Synonym substitution
- Replacing words with synonyms to paraphrase a source without copying it.
- Nominalization
- Turning a verb or adjective into a noun (decide → decision); common in formal writing.
- Cohesive device
- A linking word or reference that ties a text together (however, therefore, this, such).
- Modal verb
- A helping verb expressing possibility, ability, or obligation (can, should, must, might).
- Clause vs. phrase
- A clause has a subject and verb; a phrase does not. Both build sentences.
- Topic development
- Expanding a main point with reasons, examples, and detail — a scored essay criterion.
- Conclusion (essay)
- The final paragraph that restates the position and summarizes reasons without adding new ideas.
- Introduction (essay)
- The opening paragraph that paraphrases the prompt and states the thesis.
- Re-tell Lecture template
- A reusable speaking structure: state the topic, give 2–3 main points the speaker made, then a brief conclusion.
- Repeat Sentence strategy
- Listen for meaning and chunk the sentence; repeat the full sentence fluently even if you miss a word.
- Answer Short Question strategy
- Listen for the key noun in the question and reply with the single correct word — speed and accuracy matter.
- Read Aloud strategy
- Use prep time to scan for hard words; read at a steady pace with clear stress and minimal pauses.
- Chunking
- Grouping words into meaningful phrases when speaking or listening, which improves fluency and recall.
- Minimal pair
- Two words differing in one sound (ship/sheep); practicing them sharpens pronunciation and listening.
- Sentence stress
- Emphasizing the most important words in a sentence; it carries meaning and aids comprehension.
- Filler words
- Hesitation sounds like 'um' and 'uh' that lower fluency scores; reduce them by pausing silently instead.
- Paraphrasing (speaking)
- Restating a lecture's ideas in your own words for Re-tell Lecture and Summarize Group Discussion.
- Prediction (listening)
- Using the question or context to anticipate what you'll hear, which sharpens comprehension.
- Beep (Select Missing Word)
- The tone that replaces the final word(s) of a recording; choose the option that best fits the meaning.
- Transcription accuracy
- Typing exactly what is heard, including spelling, in Write from Dictation and Fill in the Blanks.
- Content score
- Points for covering the required ideas accurately; one of several criteria across PTE tasks.
- Form score
- Points for meeting length and format rules (word count, single sentence); easy to lose if ignored.
- Oral fluency strategy
- Keep a steady pace, avoid restarts, and use linking so speech flows for the whole response window.
