Most students who miss their PTE target do not have an English problem. They have a few repeatable mistakes that cost marks across many questions. Here are the 12 we see most often, and how to fix each one.
Speaking mistakes
- Starting late or trailing off. Silence at the start of Read Aloud and Repeat Sentence reduces fluency, and so does fading at the end of a sentence. Start within one second and finish clearly.
- Self-correcting. Going back to fix a word costs more fluency marks than the error itself. In Describe Image, Retell Lecture and Summarize Group Discussion grammar is not even marked, so keep going.
- Reciting memorised templates. Put structures into your own words and fill them with the real content of the question, so you do not sound like you are reciting a template.
Writing mistakes
- Two sentences in Summarize Written Text. It must be one sentence of 5 to 75 words, or the item scores zero. See our one sentence rule.
- Essays outside 200 to 300 words. Below 200 or above 300 loses form marks, and far outside the range scores zero. Check your word count before you submit. See our essay template.
- Missing articles. A missing a, an or the is one of the most common grammar errors we see, and grammar is marked in writing. Before you submit an essay, spend 20 seconds on an article check: every singular countable noun needs a, an, the, this or my.
- Spelling. Spelling errors cost marks in dictation, essays and summaries. Keep a personal spelling list.
Reading mistakes
- Guessing in Multiple Choice (multiple answers). Wrong selections cancel correct ones. Choose only what you are sure of.
- Spending too long on one question. Reading shares one timer. Give each Fill in the Blanks passage about two minutes and move on.
Listening mistakes
- Leaving blanks. In Fill in the Blanks (Reading and Listening) and Write from Dictation, guesses are never penalised. Never leave a blank empty.
- Clicking too much in Highlight Incorrect Words. Each wrong click loses a mark. Click only clear differences.
Planning mistake
- Booking before you are ready. A retake costs the full fee. Take a scored mock first and check your gap with our score calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common PTE mistake?
Poor fluency in speaking: late starts, pauses and self-correction. It affects many high-value questions, including Describe Image, the biggest task in the test.
Which tasks should I fix first?
Start with the tasks our class guide rates most important: Describe Image, Repeat Sentence, Retell Lecture and Summarize Group Discussion for Speaking; Write Essay, Summarize Written Text, Summarize Spoken Text and Write from Dictation for Writing; and both Reading Fill in the Blanks tasks. Leave the multiple-choice tasks for last.
Why did my PTE score drop on a retake?
Usually a fluency or timing problem on the day, or nerves. Compare your skill scores to see which part changed.
How can I find my own mistakes?
Record your speaking and review your written answers against the scoring rules, or work with a tutor who can hear what you cannot.
Not sure which mistakes are costing you? Send us your scores on WhatsApp and a tutor will tell you honestly, or see our courses.