May 30, 2025

PTE SCORING CHART 2025 : PTE Exam Scoring System & Comparison

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The PTE scoring chart is essential for understanding point distribution across each skill, helping students create focused study plans. This blog not only talks about scoring mechanics but also empowers students to evaluate their strengths, pinpoint weaknesses, and fine-tune their preparation for every PTE section as well as understand how each section is scored in PTE.

Individuals looking to migrate abroad often have to show a proof of strong English skills, making language proficiency tests like PTE a must. While there are several tests like IELTS, TOFEL, the PTE exam offers a distinct advantage to international students.

The PTE exam  is an online two hour test that consists of speaking, writing, reading & listening. Unlike traditional pen & paper tests, the tests is fully automated with the score cards being presented within 24-48 hours. Its modern approach, transparent scoring system, and quick results make PTE a top choice for ambitious test-takers.

What is PTE?

The Pearson Test of English (PTE) is a computer-based exam that evaluates your proficiency in ‘International English.’ Lasting 2 hours, it’s conducted in a single session at an exam center.

Achieving a desired score is crucial, but the PTE Score Chart offers more than just numbers. It highlights the specific language skills evaluated in each section, enabling students to customize their preparation effectively.

PTE Test types

PTE is accepted for both academic and professional purposes. For university admissions or immigration applications, it’s crucial to understand the differences between the General and Academic PTE tests. Below is a table that highlights the key distinctions between these two tests.

 

FeaturePTE AcademicPTE General
PurposeFor students and professionals seeking admission to English-speaking universities or for work purposes.Intended for individuals who want to measure their English language proficiency for personal or professional reasons.
FormatComputer-based, covering reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in a single session.Consists of two parts: a written paper (reading, listening, and writing) and a separate spoken interview.
ScoringScored by computer algorithms, with results ranging from 10 to 90.Scored based on performance in the written paper and interview.
Score ValidityTypically valid for two years.Generally have a lifetime validity.
Target AudienceStudents seeking admission to universities, professionals seeking jobs in English-speaking countries.

Individuals looking to improve their English for personal or professional reasons, such as travel or immigration.

 

 

What is a PTE Score Report?

The PTE Score report gives a comprehensive assessment of your speaking, writing, reading & listening skills. Test takers usually receive their report card with 48 hours of taking the test.

In a PTE Academic Score Report, test takers’ English proficiency is assessed across four key skills: speaking, writing, reading, and listening. Below are the evaluation criteria for each skill.

SKILL

EVALUATION

Speaking

Speaking section evaluates a person’s fluency, pronunciation, and understanding of spoken English.

Writing

The writing section primarily evaluates grammar and spelling. It also considers coherence in written English.

Reading

The Reading section evaluates tests takers comprehension of complex texts. It also evaluates the grammar and vocabulary level of students.

Listening

The Listening section assesses the ability to understand spoken English and interpret meanings effectively when answering.

 

PTE SCORING CHART 2024:  What does your PTE score represent?

Here is a PTE score chart that outlines PTE scores and their corresponding Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels. Here is a breakdown of PTE score ranges as per 2024 PTE score chart.

PTE SCORE

ENGLISH PROFICIENCY LEVEL

CEFR LEVEL

85-90

Expert level;

suitable for academic and professional contexts.

C2

76-84

Advanced proficiency;

often required for professional purposes.

C1

59-75

Upper-intermediate;

generally required for undergraduate or postgraduate studies.

B2

43-58

Intermediate;

suitable for undergraduate-level study and familiar topics.

B1

30-42

Elementary;

too low for academic coursework but may be suitable for Foundation Year courses.

A2

10-29

Beginner level;

not suitable for academic coursework or Foundation Year courses.

A1

PTE scores are valid for two years, and students can take the exam up to 12 times to reach their desired score.

PTE SCORING CHART COMPARISON WITH IELTS & TOFEL

There are seven key English language tests: PTE, IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge English qualifications, CELPIP, EF SET, and TOEIC. Among these, PTE, IELTS, and TOEFL are the most popular. In the below tables, test takers how their PTE test score relate to two other popular English langauage tests.

PTE Academic Score & IELTS Band Comparison

This given table compares PTE Academic scores with IELTS band scores, helping students who took the PTE test understand how their results align with IELTS standards.

PTE ACADEMIC

IELTS

23-28

4.5

29-35

5.0

36-45

5.5

46-55

6.0

56-65

6.5

66-75

7.0

76-83

7.5

84-88

8.0

89-90

8.5

  

TOEFL IBT and PTE Scoring chart comparison

This given table compares PTE Academic scores with TOEFL IBT scores, helping students who took the PTE test understand how their results align with TOEFL IBT standards  or vice versa.

PTE ACADEMIC

TOEFL IBT

38

40-44

42

54-56

46

65-66

50

74-75

53

79-80

59

87-88

64

94

68

99-100

72

105

78

113

84

120

What is the PTE scoring system?

The PTE (Pearson Test of English) scoring system is designed to assess a candidate’s proficiency in English through a structured and comprehensive approach. To ensure a robust and effective evaluation of test taker’s English language skills, the PTE scoring system is fundamentally based on three scoring methods. Here’s an overview of how the scoring system works:

Scoring Methods

  1. Correct or Incorrect Scoring:
    • This method is applied to tasks with definitive answers, such as multiple-choice questions and fill-in-the-blank exercises. Candidates receive 1 point for each correct answer, and there is no penalty for incorrect responses.
  2. Partial Credit Scoring:
    • Used for more complex tasks that require subjective evaluation, such as essay writing and speaking tasks. Candidates can earn partial credit based on various factors, including accuracy, fluency, vocabulary, and task fulfillment.
  3. Trait Scoring: In addition to overall communicative skills, individual tasks are scored based on specific traits, such as content, form, and vocabulary.

Here is a table that outlines which scoring methods are used for each task type in the PTE Academic exam:

Task Type

Correct/Incorrect Scoring

Partial Credit Scoring

Trait Scoring

Multiple-choice, choose single answer

  

Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

  

Fill in the blanks

  

Highlight incorrect words

  

Select missing word

  

Write from dictation

  

Read aloud

 

Repeat sentence

 

Describe image

 

Re-tell lecture

 

Answer short question

 

Summarize written text

 

Write essay

 

Re-order paragraphs

 

 

Fill in the blanks

 

 

Reading and writing: Fill in the blanks

 

 

Summarize spoken text

 

Highlight correct summary

 

 

Multiple-choice, choose single answer (Listening)

 

 

 As shown in the table, objective tasks with definitive answers like multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blanks use correct/incorrect scoring. More complex tasks involving subjective evaluation, such as speaking and writing tasks, employ partial credit scoring based on accuracy, fluency, vocabulary, and task fulfillment. Trait scoring is used for some tasks to assess specific language traits like pronunciation, oral fluency, and written discourse.

Now lets dive into a detailed breakdown of the scores test takers receive in speaking, writing, reading & listening sections in their PTE Exam.

 

PTE Speaking Scoring Chart

PTE Speaking is made up of five task types with each task being scored on the basis of oral fluency, pronunciation and content. Almost each task type of PTE Speaking leaving Describe Image has cross section contribution. Here’s a table that summarizes the task types in the Speaking section of the PTE Academic exam, including their scoring methods, time duration, communication skills scored, and the section to which they contribute marks:

Task Type

Scoring Method

Time Duration

Communication Skills Scored

Section Contribution

Read Aloud

Partial Credit, Trait

30-40 seconds

Pronunciation, Oral Fluency

Speaking & Reading

Repeat Sentence

Partial Credit, Trait

10-12 seconds

Pronunciation, Oral Fluency

Speaking & Listening

Describe Image

Partial Credit

40 seconds

Content, Fluency, Vocabulary

Speaking

Re-tell Lecture

Partial Credit

60-90 seconds

Content, Fluency, Vocabulary

Speaking & Listening

Answer Short Question

Partial Credit

10 seconds

Content, Fluency

Speaking & Listening

 

PTE Writing Scoring Chart

PTE Writing section is the lengthiest task type in terms of time allotted to each question and shortest in terms of number of questions. This section evaluates your grammar, spelling, cohesion & written discourse. Here’s a table that summarizes the task types in the writing section of the PTE Academic exam, including their scoring methods, time duration, communication skills scored, and the section to which they contribute marks:

Task Type

Scoring

Time Duration

Communication Skills Scored

Section Contribution

Summarize Written Text

Partial Credit

10 minutes

Reading, Spelling, Grammar, Coherence

Writing & Reading

Write Essay

Partial Credit

20 minutes

Writing

Writing

 

PTE Reading Scoring Chart

The PTE reading test lasts 29-30 minutes and features 5 question types to assess overall reading and writing skills. Here’s a summary table of the PTE Academic reading section tasks, including their scoring methods, time duration, communication skills assessed, and the section contributing to the marks:

Task Type

Scoring

Time Duration

Communication Skills Scored

Section Contribution

Multiple-choice, Choose Single Answer

Correct/Incorrect

Varies by task

Reading Comprehension

Reading

Multiple-choice, Choose Multiple Answers

Correct/Incorrect

Varies by task

Reading Comprehension

Reading

Re-order Paragraphs

Partial Credit

Varies by task

Reading Comprehension, Logic, Oragnization

Reading

Fill in the Blanks

Partial Credit

Varies by task

Reading, Grammar, Vocabulary

Reading

Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks

Partial Credit

Varies by task

Reading, Grammar & Vocabulary

Reading & Writing

 

PTE Listening Scoring Chart

The PTE Listening test lasts 30-43 minutes and consists of 8 different question types. Questions are based on audio clips that play once on the screen, requiring students to listen carefully before answering.

Task Type

Scoring

Time Duration

Communication Skills Scored

Section Contribution

Summarize Spoken Text

Partial Credit

60-90 seconds for audio; 10 minutes to write

Listening skills

Listening & Writing

Multiple-choice, Choose Multiple Answers

Correct/Incorrect

40-90 seconds for audio

Listening skills

Listening

Fill in the Blanks

Partial Credit

30-60 seconds for audio

Listening skills, Spelling, Vocabulary

Listening

Highlight Correct Summary

Correct/Incorrect

30-90 seconds for audio

Listening skills, summarization

Listening

Multiple-choice, Choose Single Answer

Correct/Incorrect

30-60 seconds for audio

Listening skills

Listening

Select Missing Word

Correct/Incorrect

20-70 seconds for audio

Listening skills, vocabulary

Listening

Highlight Incorrect Words

Correct/Incorrect

15-50 seconds for audio

Listening, reading

Listening

Write from Dictation

Partial Credit

3-5 seconds for audio

Listening & Writing skills

Listening & Writing

 

Countries that accept PTE Scores

The Pearson Test of English (PTE) is widely accepted across the globe. Below is a list of major countries where PTE scores are recognized as valid proof of English proficiency for admissions and other purposes.

Here is a table summarizing the key PTE-accepting countries, the minimum PTE scores required, and the purpose for which PTE scores are accepted:

Country

Minimum PTE Score

Purpose

Australia

50

Study, Work, Migration

Canada

54

Study, Immigration

United States

50-70

Study

United Kingdom

51

Study, Work, Migration

New Zealand

50

Study, Work, Migration

Ireland

51

Study, Work, Migration

Germany

60

Study

Singapore

58

Study

Malaysia

42

Study

India

10

Study, Work

Saudi Arabia

59

Study

UAE

59

Study

South Africa

51

Study, Work

Hong Kong

59

Study

Japan

46

Study

South Korea

50

Study

Taiwan

50

Study

Philippines

42

Study

Brazil

42

Study

Mexico

42

Study

Argentina

42

Study

 

What factors influence the PTE score calculation?

The PTE (Pearson Test of English) score calculation is influenced by several factors that assess a candidate’s English language proficiency. Here’s a summary of the key factors that impact the PTE score calculation:

Factors Influencing PTE Score Calculation

  1. Task Response: The relevance and accuracy of the content provided in response to the test tasks.
  2. Coherence and Cohesion: The logical flow and organization of ideas within spoken or written responses.
  3. Grammar: The correct use of grammatical structures, including sentence formation and verb tenses.
  4. Spelling: Accuracy in spelling words correctly in written tasks.
  5. Form: Adherence to task-specific requirements, such as word limits and formatting.
  6. Content: The appropriateness and richness of the information provided in responses.
  7. Vocabulary: The range and appropriateness of vocabulary used in speaking and writing tasks.
  8. Pronunciation: Clarity and accuracy of speech sounds in spoken tasks.
  9. Oral Fluency: The smoothness and natural pace of speech delivery.
  10. Enabling Skills: These include grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, oral fluency, spelling, and written discourse, which contribute to the overall score but are assessed separately.

Table of Factors Influencing PTE Score Calculation

Factor

Description

Task Response

Accuracy and relevance of answers to the tasks.

Coherence and Cohesion

Logical flow and organization of ideas in responses.

Grammar

Correct use of grammatical structures in speaking and writing.

Spelling

Accuracy of spelling in written tasks.

Form

Adherence to task-specific requirements (e.g., word limits).

Content

Appropriateness and richness of information in responses.

Vocabulary

Range and appropriateness of vocabulary used.

Pronunciation

Clarity and accuracy of spoken language.

Oral Fluency

Smoothness and natural pace of speech delivery.

Enabling Skills

Assessment of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, oral fluency, spelling, and written discourse.

These factors collectively contribute to the scoring of each section of the PTE exam, influencing both the communicative skills scores (speaking, writing, reading, listening) and the enabling skills scores. Understanding these factors can help candidates focus their preparation on areas that will enhance their overall performance in the exam.

How to Check Your PTE Results:

To view your PTE exam results, log into your account on the PTE website. You will receive an email notification once your scores are available. Follow these steps to access your scores:

  1. Visit the official Pearson website.
  2. Log in with your registered email ID  & password.
  3. Navigate to the “Activity” tab and find your exam appointment linked to your score.

 

Sending Your PTE Scores to Institutions:

PTE scores must be sent through the PTE secure online portal, as institutions do not accept paper or PDF versions. Sending scores to universities is free of charge. Here’s how to send your score report:

  1. Log in to your Pearson account.
  2. Go to the “View Score Reports” section.
  3. Click on “Send Scores”.
  4. Search for your desired institution by name and select it.
  5. Search for your chosen course and select it.
  6. Review the information and click ‘Next’ to confirm your selections.
  7. Repeat the process for each additional institution you want to send your scores to.

FAQ related to PTE Scoring Chart

How long are PTE scores valid?

PTE scores are typically valid for two years from the date of the test. This means that universities and immigration authorities will accept PTE scores that are less than two years old when you apply.

Yes, you can retake the PTE as many times as needed. You must wait for your score before rebooking.

Log in to your Pearson account, select your test, and send scores directly to institutions or immigration bodies free of charge.

Minimum PTE scores vary by university and course. Generally, scores range from 50 to 65 for undergraduate and postgraduate admissions.

Practice regularly, focus on weak sections, take mock tests, and consider expert guidance or PTE preparation courses for best results.

PTE is computer-based and often considered easier due to faster results, automated scoring, and no human interaction during speaking section.