The Pearson Test of English (PTE) is a computer-based English language proficiency test that is accepted by universities and institutions around the world. It is a two-hour test that assesses your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.
PTE is a computer-based test, which means that it can be taken at any time and at any location that has a PTE testing center. PTE scores are available within 5 business days, which is faster than the scoring process for some other English language tests. PTE is scored by computer, while others are scored by human raters.
The Speaking section of the PTE Academic exam tests your ability to speak English fluently and accurately. The tasks in this section require you to read aloud, repeat sentences, answer questions, and give a short presentation.
The Listening section of the PTE Academic exam tests your ability to understand and follow spoken English. The audio recordings in this section include lectures, conversations, and instructions. The questions in this section test your understanding of the main ideas, supporting details, and overall purpose of the audio recording.
The Reading section of the PTE Academic exam tests your ability to understand and interpret academic texts. The texts are typically essays, articles, and summaries. The questions in this section test your understanding of the main ideas, supporting details, and overall structure of the text
The Writing section of the PTE Academic exam tests your ability to write English accurately and effectively. The task in this section requires you to write an essay on a given topic.
| Test Parameters | Duolingo | PTE | TOEFL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mode of examination | Computer-based | Computer-based Paper-based |
Computer-based Paper-based |
| Exam Fees (USD) | 4,092 | 15,500 | 15,262 |
| Duration (Total) | 48 hours or 2 days | 3–5 days (Computer-based) 13 days (Paper-based) |
8 days |
| Number of sections | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Sections | Reading Speaking Listening Writing |
Reading Speaking Listening Writing |
Reading Speaking Listening Writing |
| Scoring Range & Methods | Score (10–160) | Bands (0–9) | Score (0–120) |
| PTE Band (0–9) | TOEFL IBT (0–120) |
|---|---|
| 9 | 118 |
| 8.5 | 115 |
| 8 | 110 |
| 7.5 | 102 |
| 7 | 94 |
| 6.5 | 79 |
| 6 | 60 |
| 5.5 | 46 |
| 5 | 35 |
| 4.5 | 32 |
| PTE Band (0–9) | SAT (10–90) |
|---|---|
| 9 | 90 |
| 8.5 | 85 |
| 8 | 80 |
| 7.5 | 76 |
| 7 | 72 |
| 6.5 | 65 |
| 6 | 58 |
| 5.5 | 50 |
| 5 | 42 |
| 4.5 | 35 |
| PTE Band (0–9) | DET (10–160) |
|---|---|
| 9 | 160 |
| 8.5 | 155 |
| 8 | 150 |
| 7.5 | 140 |
| 7 | 130 |
| 6.5 | 120 |
| 6 | 110 |
| 5.5 | 100 |
| 5 | 90 |
| 4.5 | 80 |