PTE or the Pearson Test of English conducted by the Pearson group is a test conducted to test one’s command over the English language. This computer-based test is taken by individuals who wish to migrate to English-speaking countries for education, work, or to settle down.
This three-hour-long test aims to test an applicant’s command of the English language, and the result of the test is considered by more than 6,000 universities and educational institutions across the globe as part of a candidate’s admission process. This makes the test one of the most popular and widely attempted English language tests across the world.
PTE Exam Structure
An applicant’s command over the English language is evaluated in the PTE test with the help of four sections. They are: Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Reading.
#1. Writing and Speaking
In the Pearson test, most of the questions evaluate and test the writing and speaking skills of the test-taker at once, so these two sections are combined into one part. Both Writing and Speaking together take up 77-93 minutes of the total duration. Most of the questions asked revolve around things you will have to know and use in your day-to-day life.
#2. Reading
This part of the PTE test takes up 32-40 minutes of the three hours, and this part contains five different types of questions to assess an applicant’s ability to read English, i.e., it tests reading skills.
#3. Listening
The listening test in the PTE consists of eight different types of questions, and they take up 45-57 minutes of the total exam duration. This part of the test evaluates the listening skills of the test-taker by seeking answers to a series of audio and video clips.
One type of question from the eight types in the Listening section is ‘write from dictation’. We will now know more about this task and see if the section consists of any negative marking, how the score is evaluated, and how many write from dictation questions in PTE can be expected, which will give a clear idea of what to expect for your upcoming test module of write from dictation.
Also Read: Write from Dictation in PTE: Question Format, Details, and Scoring Tips
Write From Dictation
In the ‘write from dictation’ module, a candidate will have to listen to an audio recording of one sentence at once and write/type the same sentence in the box provided on the screen. This is the last part of the PTE Listening module, and candidates will receive marks according to the number of words they get right in one particular sentence.
Does PTE Write From Dictation have Negative Marking?
This is one of the most common questions raised by everyone who wishes to take or has appeared for the PTE test: Does PTE write from dictation have negative marking? What happens if one misses, misspells, or writes wrong words? Well, according to the evaluating criteria laid down by the PTE Board, no candidate will be penalised with negative marks for getting words in the sentences wrong or leaving them. Marks are awarded to only those sentences that test-takers get right.
In a nutshell,
#1. Mark is awarded for each correct word in the given sentence.
#2. No mark is deducted for leaving or misspelling a word.
How Many Write from Dictation Questions in PTE?
In a typical PTE test, for the Write from Dictation of the Listening module, three to four questions are given for test-takers. Each question can be of different lengths, but every question consists of only one sentence. In this way, candidates have to listen to 3-4 sentences and write/type the answers to those given sentences. There is no time limit for each question, but candidates are given a time period of seven seconds before each audio starts.
PTE Write from Dictation Scoring
As discussed earlier, this section does not have any negative marking, and marks are awarded to each correct word in the sentence. As the sentence can be short or long, marks are awarded based on the length of the words or sentences too.
For example,
If the audio consists of the following sentence:
Mutually exclusive events can be described as neither complimentary nor opposing.
Then, each word in the sentence is awarded marks according to the length of the word.
Also Read: Pie Chart PTE Question: Check Significance, Relevance & How to Write Scoring Answers
| Word | Score |
| Mutually | 1.5 |
| exclusive | 2.0 |
| events | 1.0 |
| can | 0.75 |
| be | 0.5 |
| described | 2.0 |
| as | 0.5 |
| neither | 1.0 |
| complimentary | 3.0 |
| nor | 0.75 |
| opposing | 1.5 |
If the candidate gets any word wrong, then s/he is simply not awarded any mark and there will be no deduction from the existing marks. This is how PTE write from dictation scoring is done.
Though this test sounds simple, experts advise that it is important to not underestimate the difficulty of the questions. However, with practice of multiple questions and focus, a test-taker can easily score a good mark in this test. For multiple practice questions, you can click here.
Conclusion
Continue reading IELTS Ninja’s blogs on PTE to know all the important information related to the test. If you require more assistance, IELTS Ninja’s personal mentors with years of experience in the industry can help with every step in your PTE journey. They will solve your doubts and keep a track of your progress. Check out the free demo class by IELTS Ninja to understand the teaching methods before making the most rewarding decision of joining them. For more details, visit the official IELTS Ninja website now.
Also Read: Most Repeated Write from Dictation Question in PTE: Answering Write From Dictation
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