Am I ready for PTE Academic?

Self-evaluation checklist I know how to book the test.

No Maybe Yes

Why do a self-evaluation checklist?

In order to begin preparing for a test, it’s important Test format
to identify what you already know as well as what
you don’t know. This checklist helps you do that. By
recognising your current knowledge and the areas I know there are three different parts to the test.
you still need to improve, you’ll be better able to
plan your test preparation and be more efficient No Maybe Yes
and effective with the time you have.
I know I have to prepare a 30-second introduction.
When should I do the checklist?
No Maybe Yes
Complete the checklist at the beginning of your
preparation time for the PTE Academic Online test, so I know how many questions to expect in each part
you know what to focus on. Continue to tick things off of the test.
the list as you progress.
No Maybe Yes
How do I use the checklist?
Be honest with yourself and at regular points during I am familiar with the 20 task types in each part of
your preparation look again at the checklist to see if the test.
anything has changed. When your checklist is showing No Maybe Yes
mostly green, you may be ready to take the test. You
could also do a PTE Academic practice test. Feel free I know how much time I have for each part of the test.
to share this checklist with your teacher (if you have
one) to help you better identify the areas you need No Maybe Yes
to focus on and make use of the useful resources
suggested in the checklist.

Am I ready checklist Test preparation

Red = No  Yellow = Maybe  Green = Yes
I know my strengths and weaknesses and which areas
I need to improve.
About the test No Maybe Yes

I know how to make a study schedule.

I understand the purpose of the test.
No Maybe Yes
No Maybe Yes

I know where to find resources to improve my

I know where the test will be accepted.
language skills.
No Maybe Yes
No Maybe Yes

I know what score I need.

I know where to find resources to improve my
No Maybe Yes understanding of the test.

No Maybe Yes
I know when I should take the test.

No Maybe Yes I know how I can do a practice test.

No Maybe Yes
I know where I can take the test.

No Maybe Yes

1 The Official Guide to PTE Academic, Digital Resources  © Pearson Education Limited 2020
Language skills I am confident with the Re-tell lecture task, which
involves:
• predicting the topic/language according to the image
I am confident with my grammar.

S E L F - E VA LUAT I O N C H E C K L I S T
provided
• taking notes on the key points in the Erasable
No Maybe Yes booklet
• including all points in the lecture
I am confident with my speaking fluency. • describing relationships, possible developments,
conclusions or implications.
No Maybe Yes
No Maybe Yes
I am confident with my pronunciation.
I am confident with the Answer short question task,
No Maybe Yes which involves:

I am confident with my spelling. • answering with just one or a few words.

No Maybe Yes
No Maybe Yes

I am confident with my vocabulary. I am confident with the Summarize written text task,
which involves:
No Maybe Yes • writing everything in just one sentence
• starting my sentence with a capital letter and
I am confident with my writing. finishing with a full stop
• using a maximum of seventy-five words
No Maybe Yes • using the 10 minutes available to make sure my
sentence is accurate in meaning, spelling, grammar
I am confident with my reading. and punctuation.

No Maybe Yes No Maybe Yes

I am confident with the Write essay task, which

involves:
Part 1 of test:
• writing a traditional academic-style essay, with
Speaking and writing introduction, two short body paragraphs and
a conclusion
• writing a persuasive essay
I am confident with the Read aloud task, which • reading the question carefully and understanding
involves: it fully
• planning my essay before I begin writing
• reading quietly and at a natural pace
• writing between 200 and 300 words
• trying to pronounce words I don’t know
• linking my words with cohesive devices
• reading the words in the order they appear on
• checking my writing for accuracy and meaning
the screen.
at the end.
No Maybe Yes
No Maybe Yes

I am confident with the Repeat sentence task, which

involves:
• concentrating when the sentence is being read Part 2 of test: Reading
• repeating the words in the correct order
• copying the stress and intonation patterns of
the speaker I am confident with the Fill in the blanks: reading and
• trying to pronounce words I don’t know. writing task, which involves:
• skimming the text quickly before starting to
No Maybe Yes
understand the general meaning
• using my knowledge of grammar and collocations to
I am confident with the Describe image task, which help me
involves: • guessing the answers I don’t know so that no blank
• organising my description using the Erasable booklet spaces are left
• starting with a general statement about the image • checking my answers by reading the whole text,
• including all elements of the image in my description including my answers, before clicking Next to go to
• including relationships, possible developments, the next item.
conclusions or implications.
No Maybe Yes
No Maybe Yes

2 The Official Guide to PTE Academic, Digital Resources  © Pearson Education Limited 2020
I am confident with the Multiple-choice, choose multiple I am confident with the Multiple-choice, choose multiple
answers: reading task, which involves: answers: listening task, which involves:
• reading the question before reading the text • reading the question before the audio starts
• scanning the text to find the part with the answers • taking notes on the key points while I listen

S E L F - E VA LUAT I O N C H E C K L I S T
to the question • reading all the answer options before I choose
• reading the part of the text with the answers the correct ones
carefully • only choosing the answers I know are correct.
• reading all the answer options before I choose the
correct ones No Maybe Yes
• only choosing the answers I know are correct
• checking I have the right answers before I am confident with the Fill in the blanks: listening and
clicking Next. writing task, which involves:
• putting my cursor on the first blank before the audio
No Maybe Yes
starts
• following the text with my eyes while I listen and
I am confident with the Re-order paragraphs task,
write
which involves: • checking my words for correct spelling and grammar
• moving all the sentences to the right-hand side after the audio finishes.
before I start
• looking for the topic sentence and putting it first No Maybe Yes
• using my knowledge of cohesion and referencing to
order the sentences. I am confident with the Highlight correct summary task,
which involves:
No Maybe Yes
• taking notes while I listen
• matching my notes with the summaries to choose
I am confident with the Fill in the blanks: reading task,
the best one
which involves: • reading all the summaries before I choose
• quickly skimming the text first to understand the the correct one.
general meaning
• carefully reading before and after each blank to help No Maybe Yes
me identify the correct word.
I am confident with the Multiple-choice, choose single
No Maybe Yes answer: listening task, which involves:
• reading the question before the audio starts
I am confident with the Multiple-choice, choose single
• taking notes on the key points while I listen
answer: reading task, which involves: • reading all the answer options before I choose
• reading the question before reading the text the correct one
• scanning the text to find the part with the answer • checking I have the right answer before clicking Next.
• reading the part of the text with the answer carefully
• reading all the answer options before I choose the No Maybe Yes
correct one
• checking I have the right answer before clicking Next. I am confident with the Select missing word task, which
involves:
No Maybe Yes
• reading the answer options before the audio starts
• listening for the main ideas
• reading all the answer options before I choose
Part 3 of test: Listening the correct one
• checking I have the right answer before clicking Next.

No Maybe Yes
I am confident with the Summarize spoken text task,
which involves:
I am confident with the Highlight incorrect word task,
• using the Erasable booklet to take notes when which involves:
listening
• including all the key points from the text in my • moving my cursor along the text as I listen
summary • using my understanding of pronunciation to help
• writing between three and five sentences me choose the incorrect words to highlight
• using the full 10 minutes to write and check • clicking on no more than seven words.
my answer.
No Maybe Yes
No Maybe Yes

3 The Official Guide to PTE Academic, Digital Resources  © Pearson Education Limited 2020
I am confident with the Write from dictation task, Here you should include three main goals you’d like
which involves: to achieve before taking the test.
• listening carefully to each sentence
• thinking about the meaning of the sentence while Personal goals

S E L F - E VA LUAT I O N C H E C K L I S T
I listen
• 
• typing the sentence as soon as the response box
opens
• starting my sentence with a capital letter and ending
it with a full stop
• checking my grammar and spelling before
clicking Next.

No Maybe Yes
• 

Test day procedure

I know how to travel to the test centre.

No Maybe Yes • 

I know what time I need to be at the test centre.

No Maybe Yes

I know what I need to take with me.

No Maybe Yes

I know what the process will be when I arrive at the

test centre.

No Maybe Yes

I know how the test will look on the screen and how
to navigate from one question to the next.

No Maybe Yes

I know the rules to follow during the test.

No Maybe Yes

I know how to use a QWERTY keyboard, microphone

and headset.

No Maybe Yes

I know how and when I will receive my results.

No Maybe Yes

4 The Official Guide to PTE Academic, Digital Resources  © Pearson Education Limited 2020