Official Guide to PTE Academic Common mistakes video script
Read aloud
N = Narrator TT = Test taker
N: Read aloud. Common mistakes
In Read aloud, you will see a short text. After 30–40 seconds preparation time, you will then read the text into the microphone. In Read aloud tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Intonation, stress, and linking mistakes, exaggerating or hesitating around unfamiliar words. Let’s look at these in more detail. Common mistake one – intonation, stress, and linking. Listen to this test taker. What could they change about the way they’re reading?
TT: Astronomers have … recently … discovered a … large … cloud … of … gas in which many … new … stars are being formed not far from our … own … solar … system.
N: Firstly, the speaker doesn’t use much intonation. We use rising and falling intonation in many ways, for example, we use rising intonation to express doubt, ask a question, make a contrast, and show that we are still talking. We use falling intonation in statements, exclamations, and to show that we have finished a point or sentence. Intonation is important because it helps listeners follow what you are saying. Secondly, the speaker doesn’t use sentence stress. Stressing key words helps the listener pick up on the main ideas. This is what a good use of stress and intonation sounds like.
TT: Astronomers have recently discovered a large cloud of gas in which many new stars are being formed, not far from our own solar system.
N: Thirdly, the speaker doesn’t link their words together naturally.
TT: Astronomers have recently discovered a large cloud of gas …
N: Join words within a point or idea together. This helps listeners understand where one point starts and the next one ends, for example:
TT: Astronomers have recently discovered a large cloud of gas … in which many new stars …
N: Linking means that some sounds will change slightly. Listen again. What happens to the sounds?
TT: Astronomers have recently discovered a large cloud of gas.
N: They merge together, for example: ‘cloud of gas’ becomes ‘cloud’ve gas’. In summary, stress, intonation, and linking helps produce a natural delivery that listeners will find easy to follow. Common mistake two – exaggerating or hesitating around unfamiliar words. Listen to
this test taker reading aloud. Why is the speaker hesitating?
TT: … the researchers explained that recent … in ... innova … tions in … me … mea … measuring the distance of gas clouds more a … accu … rately led to this discovery after older observations were re … in … ter … pre … ted.
N: The speaker is hesitating because they don’t feel confident about what they’re reading. They are unfamiliar with some of the words and how to pronounce them. Skim the text before you start reading and look for any unfamiliar words. Think about how you might pronounce them. In this case, those words are ‘innovations’, ‘measuring’, ‘accurately’, ‘reinterpreted’. Take a guess if you need to and be confident with your guess. Try to sound natural. If you try too hard to pronounce the unfamiliar words, it could affect how the whole sentence sounds.
In summary, to avoid intonation, stress, and linking mistakes; use rising and falling intonation where appropriate to help listeners follow what you are saying, stress the key words in sentences to help listeners pick up on the main ideas, link words together to show where one idea ends and the next one begins. To avoid exaggerating or hesitating over unfamiliar words; look for unfamiliar words and try to guess their pronunciation before you start, don’t overstress any unfamiliar words, sound natural and confident when you are reading them, even if you aren’t!
For more sample answers and expert feedback, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Repeat sentence
N = Narrator TT = Test taker TA = Test audio
N: Repeat sentence. Common mistakes
In Repeat sentence, you will hear a sentence. You should repeat it into the microphone exactly as you hear it. In Repeat sentence tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Memorisation mistakes, pronunciation and delivery mistakes. Common mistake one – memorisation mistakes. Listen as the sentence is read from the computer.
TA: Students are encouraged to take part in a range of activities.
N: Now listen to this test taker. Why do you think they couldn’t reproduce the sentence correctly?
TA: Students are encouraged to take part in a range of activities.
TT: … Err … Students can do different activity.
N: The test taker couldn’t reproduce the sentence because they tried to write all the words down rather than taking effective notes. Only take notes if you feel it helps you. If you take notes, only write the key words. Don’t try to write the whole sentence. Use abbreviations, for example:
These words would give you enough to repeat it correctly.
TT: Students are encouraged to take part in a range of activities.
N: The test taker was also too focused on reproducing words, rather than thinking about the meaning of the sentence. Think about the sentence and its meaning as a whole. Make a picture of it in your mind to help you remember it. This will be easier than trying to remember it word for word.
Common mistake two – pronunciation and delivery mistakes. Listen to this test taker. What is wrong with the speaker’s delivery of the sentence?
TT: Students are encouraged to t-t-ake part in a range of activities.
N: The test taker didn’t pronounce the words clearly and put the word stress on the incorrect syllables. Try to copy the pronunciation and word stress from the recording, for example, ‘Students are encouraged to take part in a range of activities.’.
The test taker also spoke too loudly and too quickly.
TT: Students are encouraged to t-t-ake part in a range of activities.
N: Take your time. Don’t rush. Speak at the speed and volume you normally would.
To avoid memorisation mistakes: if you do take notes, only write down the key words, try to understand the meaning of the sentence, make a ‘picture’ of it in your mind.
To avoid pronunciation and delivery mistakes: copy how the speaker pronounces words and uses word stress, speak at a normal speed and volume.
For more sample answers and expert feedback, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Describe image
N = Narrator TT = Test taker
N: Describe image. Common mistakes
In Describe image, you will see a graph, a chart, a table, or something similar. You will have 25 seconds for preparation. Then you will speak about the image for 40 seconds.
In Describe image tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Giving unfocused descriptions and giving ineffective conclusions and summaries. Let’s look at these in more detail.
Common mistake one – unfocused descriptions. Listen to this test taker. Why is their description unfocused?
TT1: So basically, lots of Australian teenagers were … were working, especially females. Probably this is the case in other countries, too. Where I live, uh … more women work than men. Lots of over fifties in Australia weren’t working, probably … maybe because they don’t want to anymore.
N: The description is unfocused because firstly, it doesn’t start with an overview of the data. It immediately begins talking about the teenagers’ column. Give an introduction that deals with the image as a whole. Use a sentence like:
TT2: The graph shows the proportion of Australians working or studying by gender and age group for the year 2019.
N: Next, the unfocused description doesn’t use details to support its points. It uses imprecise terms like ‘lots’ rather than factual data. Use the data available. In this case, the graph has percentages. Use a sentence like:
TT2: This number fell gradually to just over 40 percent for the over-fifty age group.
N: Finally, the unfocused description gives personal opinions.
TT1: Where I live, uh … more women work than men. Lots of over fifties in Australia weren’t working, probably … maybe because they don’t want to anymore.
N: Stick to the data in the image. To avoid an unfocused description, it’s also important to give a good summary. However, summaries can often be ineffective.
Common mistake two – ineffective summaries. Listen to this test taker’s summary. Why is it ineffective?
TT1: In summary, um … the 20–29 age group also worked or studied in Australia.
I wonder what the graph would look like in 2029.
N: It is an ineffective summary because it doesn’t reflect what information will be most valuable, or most interesting. The speaker gets distracted by other details. Ask yourself: what would be the most significant implication of the image for most people? In this case, an example would be:
TT2: Overall, above the age of twenty, more men were in full time employment or education than women.
N: Another reason the other speaker’s summary is ineffective is because it doesn’t show key relationships between data. It focuses on one age group, rather than all of them. Link together data. Compare and contrast. Use a sentence like:
TT2: There was a higher percentage of males working or studying compared to females for all age groups except for teenagers.
N: To avoid giving an unfocused description: give a clear introduction, use precise data, avoid personal opinions, give a summary. To avoid
an ineffective summary: focus on the most significant information, link, compare and contrast data.
For more sample answers and expert feedback, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Re-tell lecture
N = Narrator TT = Test taker TA = Test audio
N: Re-tell lecture. Common mistakes
In Re-tell lecture, you will hear a talk or watch a video of a talk. After that, you will have ten seconds to prepare, and then forty seconds to re-tell what you heard.
In Re-tell lecture tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Ineffective note-taking, unclear delivery of the main ideas. Let’s look at these in more detail. Listen to this lecture and then look at the notes. Why are the test taker’s notes ineffective?
TA: I think talking about foods rather than nutrients is an important step we need to take. At the same time, we don’t have to say to people you can eat this or you can’t eat that, but we should help give people a wider view of the relative proportions of various food groups and dietary patterns on the whole.
N: Here’s what the test taker wrote, ‘important to talk about food, biscuits, crisps, food groups’. The notes are ineffective because the test taker hasn’t focused on the main points of the lecture. Take notes on the main idea of the lecture and any supporting ideas.
TT1: Important to talk about food, not nutrients. Don’t divide into foods that are allowed and not allowed. Understand diet patterns and proportions.
N: In the first attempt, the test taker didn’t consider the relationships between the main points. Note down how ideas are connected. Use arrows or other linking devices to do so. If you hear a key conclusion or implication, circle or underline it, so that you can structure your answer around it. The test taker didn’t use shorthand when note-taking. This affected their ability to take notes on the main points. Practise taking notes and writing words in shortened forms. Use abbreviations and symbols to help you. Here, for example, ‘X’ means ‘not’ and the math symbol means ‘divided’. Other symbols that may be useful include: The next time you take notes, try coming up with your own symbols. Listen to this test taker retelling the lecture. What is ineffective about their delivery?
TT1: So there is public confusion about health and food messages. Fat is bad and … sugar. Both are … bad. Advice about nutrients … for example meat, vegetables or biscuits. Err … The problem is eating patterns and food groups.
N: Their delivery is ineffective because there is a lack of structure. Giving a structured response will ensure you present the data clearly.
Different structures can work with different types of lectures, for example give a brief overview. You might want to use an introductory expression such as: ‘According to the lecturer …’ , ‘The lecture provided information about …’ , ‘The lecture referred to …’ . Then, link the main points together in a logical way. Use words and phrases such as: ‘however’, ‘despite’ or ‘in spite’, ‘but’, ‘in addition’, or ‘in addition to’, ‘moreover’. Finally, show a key conclusion or implication the speaker makes. Use phrases to conclude such as: ‘to conclude’, ‘in summary’, ‘overall’, ‘therefore’.
In the ineffective delivery, the speaker didn’t paraphrase. They used the same language as they heard. Try to use your own words rather than the same words from the lecture. Think of ways to say the same thing in a different way. If you can’t or don’t know how to paraphrase something, only try and use one or two exact words from the lecture.
TA: We don’t have to say to people you can eat this or you can’t eat that.
TT2: We don’t necessarily have to separate foods which we should eat from foods we shouldn’t eat.
N: To make good notes: focus on the main points, consider the relationships between the ideas, and listen out for conclusions or implications, practise writing shorthand. To re-tell the lecture effectively: structure your ideas using your notes, use introductory and concluding phrases, use linking words, paraphrase what you hear. For more information about this task, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Answer short question
N = Narrator TT = Test taker TA = Test audio
N: Answer short question. Common mistakes
In Answer short question, you will hear a question, and you should give a short answer of one or more words.
In Answer short question tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Not focusing on the question, ineffective responses. Let’s look at these in more detail.
Listen to the question. What could be some reasons for the test taker not focusing on the question?
TA: What is the word for a shape with three sides?
N: Firstly, the test taker didn’t focus on the question because they tried to take notes while listening. In this task, there is no need to take notes. You won’t have time. Instead, you should focus on listening to the question and understanding it.
Secondly, they didn’t understand or hear the question properly.
Listen for the question words and stressed words. Often these carry meaning. You might not need to understand the other words to answer the question. For example, the stressed words in this question are ‘what’, ‘word’, ‘shape’, ‘three’, ‘sides’. What is the word for a shape with three sides? Listen to this test taker’s response to the question. What is wrong with their response approach?
TT1: Err … umm … a shape with three sides, that must be a mathematical term of Greek origin … a square.
N: Firstly, they were overthinking. Don’t try to overcomplicate your answer, no specialist knowledge is required to answer these questions. You only need to say a word or phrase. Secondly, they didn’t correct themselves when they gave an incorrect answer. If you know you’ve given the wrong answer, be confident in correcting yourself. There is no penalty for giving incorrect answers. The microphone turns off after three seconds of silence so if you can’t think of the correct answer, give some incorrect answers while you keep thinking.
TT2: Err … a square? No …a triangle.
N: To ensure you focus on the question don’t take notes, just listen. Listen for question and stressed words. To respond effectively correct yourself if you make a mistake or give the wrong answer. Don’t overthink it. You only need a word or phrase.
For more information about this task, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Summarize written text
N = Narrator TT = Test taker
N: Summarize written text. Common mistakes
In Summarize written text, you will see a written text and a box to write your summary. You have ten minutes to read the text and summarise it in one sentence.
In Summarize written text tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Not knowing what to write about, not knowing how to get all your points into one sentence. Let’s look at these in more detail.
Common mistake one – not knowing what to write about. Listen to this test taker thinking about this task. What is the problem?
TT: Hmm … Wow, this is a long text, and I only have seventy-five words to summarise it! I’ll just focus on the last paragraph.
N: The problem is the test taker doesn’t know what to write about. To write a good summary, you need to focus on the main ideas. Imagine you are writing a summary for someone who hasn’t
read the text. What information would they need to know?
To find the main ideas in the text, you should look for topic sentences. These are sentences that introduce a main idea. They are often at the beginning of a paragraph and can help you quickly understand the text. Also, look for cohesive devices that signal important information. Looking for cohesive devices like these can help you follow an idea throughout the text.
Common mistake two – not knowing how to get all your points into one sentence. Look at the test taker’s summary. What could you do to get all their ideas into one sentence? You could use a semi colon to connect two related sentences. Using these devices, the summary now becomes, ‘Research into octopuses has shown they have a different intelligence to humans; studies show they coordinate their movements without use of their brain therefore making their reactions faster’.
You could use different language devices to link ideas. Conjunctions: ‘because’, ‘as a result’, ‘for example’, ‘therefore’. Clauses with ‘if’, ‘when’, ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘that’, ‘since’, ‘provided that’, ‘unless’. Nominalisation (using a noun instead of adjective or verb): ‘Scientists observed octopuses performing different tasks’ – ‘Observation of octopuses performing different tasks …’. You should not write more than one sentence. Neither should you write as much as you can just to reach seventy-five words. The best answers are usually shorter than this limit. There are no extra points for the number of words you use.
In summary, to help you know what to write about: focus on the main ideas, look for topic sentences and cohesive devices. To get all your points into one sentence: link your ideas using language devices, use a semi colon. For more information about this task, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Write Essay
N = Narrator TT = Test taker
N: Write Essay. Common mistakes
In Write Essay, you will see an essay question. You have twenty minutes to plan, write, and revise your essay.
In Write Essay tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Misunderstanding the writing process, not using an effective structure. Let’s look at these in more detail.
Common mistake one – misunderstanding the writing process. Look at the essay question. What should you do first: write an opening sentence, decide on your opinion, decide
what the essay question is asking you to do, brainstorm supporting ideas, think about memorised sentences you could use? You should first decide what the question is asking you to do. Read the question carefully. The question may ask you to: agree or disagree, argue for or against, discuss advantages and/or disadvantages, discuss problems and solutions, and so on. After that, you should brainstorm some ideas and decide your opinion. Choose the strongest ideas and structure your essay around them. You should not start writing your essay straightaway. Planning can help you organise and link your ideas. Neither should you try and use memorised sentences. These could affect the flow of writing and will probably lead you away from the question.
Common mistake two – not using an effective structure. Look at how the test taker wants to structure their essay.
TT: Write a title, summarise all my opinions, introduce the topic and my main arguments, give supporting statements to opinion one in bullet points, give supporting statements to opinion two in bullet points.
N: What would a better structure be? You should begin the essay with a short introductory paragraph. Write an opening sentence that introduces the topic. Then write a second sentence to give your opinion. Next, write two or three main paragraphs to present your position with supporting ideas. Finally, finish the essay with a short conclusion. It should summarise your ideas and arguments.
You should not use headings in your essay. Neither should you write your ideas in bullet points. Ensure that you write in clear paragraphs and connect your ideas.
In summary, to follow a good writing process: read the question carefully and decide what it is asking first, then brainstorm ideas and decide your opinion. To use an effective essay structure: start with an introduction, write two or three paragraphs with main and supporting ideas, summarise your ideas in a conclusion. For more information about Write essay task, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Fill in the blanks: reading and writing
N = Narrator TT = Test taker
N: Fill in the blanks: reading and writing. Common mistakes
In Fill in the blanks: reading and writing, you will see a text with blanks. Each space has four drop-down answer options. You will need to choose the best answer to complete each blank.
In Fill in the blanks, reading and writing tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Not
considering all options, not considering the text as a whole. Let’s look at these in more detail. Common mistake one – not considering all options (ahem—all options). Look at the extract and the four possible answers.
TT: Let’s see. The options are ‘lively’, ‘dynamic’, ‘animated’, and ‘active’.
N: Which is the best way to approach the task? Is it A – picking an option quickly ignoring the other options or is it B – picking an option looking for reasons why it is correct and other options are incorrect? The best option is B. In this task, the options are often very similar in meaning or form so it’s important to think about all of them. However, if you are running out of time, you can pick an option quickly. It’s better to guess than to leave a blank unanswered in this task. To eliminate incorrect options: read the sentence with each option in turn, think about which options give meaning in the context, and which don’t. Consider collocations: which of the options do you often see with the words before and after the blank, which do you not? Finally, think about grammar. Which options fit grammatically, and which don’t? If you’re still unsure after this, read the sentence with each option again and decide which one sounds more natural.
Common mistake two – not considering the text as a whole. Listen to the following audio. Why does this test taker get frustrated?
TT: Unfortunately, this process is … ‘opposite’ foolproof? What are they talking about? ... Which process? ... ‘not near to’ foolproof? ... ‘far from’ foolproof? ... ‘as acts such as deforestation’. Argh!
N: They are frustrated because they don’t understand the text. Although it’s important to focus on the words surrounding a blank, you will often need to understand the main ideas of the text as a whole to help you with the correct answer. Take the time to skim the text for the overall meaning first. Then use your awareness of the main ideas to help you decide between options. Finally, you can also use that awareness to check your answers at the end, by reading to ensure that the main ideas flow together.
To fully consider each option: read the sentence with each option in turn, eliminating incorrect options. Consider meaning, collocations, and grammar. To consider the text as a whole: skim for overall meaning and the main ideas first, think about overall meaning when deciding between options, read the completed text to check the flow of ideas.
For more information about Fill in the blanks: reading and writing, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Multiple choice, choose multiple answer: reading
Multiple choice, choose multiple answer: reading Common mistakes
In Multiple choice, choose multiple answer: reading, you will see a text and a question with five to seven answer options. You need to choose at least two options.
In Multiple choice, choose multiple answer: reading tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Unfocused reading techniques, guessing. Let’s look at these in more detail.
Look at the options. What should the test taker do first: read the whole text quickly (also called skimming) read the whole text and try to understand every word, read the question and answers? The test taker should read the question and the answer options first to identify the purpose for reading. Knowing what to look for in the text will be more timeeffective. The test taker should not skim the whole text first. Although this is a very useful technique, you should do this second, after reading the question and answers. Moreover, the test taker should not read the whole text first and try to understand every word. You won’t need to understand everything about the text. Knowing what you need to look for first will help save time.
The test taker guessed an answer was correct because it used some words from the text. They guessed the other answer at random. The test taker should not simply look for words that are shared between answers and the text. Correct and incorrect options often both share words from the text. It doesn’t mean an answer is correct. Moreover, the test taker should not guess answers at random. In Multiple choice, choose multiple answer tasks, you lose a point for each incorrect answer. Instead, always think about the meaning of the option, and how it relates to the question and text. Only choose answers you are sure about.
To use focused reading techniques: read the questions and answers first to find the purpose for reading before skimming the text for the main ideas. Then read for the purpose you identified rather than trying to understand everything. To choose answers confidently: think about the meaning of options and their relationship with the question and text, only choose answers you’re sure about.
For more information about this task, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Re-order paragraphs
Re-order paragraphs. Common mistakes
In Re-order paragraphs you will see sentences in the wrong order on the left, and a blank panel on the right. You need to put the sentences into the panel on the right in the correct order.
In Re-order paragraphs tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Not identifying the topic sentence,
not identifying relationships between sentences. Let’s look at these in more detail.
Look at this task. Why did the test taker choose the wrong starting sentence? They chose it because they didn’t understand how texts in this task are organised. Texts begin with a starting sentence, or topic sentence, which introduces the main idea or makes a general statement about the topic. Every other sentence then refers back to this main idea in some way. The topic sentence is therefore less likely to contain words like ‘however’ or ‘that’, which refer to other sentences. Make sure the topic sentence doesn’t refer to any information that came before it. It should stand alone. Once you find the topic sentence, place it in the panel on the right at the top. Why did the test taker put their sentences in the wrong order? Firstly, they didn’t identify the logical progression of ideas in the text. Think about how and why a sentence would connect to a previous one, for example, these two sentences will probably link together because they are the only two sentences that refer to a TV program.
Secondly, they didn’t look for the cohesive devices that link the sentences together. Cohesive devices are a great clue in this task. They are often the clearest indication of the relationships between sentences. For example, look at this sentence – it begins with ‘As a result’ so we know that this sentence must be a direct result of the sentence before it. ‘Advertisers are suggesting new, innovative solutions because there is a growing reluctance amongst the youth to engage with traditional fashion marketing campaigns.’ That means we can link together these sentences. Cohesive devices you can look for include: pronouns or determiners that link back to other ideas, for example, the word ‘this’ in ‘this is a common, longheld view’, or the word ‘he’ in ‘he was’; articles, for example, ‘a’, ‘an’, ‘the’; linking phrases, for example, ‘as a result’ and ‘however’; ways to give examples, for instance, ‘to illustrate’, ‘such as’, and ‘for example’; different words for the same ideas, for example, ‘the people in the area’ is another way of saying ‘the local community’.
In summary, to identify the topic sentence: look for a sentence that introduces the main idea or makes a general statement, check that the topic sentence stands alone, that it doesn’t refer to information in other sentences. To identify the relationships between sentences: think about the logical progression of ideas, identify the cohesive devices that link sentences together.
For more information about Re-order paragraphs, go to the Online Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Fill in the blanks: reading
N = Narrator TT = Test taker
N: Fill in the blanks: reading. Common mistakes
In Fill in the blanks: reading, you will see a short text with gaps and answer options. You need to
complete the text with the correct words. There are more words than gaps.
In Fill in the blanks: reading tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Using a single method to fill in the gaps, giving up on difficult gaps.
Let’s look at these in more detail. Look at the test taker’s answer for this gap. What mistake have they made?
TT: This was all expressed through new aesthetic leading to the divergent artistic styles that characterized the period.
N: The test taker has only considered the meaning of the sentence. While this is a very important consideration, it’s also important to check how the option fits in the sentence grammatically, and how the sentence fits with the text as a whole. To check that the option fits grammatically, use your knowledge of language by identifying the parts of speech (verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs), and the grammatical structures that the gaps require. Think about collocations, prepositions, word endings, conjugations. To consider how the sentence fits with the text as a whole, ensure you are aware of the main ideas and the topic progression of the text. It’s a good idea to skim the text first so that you have this information. Although ‘aesthetic’ works in this sentence in terms of meaning, it doesn’t fit grammatically. It also doesn’t match the topic progression of the text. Listen to the test taker completing the task. What do you think is the problem?
TT: The inevitable result was an increase in … surrounding art. Err … umm ... What does that word mean? Err … I’ll just put that one …
N: They didn’t try to understand the unfamiliar words next to a difficult gap. Gaps are often difficult because of the unfamiliar words around them. But by reading further, and by thinking about the sentence and text as a whole, you can often infer the meaning of unfamiliar words. The test taker also spent too long on difficult words earlier in the task so they had to guess the answer. Don’t spend too long on one gap. Leave any difficult gaps until the end when you have fewer answer options to choose from. You might be able to work out the answer more easily. To give the gaps your full consideration: consider the meaning and grammar of the sentence, consider how the sentence fits with the text as a whole. To approach difficult gaps effectively: infer the meaning of unfamiliar words from the wider context, leave difficult gaps until the end when there are fewer options to choose from.
For more information about this task go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Multiple choice, choose single answer: reading
Multiple choice, choose single answer: reading. Common mistakes
In Multiple choice, choose single answer: reading, you will see a short text and a question with four answer options. You need to choose the one response you think is correct.
In Multiple choice, choose single answer: reading tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Not focusing on the meaning of the question, not checking your answers.
Let’s look at these in more detail. Look at the question. What is it asking the test-taker to do: summarise the main conclusion of the text, find a specific detail in the text, identify the style of the text? The question is asking the test taker to summarise the main conclusion of the text. It asks about the main message. It doesn’t ask for specific details or about its style. The test taker should read the question carefully to know what to look for in the text. The test taker should not ignore the question and simply choose an answer option based on its length or because one seems different to the others. Ensure that your choice answers the question. Questions might vary a lot. For example, this question is asking for the main ideas or gist … but this one is asking about the organisation and connection between ideas … whereas this one is asking for detailed information. To see more question types, look at the table on page 82. The test taker has selected an answer. They are unsure if it’s correct. What should they do: click ‘Next’ and move on, check why their option is correct, check why other options are incorrect, read the whole text again? The test taker should check why their option is correct and why other options are incorrect. This is an effective way to test any answer. Ask yourself, ‘Is there clear evidence for my choice? Am I able to eliminate the other options?’ If so, you can be confident of your choice. The test taker should not click ‘Next’ and move on. You should always check your answers, unless you are low on time. Moreover, the test taker should not read the whole text again. This is unlikely to be time-effective. When checking your answer, refer to the text only if you need to confirm your answers, or eliminate other answers.
To focus on the meaning of the question, identify what the question asks you to look for. To check your answers effectively, analyse why your choice is correct. Eliminate the other answers as incorrect. For more information about this task, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Summarize spoken text
N = Narrator TA = Test audio
N: Summarize spoken text. Common mistakes
In Summarize spoken text, you will hear a recording and see a box to write in. You will
write fifty to seventy words. In Summarize spoken text tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Not identifying the main points, errors in paraphrasing. Let’s look at these in more detail. Common mistake one – not identifying the main points. Listen to this extract from the lecture. What should you do when listening?
TA: As you probably know, coffee is the second largest commodity by traded value in the world after oil. You probably also know that it’s grown in Brazil, but you may not realize that it’s not native to that country. It originated in east Africa.
N: You should listen out for the main ideas. Be clear which information you need for your summary. For example, a main idea is:
TA: Coffee originated in east Africa.
N: However, a less important piece of information is:
TA: Oil is the world’s largest commodity by traded value.
N: Use your notes to help you identify the main ideas, too. If you hear something that sounds like key information, note it down and circle or underline it. After the recording has finished, take time to review your notes. Base your summary around what you have circled or underlined. You should not note down every word you hear. You will miss important information if you try to listen and write every detail at the same time. Neither should you try to mention every idea you heard. Base your summary around the main ideas. You can only write fifty to seventy words, so you won’t be able to include everything.
Common mistake two – errors in paraphrasing. Look at the extract from the lecture and the test taker’s summary. What is the problem? The lecturer said:
TA: As you probably know, coffee is the second largest commodity by traded value in the world after oil. You probably also know that it’s grown in Brazil, but you may not realize that it’s not native to that country. It originated in East Africa.
N: The test taker wrote, ‘Coffee is the second largest commodity in the world, by traded value, after oil. Although it is often grown in Brazil, it originated to coming from East Africa.’ The problem with the summary is the test taker has used too much exact language from the recording. Paraphrase what you hear and use synonyms to show a range of language. Moreover, the test taker used language they weren’t confident with. This meant they made a mistake in the second sentence: ‘originated to coming from’. Only use vocabulary or grammatical structures that you are sure of. Don’t overcomplicate your summary. A better summary would be: ‘Coffee is one of the most traded products globally. Although it is often produced in Brazil, it actually came from East Africa.’
In summary, to identify the main points: listen for the key information only, don’t get distracted by details, circle or underline the main ideas in your notes. To paraphrase effectively: use synonyms, use language you are confident with. For more information about Summarize spoken text, go to the Online Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Multiple choice, choose multiple answers: listening
N = Narrator TT = Test taker TA = Test audio
N: Multiple choice, choose multiple answers: listening. Common mistakes
In Multiple choice, choose multiple answers: listening, you will see a question with five to seven answer options. You will need to choose at least two answers.
In Multiple choice, choose multiple answers: listening tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Trying to understand and answer at the same time, choosing without good evidence. Let’s look at these in more detail. Common mistake one – trying to understand and answer at the same time. Listen to this test taker. Why are they finding it difficult to choose an answer?
TT: OK, what are the options … persuasive? No ... OK, the commons … different ideas … hmm, yes …
N: The test taker is finding it difficult because they are trying to listen and answer at the same time. This can sometimes work if you are very confident, but normally it’s best to focus on one thing at a time. Look at the options very quickly before the recording starts. Then, when it starts playing, focus only on the recording, taking notes of the main ideas. Review the options after the recording has finished, and decide which ones are correct.
Common mistake two – choosing without good evidence. Listen to the extract and look at the test taker’s first answer choice. Why do you think they chose incorrectly?
TA: They are the resources that we share on the ground, under the ground – the air, the water, the minerals, the many things that could be turned into resources for production. But they are also the social amenities and social services and institutions of our culture and our education that stem from our history.
N: The test taker answered incorrectly because they heard the word ‘but’ and assumed that the speaker was contrasting ideas. Don’t choose an answer just because you hear a certain word. Most of the options will contain some information from the recording, but only some are correct. Always be clear about why your chosen option is correct. If you’re unsure, don’t guess. You lose a point for each incorrect answer in this task.
In summary: focus on one thing at a time, read the question and answers before listening, focus on the recording while it’s playing, then choose options, always listen until the end, check your evidence, always be clear about why an answer is correct, only answer if you’re sure. For more information about this task, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Fill in the blanks: listening and writing
N = Narrator TT = Test taker TA = Test audio
N: Fill in the blanks: listening and writing. Common mistakes
In Fill in the blanks: listening and writing, you will see a transcript of the recording with four to six blanks. You will listen to the recording and type the missing words you hear into the gaps. In Fill in the blanks: listening and writing tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Losing your place in the transcript, not checking what you’ve written. Let’s look at these in more detail. Common mistake one – losing your place in the transcript. Look at the question and listen to the test taker during the test. Why did they miss the word in the second gap?
TA: We’ve known for a while that those with proficiency in playing a musical instrument exhibit superior brain plasticity, that is their brain can change and adapt as a result of experience. However, we recently investigated the distinction …
TT: Distinction … d … i .. .s … t ... inc ... tion
N: The test taker spent too long writing the second word. They didn’t follow the transcript and lost their place. Follow the transcript as it is spoken. You must keep moving along with what you hear. Focusing on one word for too long will mean you lose your place in the transcript. To avoid falling behind, write abbreviations of what you hear, and complete them after the recording has finished.
Common mistake two – not checking what you’ve written. The test taker has completed all their answers. What should they do now: just click ‘Next’, read the text again quickly, checking the words they typed for spelling, grammar, and meaning, remove any words they are unsure of and leave those gaps blank? The test taker should read the text again quickly checking the words they typed for spelling, grammar, and meaning. Make changes if you need to, but only if you’re sure something is incorrect. If you are unsure about a word, write something based on the sounds you hear. The test taker should not click ‘Next’ without checking what they have written. Only do this if you are very low on time. And, the test taker should not remove any words and leave a gap. Instead, guess an answer if you
are unsure. You won’t lose points for incorrect answers in this task.
In summary, to follow the transcript successfully; read along as you listen, don’t focus for too long on one gap, write an abbreviation of what you hear and complete it after the recording ends, check what you’ve written, think about spelling, grammar, and meaning, write something based on the sounds you heard if you are unsure.
For more information about this task, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Highlight correct summary: listening
N = Narrator TT = Test taker TA = Test audio
N: Highlight correct summary: listening. Common mistakes
In Highlight correct summary: listening, you will see four summaries. After you listen, you need to choose the correct summary of the recording. In Highlight correct summary: listening tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Reading at the wrong time, assessment mistakes. Let’s look at these in more detail. Common mistake one – reading at the wrong time. Look at the task. When should the test taker read the summaries: before listening, while listening, after listening? The test taker should first skim at least one of the summaries to identify the topic. They will all usually be on the same topic as the recording, so looking at one will help you identify the general idea of what you are about to hear. The test taker should not read all the summaries before listening. You won’t have enough time. However, you can try to skim just one of the summaries before listening. It will help you identify the general idea of what you are about to hear. Neither should the test taker read the summaries while listening. You might miss key information in the recording if you try to listen and read at the same time. Only focus on listening and making notes. The test taker should read the summaries after listening. Compare the summaries to your notes and choose the correct one.
Common mistake two – assessment mistakes. Listen to the test taker. What is their mistake?
TA: Read, learn new skills, a new sport, or another language.
TT: Option one, looks good to me! Next!
N: The test taker doesn’t assess all the options. They pick one and move on. Make sure you think about all the options, eliminating those that are incorrect, and being clear about why your chosen option is correct. To eliminate incorrect options, check firstly if the summary contains any incorrect information. It might be whole sentences that are incorrect, or just a word or two. Secondly, check whether the summary mentions any additional information.
Correct summaries will only refer to what was said in the recording. And finally, check whether the summary focuses too much on the minor details. A correct summary will deal with the main ideas.
In summary: focus on one thing at a time, skim a summary to identify the topic, then, when the recording is playing, focus only on listening and taking notes, read the summaries in detail after the recording, comparing them with your notes, assess all options before making a choice. Eliminate options by looking for summaries that have incorrect information, that have information that wasn’t mentioned, or that focus on details only, not on main ideas.
For more information about this task, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Multiple choice, choose single answer: listening
Multiple choice: choose single answer: listening Common mistakes
In Multiple choice: choose single answer, you will see a question with four answer options. You will listen to a recording and then choose one answer. Only one response is correct.
In Multiple choice: choose single answer tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Listening ineffectively, not eliminating options. Let’s look at these in more detail. Common mistake one – listening ineffectively. Which of these should you do in this task to help you listen effectively: write down everything you hear, take notes of the main ideas, stop listening once you think you’ve heard the answer, listen until the end of the recording? You should take notes of the main ideas. Use abbreviations and symbols to help you take notes quickly. You should also listen until the end of the recording. The speaker may change their point of view or add extra information. You should not write down everything you hear. You won’t have time and could miss important information if you are too focused on note-taking. Neither should you stop listening once you think you’ve heard the answer. Choose your answer only when the recording finishes.
Common mistake two – not eliminating options. After listening, choose an option by thinking about why it’s correct, and by eliminating incorrect options. Which of these are good reasons to eliminate an option: the option has incorrect information, the option has additional information, the option doesn’t use words from the recording? A good reason is ‘The option has incorrect information’. Another good reason is ‘The option has additional information.’ Remember, always compare the options with your notes to check that you are confident an option can be eliminated. A bad reason to eliminate an option is ‘The option doesn’t use words from the recording.’ After all, this
doesn’t mean that the option is incorrect. Correct and incorrect options might both use the same words, or different words, as the recording. If you can’t eliminate all the options, then choose the option you think is most likely. It’s better to guess than leave this task unanswered.
In summary, to listen effectively take notes of the main ideas, keep listening to the recording until the end. To eliminate options, look for any that have incorrect or additional information, always compare them with your notes.
For more information about this task, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Select missing word: listening
N = Narrator TT = Test taker TA = Test audio
N: Select missing word: listening. Common mistakes In Select missing word, you will listen to a recording in which the last word or group of words has been replaced by a beep. You need to choose the best option to replace the beep. In Select missing word tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Approaching the task ineffectively, partial listening. Let’s look at these in more detail. Common mistake one – approaching the task ineffectively. Which of these is a good way to approach the task: taking notes of the main ideas while listening, just listening, producing a mental map of what you hear, listening and deciding based on your personal knowledge, choosing the answer that fits grammatically? A good approach is taking notes of the main ideas while listening, or just listening and producing a mental map of what you hear. Decide which way works for you. Does note-taking help you listen out for how the ideas develop throughout the recording or is it better just to listen and visualise? You should not choose an answer based on your personal knowledge. Only use the ideas from the recording. Neither should you choose the answer that fits grammatically. All of the options will fit.
Common mistake two – partial listening. Listen to this test taker and look at the options. What was their mistake?
TA: So, how should I start this talk? I believe there are some people who would advise that I begin with a joke …
TT: Begin a talk with a joke, great! So, people must be waiting for a joke then. OK, done!
N: The test taker didn’t listen to the whole recording and chose an answer before the end. Make sure you keep listening throughout the recording. Speakers often change their direction or purpose before the end. Because you always replace the last words in the recording, it’s crucial to stay focused until then.
In summary, to approach the task effectively, note down or visualize the development of the main ideas, decide which way works best for you. To listen effectively, follow the speaker’s ideas until the very end, listen out for any changes or extra information.
For more information about this task, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Highlight incorrect words
N = Narrator TT = Test taker TA = Test audio
N: Highlight incorrect words. Common mistakes
In Highlight incorrect words, you will see and listen to a transcript of a recording. The transcript will contain five to six words which are different from the audio. You need to click on the incorrect words.
In Highlight incorrect words tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Getting lost in the transcript, choosing answers ineffectively. Let’s look at these in more detail. Common mistake one – getting lost in the transcript. Listen to this test taker. Why did they miss the incorrect word?
TA: There are actually two ways music can influence our actions and behaviour. Firstly, it can have a physical effect on us, so, we end up coordinating whatever we’re doing with what we hear …
TT: … have a …
TA: A great example – people eat at a quicker pace when they’re exposed …
TT: Ah, that word was different, I think …
TA: And the second way is through association. So, …
TT: … too fast. I’m lost.
N: They missed the incorrect word because they weren’t concentrating fully on the recording and got lost. In this task, it is essential to listen and read at the same time. Don’t stop to think about answers. You must not fall behind for any reason. You can use your cursor to follow along with the recording, this will stop you getting lost. Common mistake two – choosing answers ineffectively. Which of these is a good way to approach this task: clicking on words as soon as you hear that they are incorrect, taking notes and choosing the incorrect words after the recording ends? A good approach is clicking on words as soon as you hear that they are incorrect. You should not take notes and choose the incorrect words after the recording ends. This isn’t time effective, and you probably won’t be able to remember what the word sounded like in the recording. If the word doesn’t sound correct when you hear it, then click on it. There is no need to give it any more consideration. Click ‘Next’ and move on quickly to the next task.
In summary, to listen effectively read and listen at the same time. To help you do this, use your cursor to follow the transcript as you listen. To choose answers effectively, click on incorrect words as soon as you hear them, don’t spend time evaluating your choices – just move on. For more information about this task, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
Write from dictation
N = Narrator TA = Test audio
N: Write from dictation. Common mistakes
In Write from dictation, you will hear a sentence. You need to type the sentence exactly as you hear it.
In Write from dictation tasks, what are some common mistakes to avoid? Not taking effective notes and not checking your answer.
Let’s look at these in more detail. Common mistake one – not taking effective notes. Listen to the test question. Which of these is a good way to write effective notes?
TA: Governance at this corporation has been found to be severely lacking.
N: Write the whole sentence as you hear it? Take note of the content words, such as verbs, nouns, and adjectives? Use abbreviations? You should take note of the content words while listening, for example, verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs. These are usually stressed in the recording. You can then use the stressed words to reconstruct anything you missed using your knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. You should also use abbreviations in your notes. You only listen to the sentence once so you won’t have time to write every word correctly while listening. Use abbreviations like these.
Common mistake two – not checking your answer. Look at the test taker writing their answer. What do they need to do before clicking ‘Next’? The test taker should re-read what they have written first. Check the spelling, word forms and word order. Ensure you have started your sentence with a capital letter and ended with a full stop. You should not simply choose ‘Next’ without checking the sentence.
In summary, to take effective notes, write down the content words, use abbreviations. Before you click ‘Next’ check grammar and spelling, check word form and word order, check the sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop.
For more information about this task, go to the Digital Resources. To practise this task for yourself, go to the Online Question Bank.
