PTE · · 6 min read
PTE Academic: how the scoring works
Automated marking, tasks that count for more than one skill, and what a 65 or a 79 really means.
PTE Academic is fully computer-based and scored automatically. Understanding the scoring changes how you prepare.
A scale from 10 to 90
You get an overall score and one for each skill. According to Pearson, for example, 59–75 corresponds to B2 and 76–84 to C1 on the CEFR.
Integrated tasks
Many tasks count for two skills at once: a listening task where you write, for example, counts towards both Listening and Writing. That’s why not every task carries the same weight — in our prep we prioritise the ones that count most.
Speaking to a computer
In Speaking, steady fluency and clear pronunciation matter. Long pauses and restarts cost more than a small grammar slip.
Score equivalences are always indicative. Check the score your institution requires and Pearson’s official tables.