The Complete PTE Prep Guide (Part 3)

💉Heads-up: long post, lots of pictures

Part 3 - Taking the PTE

A quick guide to everything else about the test: Registration｜Getting to the test center｜On the day｜What to bring｜Test center layout｜Test center equipment｜Checking and analyzing your scores｜Other tips｜Final thoughts

📝Registration

I'd suggest registering a week in advance, so you have more time slots to choose from

I found a discount coupon on Xiaohongshu (RED), roughly 12% off～ (it only works if you register in Taiwan, Hong Kong or China)

Go to the official website＞click ”報名考試” (Book a test)

Log in or sign up

Click “Book PTE Academic”

Type “Taipei” and you'll find the test center (it's the first one!)

Choose a date and time＞fill in the consent form and questionnaire (forgot to take a screenshot😓)

Pay online (this is also where you enter the discount coupon)

📍Test center location

It's the building that's set back from the street, don't miss it～

🔗Pearson Vue map

🚊Getting to the test center

Near Exit 1 of MRT Taipei City Hall Station (I'd recommend taking the MRT; parking nearby doesn't look easy, and traffic might be bad at rush hour)

⏰On the day

1.Arrive at the test center 30 minutes early (but not earlier, because once you're in you can't look at your notes anymore)

2.Turn off your phone; staff will give you a locker key (everything has to go in the locker)

3.You can only leave a water bottle and small snacks on the table outside. If you step out during the test, you can drink and snack to recharge

4.Staff will guide you through a palm scan and photo (the photo came out really funny (⁎⁍̴̛ᴗ⁍̴̛⁎) I look like I'm on a wanted poster😂

5.Passport check (they'll confirm how your name is spelled)

6.You can choose whether to use the restroom

7.Enter the test area

8.Staff will ask you to empty your pockets and show your sleeves, then pat yourself down for them to check

9.Staff explain the test rules, and you scan your palm to go in

10.Everyone starts together once all test takers are in

11.When you're done, raise your hand and a staff member will come over to confirm, and that's it

12.Scan your palm, collect your things from the locker and the table

13.Return the locker key and leave

🪪What to bring

1.You MUST bring your passport!!!

2.You can bring a water bottle to wet your throat a bit before going in

Test center layout sketch

Test center equipment

Seat: Both times I sat at seat 13, and the equipment worked fine! (Though no one sat to my right either time)

🎧Headphones: Over-ear, no noise cancelling. Don't worry too much about size, though; the adjustment range is pretty wide (a 21 inch head doesn't make them fall off! Feels like even kids could use them (⁎⁍̴̛ᴗ⁍̴̛⁎)

🔧Adjusting: At the start you can set the volume to whatever you like (I'd suggest one notch left or right of the middle, a bit louder than usual, because once everyone starts talking it gets harder to hear, but don't make it uncomfortable for your ears)

🎤Microphone: It only adjusts up and down; the distance from your mouth is fixed. It picks up best next to your nose (｡･ω･｡)

🔧Adjusting: During the mic check, don't just say testing 123. Say words like probability, pass, past, which have complex syllables and tend to pop the mic, to check whether the recording is clean.

🐭Mouse: A regular mouse with no lag. The cable is pretty long, so lefties are ok too!

⌨️Keyboard: The most most most basic kind, like the keyboards from elementary school computer class. I'd suggest keeping your nails a tiny bit long so the keys are easier to press.

(I felt it affected my typing speed a little)

✒️Pens: They give you two. Writing with them feels like the fine tip of a marker. Before you go in, the staff keep reminding you to cap them, or they'll dry out. If a pen runs out of ink, raise your hand and you can get a new one! (BTW I got the feedback survey and wrote that the pens are hard to use, for everyone's sake ಠ_ಠ)

📝Whiteboard: A4 size, a flip-over, double-sided, laminated, spiral-bound grid notebook, about 8 pages.

🔍Checking your scores

A confirmation email is sent about 1-2 hours after the test.

Scores become available about 3 hours after the test.

(If it takes longer, it may be because the question bank is being changed, or because your score differs a lot from your previous one and is being checked manually🧐)

Find this email and log in to your account

Click the circle there to see your scores

Scroll down for a PDF and a breakdown of each skill～

🔍Score analysis

Below, each sub-score is mapped to its question types. If you need to improve, check which question types you should work on

🔔Other tips

1.During speaking prep time, make sure you read out loud, to see whether the words come out smoothly

2.Don't worry too much about typing speed. If I can do it, so can you. When I chat with friends, they can literally go make instant noodles while waiting for my reply🤣🤣🤣

3. Memorize the essay template thoroughly and train your speed so you can type it in 10 minutes at most! If you haven't memorized the keyboard, just look at the keyboard while typing; don't keep looking back and forth, it slows you down😐

4. You can't wear a jacket in the test room, so if you're testing in winter, wear something warm underneath and keep your hands warm too, or they'll be stiff when you type

5.If you're testing in winter, take good care of yourself and don't catch a cold! A sore throat will hurt your speaking score～

6. Don't worry too much about being cut off by the system after 3 seconds, because 3 seconds is pretty long

7.You don't have to wear a mask for the test anymore～

❓Q&A

Is the test center noisy?

I didn't think it was loud; it was quieter than when I usually practice. (But I live next to a flight path and hear planes flying back and forth every day✈️, and there's a construction site next door digging foundations. The workers are adorable😂 sacred music in the morning, classic Chinese pop songs in the afternoon. So maybe🤔 my tolerance for noise is higher?) If you're worried, practice with the noisy mode in 羊駝 (the Alpaca app) to get used to it, but in the real test you'll be so focused on the questions that you won't care what anyone else is doing😂

How much did test prep cost?💸

Registration for 2 tests $430 + 30 to print the question bank + thanks to friends and family for lending me their we chat accounts, so I could keep switching accounts and use the app's free membership🤣

How long did you prepare?

About 1.5 months, roughly 6-8 hours a day, though sometimes I slacked off and went out to have fun (｡･ω･｡)

❤️Final thoughts

First, thanks to everyone who read this far (((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o))), and thanks to everyone who posted on Dcard before; that information helped me so much. I really feel too few people know about PTE. There are lots of posts on the board from top scorers who maxed out at 78, but I still hope this one helps friends aiming for 50-60.

The test is short and in the evening, which is great👍, results come out fast, and the reading passages are short and to the point. That suits a night-owl designer like me who gets distracted easily and feels dizzy at the sight of too many words😵‍💫. But this test really is about technique, so don't relax and think you're amazing once you've passed. It's just the minimum language ticket in, and you still need to keep improving your English!

If you have questions the post doesn't cover, feel free to ask (((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))

Finally, I hope everyone gets the score they're aiming for❤️

-Carnivorous Lamb🐑