Acing any test in your academic life requires preparing for it diligently while also avoiding the common mistakes that most applicants make. Applicants can easily avoid these mistakes if they’re actively looking to avoid them at all costs. The below-mentioned list mentions the most common mistakes applicants make while attempting the PTE Academic exam. An exam tests the fluency in the English language among candidates taking the test for visa applications or to get admission to a university.
Placing the Mic Incorrectly
Candidates must eradicate a basic error; most candidates will only know about it once they’re in the test center. It is an error that can easily be corrected by arriving at the center early and familiarising yourself with the environment. Check the accessories, including the mic, which, if placed too close, will result in distortion while speaking. It will ultimately result in a low score on the speaking test.
Speaking too Fast
Another error born out of complacency and misconception is speaking fast in the speaking test. While it may show you are good at the language, you will get a low score as marks will be deducted for below-par comprehension by the computer. If you speak too fast, chances are that you become less fluent and make more errors; therefore, speaking at a normal pace will show poise and fluency on the applicant’s end.
Using Informal Language
Often native speakers have spoken about getting low scores on speaking despite. Native speakers often speak an informal language which results in low scores. To ensure you get high scores, please use formal language, whether writing or speaking.
Using Filler When Speaking
Fillers are the words you may use during pauses, long pauses between spoken sentences. These ‘aah’s’ and ‘hmm’s’, which we often use in conversations, may lead to low scores. In general, anxiety or nervousness about the test will often lead you to commit this error frequently. The perfect way to get rid of this anxiousness is to practice a lot whenever possible.
Using a Fake Accent
Another avoidable mistake while taking the PTE test is to use an accent that is not yours. While it may be good to use a popular accent during the test, fake accents are easily noticed and can lead to the speech being phony. Your accent is not tested during the PTE exam; hence you should use your native accent and be fluent.
Not Abiding by the Word Limit
If an essay writing task has a limit of 300 words, you should write less than 300 words. Abiding by the word limit is an important skill that often needs to be noticed, resulting in low scores for the candidate.
Out-of-Context Writing
Writing out-of-context material to fulfill the word limit is an incorrect choice. It will only make your response incoherent and thus result in low scores. Write less but write to-the-point stuff to score highly.
Not Understanding the Question
It is often noted that the question contains the clues to perfectly answering a given question. Answering the question without understanding the question is a common mistake resulting in incorrect responses and low scores.
Not Writing Single Sentences in the Summary Question
The written question in the PTE exam to summarize a given text is technical, and candidates often write multiple questions. Using single sentences with a full stop at the end is advised to achieve good scores.
Grammatical Errors
The most common mistake by applicants giving the PTE test is making grammatical errors while speaking and writing. Daily conversational English may not need to be grammatically correct, which means these errors are frequent in the test.
Avoiding mistakes may seem easy, but it can be a tough ask for a new candidate. Trainers like Learn with Hafiz have vast expertise in helping candidates fine-tune their English language skills and avoid common mistakes.
