PTE Listening Mock Test (Free Practice)

If you're aiming for 79+ in PTE Academic (or even 90), the Listening is your golden ticket. It contributes points not only to your Listening score but also to Reading, Writing, and Speaking through shared items like Summarize Spoken Text and Write From Dictation. 

Let’s review everything about the PTE listening test and see how you can get the best score in this section!

PTE Listening Overview

This part of the test checks how well you understand spoken English in both academic and everyday situations. You’ll hear different types of recordings, such as lectures, conversations, and announcements. 

Each audio clip is played only once, so you need to listen carefully and respond quickly. Strong listening skills and fast comprehension are key to doing well here. 

Total Time: 30–43 minutes 

The test doesn’t have a fixed number of questions. Instead, the system adapts while you’re taking it:

• Some versions are shorter (around 30 minutes, fewer questions).
• Others are longer (up to 43 minutes, more questions). 

Managing your time is very important since you cannot replay the audio and must answer right away.

Number of Questions: 12–20 

The exact number of questions depends on the test form you get.

• Each type of question has a different value, so accuracy matters more than how many you answer.
• You’ll see both short tasks (like filling blanks) and longer ones (like summarizing spoken text).

Audio: Played Only Once 

This is one of the hardest parts of PTE Listening. Unlike practice in class, you cannot replay recordings. To handle this:

• Take notes: write down keywords, numbers, names, and transitions.
• Predict: guess what’s coming next based on context.
• Balance: focus on both the main idea and important details.

Scoring: Correct/Incorrect + Partial Credit

In the PTE Listening section, some tasks are scored in a simple right‑or‑wrong way. For example, in multiple‑choice single answer questions, you only get the mark if your choice is correct.

Other tasks, such as fill in the blanks or highlight the correct summary, allow partial credit. This means you can still earn points even if your answer isn’t perfect. Because of this, it’s always worth attempting every question; small mistakes won’t necessarily cost you the whole score.

And lastly, as we said above, listening is considered a high-impact skill because it impacts several skills at once. It can raise or lower multiple scores together. So it’s best to take it seriously!

8 Question Types in PTE Listening

Here are the eight question types that you’ll face in the PTE listening section: 

How to Practice PTE Listening to Get a Better Score? 

Scoring high in PTE Listening isn’t about surrounding yourself with English all day. What matters is focused practice with the right methods. Here’s a practical plan to raise your score quickly:

1. Build Daily Listening Endurance

Spend 30–60 minutes each day with real academic content, TED Talks, BBC Radio 4, ABC podcasts, or university lectures on YouTube. Choose material with multiple speakers and varied accents, since that’s exactly what the test includes.

2. Sharpen Your Note‑Taking

Think of PTE Listening as a note‑taking challenge. Make it a habit to only write down keywords, abbreviations, and symbols. Something like this: 

• ↑ = increase
• govt = government
• bc = because
• w/ = with

Start with short clips of 2–4 minutes, then move on to longer lectures of 7–10 minutes.

3. Focus on the Big‑Impact Tasks

Put most of your practice time (about 60–70%) into the questions that carry the most weight:

• Write from Dictation: Just a few questions, but they strongly affect both Listening and Writing scores.
• Summarize Spoken Text: High‑value if you capture all main points clearly.
• Fill in the Blanks & Highlight Incorrect Words: Excellent for improving spelling and concentration.

4. Use Transcripts to Train Active Listening

1. Listen once without a transcript and take notes.
2. Listen again with the transcript and mark what you missed.
3. Listen a third time without looking, aiming to catch everything. This cycle builds your ability to recognize connected speech and subtle word forms.

5. Drill Dictation Sentences

Gather the last six months of repeated Write from Dictation sentences and type them out 50–100 times. Pay strict attention to spelling, punctuation, and capitalization; one slip means losing the point for that word.

6. Expose Yourself to Different Accents

Make sure you practice with British, American, Australian, Indian, Chinese, and European accents. The test often mixes them in a single audio clip.

7. Finish with Full Mock Tests

The best way to prepare for exam pressure is timed mock tests that mirror the real scoring system. Mocko.ai is one of the most trusted platforms for this stage. It offers:

• Scoring that closely matches Pearson’s system
• Detailed feedback on every question
• Updated and repeated materials
• Unlimited attempts with performance tracking

Why Choose Mocko Over Other Prep Tools?

Mocko beats most competitors for one simple reason: it’s the closest thing to the real PTE exam.