PTE and IELTS blog
Answers to the questions students ask about PTE and IELTS, and what to practise next.
How long is an IELTS score valid?
IELTS advises two years, and most universities agree. Australian visas differ: three years for many, two for the Student visa and 12 months for the 485 visa.
How long is a PTE score valid?
Pearson says a PTE score lasts two years, but Home Affairs accepts results up to three years old for many visas. Here's which rule applies to you.
What changed in PTE Academic in 2025?
PTE Academic changed on 7 August 2025: two new speaking question types, human checks on seven types and new visa scores. Nothing new so far in 2026.
Are templates allowed in PTE?
You can learn a structure, but memorised sentences can score zero for content in PTE. Since 2025, a person also checks content on seven question types.
What is 7 each in PTE?
7 each in IELTS is Proficient English. In PTE, that's now listening 58, reading 59, writing 69 and speaking 76, not 65 each. 6 each and 8 each changed too.
Is IELTS hard?
IELTS publishes average bands by skill and country. Writing is the lowest for most Academic test takers. See the numbers and what to practise first.
How should you prepare for PTE?
Take one mock test, find the skill furthest from your target, then practise the question types worth most in it. Plans for 3 days, 15 days and a month.
What do the IELTS Speaking band descriptors mean?
The IELTS Speaking band descriptors in plain English: what the examiner listens for in each of the four criteria, and what moves you from band 6 to 7 to 8.
How are marks distributed in PTE Academic?
Pearson's weighting table shows what each of the 22 PTE question types adds to your overall score and each skill score. See which ones carry the most marks.
What do the IELTS Writing band descriptors mean?
The IELTS Writing band descriptors mark four criteria. See what separates band 6 from 7 and 7 from 8 in each, with example sentences and how the band works.
What is a good IELTS score?
A good IELTS score is the one your goal needs. Most Australian universities ask for 6.0 to 6.5, and visas ask for 6, 7 or 8 in every skill. See where you stand.
Does Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks count for PTE writing?
No. In Pearson's current scoring, Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks counts towards reading and your overall score only. Here's what counts for writing.
Get the score you need
