PTE books, preparation courses and tips: what exists, what it costs and how to choose
Pearson sells its Official Guide to PTE Academic only as an eBook. Pearson's own paid options are the Official Guide, a Question Bank, the Expert Self-Study Course, AI practice and Scored Practice Tests, and it also lists free resources in Smart Prep. There are no tricks that beat the test, and Pearson's score guide says memorised answers are treated as irrelevant. The tips below are built on the rules.
If you are choosing PTE books, preparation courses or study materials, you probably want to know three things: what is worth buying, what it costs and whether free options are enough. This page answers those from Pearson's own pages, which we quote, and from the pages of one tutoring provider, E2Language, which Pearson names for online preparation. Our own suggestions are labelled as ours. We do not rank products or say which is best, because we have not tested them against your needs.
PTE books: what Pearson sells
The Official Guide is an eBook, and there are two question banks.
"No, the Official Guide to PTE Academic is currently available only as an eBook."
| Item | What Pearson says |
|---|---|
| Price | $19.99 USD |
| What it is | A comprehensive guide to every question in PTE Academic |
| Format and videos | eBook format + 20 videos |
| Practice questions | A bonus 300 practice questions |
| Study plans | Study plans created by the makers of the test |
| Access | After purchase, you will have access to the Official Guide to PTE Academic for 24 months. |
Pearson's help centre describes two question banks. They are different products:
"The Official Guide Question Bank includes 380 new and authentic test questions, across all of the task types."
"The PTE Academic Question Bank includes 340 new and authentic test questions, across all of the task types in PTE Academic."
"Access to the PTE Academic Question bank expires six months after the access code is activated."
"The tasks in the bank are not currently scored. However, you can check if your answers are correct or incorrect and compare sample answers to your own responses to speaking and writing questions."
A source conflict we are showing you
Pearson's product page for the Official Guide says it has 'a bonus 300 practice questions'. Pearson's help centre says the Official Guide's Question Bank has 380. We cannot tell which is current, so we show both. Check the product page when you buy and trust the number it shows then.
Third-party books
Many other PTE books exist. We have not tested them and do not list titles. The check we recommend is about the edition. An older guide from Pearson counts the question types differently from the current one:
"to answer the 20 question types in PTE Academic."
"a range of 22 different question types."
Our reading: if a book or video is written for 20 question types, it may be missing newer tasks such as Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation. Check that any book you buy covers all 22 question types and uses the current word limits, which you will find on our test format page.
PTE exam preparation materials: free and paid, side by side
Prices are Pearson's, in US dollars, as shown when we read the pages.
Pearson says prices are in US dollars. For Australian buyers that means your bank sets the exchange rate:
Free
"Smart Prep is our preparation portal which hosts all of our preparation resources – both free and paid."
Pearson lists these as the free resources inside it:
- Study plan: a step-by-step plan to manage your test practice.
- Guided Practice Tests: Pearson says there are 9 within Smart Prep for PTE Academic, with 4 full versions, 4 skill versions and one short version.
- Video courses: Pearson says there are 4 video courses, separated by skill.
- Free AI practice: Pearson says it is free to start, with no card needed.
Paid
| Product | What Pearson says | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Scored Practice Test | Take a 2-hour practice test that uses the same format and scoring engine. Pearson says these practice tests are one-time use only. | 35.99 USD |
| Official PTE Academic AI Practice | 15 full-length mock tests and 1000+ official questions. Each full-length mock test and sectional test can only be taken once. | $29.99 USD for 7 day access, $59.99 USD for 1 month access or $89.99 USD for 3 month access (a one-time payment, not a subscription) |
| Official Guide to PTE Academic | eBook format + 20 videos | $19.99 USD |
| PTE Question Bank | 340 new and authentic test questions. Access expires after six months. | See Pearson's product page |
| Expert Self-Study Course | 120-hour course divided into 10 modules | $49.99 USD |
Pearson says its AI practice and its Scored Practice Test do different things:
"AI Practice and Scored Practice Tests do two different jobs. Use them together for the strongest preparation."
Pearson's pages disagree on timing. Its AI Practice page says the Scored Practice Test is 'Best taken close to test day', while its mock-test plan article, dated May 23, 2024, suggests one early, one halfway and one just before the test. That article also says there are 5 Scored Practice Tests, but Pearson's preparation page now lists versions 1 to 3. Pearson says these practice tests are one-time use only, and its help centre says that if you have submitted the Scored Practice Test you will not be eligible for a refund, so decide how many you need before you buy.
"halfway through your PTE Academic preparation journey, try taking another Scored Practice Test"
"By taking a Scored Practice Test just before test day, you can be sure that you are well acquainted with the test format and the details"
PTE preparation courses
Pearson's own course, a provider Pearson names, and tutors.
Pearson's Expert Self-Study Course
Pearson offers it at two levels and says which to choose by your target score:
"Choose level B1 if you are aiming for a PTE Academic score of 43-58 (which aligns to a CEFR B1 language level)"
"Choose level B2 if you are aiming for a PTE Academic score of 59-75 or higher (which aligns to a CEFR B2 language level)"
It also says how the course differs from the Official Guide, and gives the price and the access period:
"In short: choose the Official Guide if you mainly need to understand the test and how to answer tasks; choose PTE Expert if you want a fuller course to improve your English while preparing."
- Selling price: $49.99 USD.
- After purchase, you will have access to the PTE Expert Self-Study Course for 24 months.
Check your visa's score first, because the right level depends on your target. Our PTE score chart and PTE points for PR pages explain how scores are used for Australia.
E2Language, an online course Pearson names
"If you want to prepare online, you can take an online course with E2Language."
E2Language is a separate company, and we link to it with a tracking link only and have no paid arrangement with it at the moment. Here is what E2 says about its own PTE Academic course:
"E2's PTE Academic online course is available in a range of packages from self-study to teacher-led intensive packages."
"You will receive expert teacher-graded feedback on your PTE Speaking and PTE Writing when you take our practice assessments."
"The Score Guarantee covers the Bronze, Silver and Gold PTE Academic packages."
Read E2's own terms before you rely on the guarantee. We have not tested it. Package prices may change, so check E2's page for the current ones.
Tutors
A tutor can give feedback on speaking and writing that a book cannot. One marketplace that lists PTE tutors is Preply:
We have not tested Preply's tutors, and quality varies between tutors. Ask for a trial lesson, and ask whether they know the current question types and scoring rules before you commit.
How to choose
| If you... | Look at |
|---|---|
| Need to learn the format and tasks | The Official Guide eBook, plus the free guided practice tests |
| Need to improve your English as well as learn the test | A course such as Pearson's Expert Self-Study Course or a teacher-led course |
| Want human feedback on speaking and writing | A teacher-led course or a tutor, because a book cannot listen to you |
| Want to know if you are ready | A Scored Practice Test near your test date |
| Have a tight budget | Smart Prep's free tools and Pearson's free AI practice tier, then one paid mock test |
| Have only a week | A mock test, then drill the weakest task types using the free guided tests |
PTE tips and tricks that follow the rules
There are no tricks. These are habits, tied to what Pearson publishes.
Many lists of PTE tips and tricks push shortcuts, such as memorised templates. Pearson's score guide says what happens to a response built mostly from memorised material:
"Responses that contain pre-prepared or memorized material are classified as irrelevant responses."
"response that does not deal properly with the prompt due to significant amounts of pre-prepared/memorized material (Content)."
So the tips below are about knowing the rules, not about shortcuts. The same habits apply whether you call them PTE tips, PTE Academic tips and tricks or just good practice.
Know the word limits that score zero
| Task | Full credit | Zero for |
|---|---|---|
| Summarize Written Text | Make sure to include the main points of the reading passage in a full, single sentence of no more than 75 words. | If you write fewer than five words or more than 75 words, your response will not be scored |
| Summarize Spoken Text | You will receive full credit if your response is between 50 and 70 words. | If your summary contains fewer than 40 words or more than 100 words, you will not receive any score points for your summary on any of the five factors. Your summary will be scored zero. |
| Write Essay | You will receive full credit if your essay is between 200 and 300 words. | If your essay contains less than 120 words or more than 380 words, you will not receive any score points for your essay on any of the seven factors. Your essay will be scored zero. |
See Summarize Written Text, Summarize Spoken Text and the essay template for how to write inside each limit.
Learn the microphone rules
- Do not start speaking before the microphone opens because your voice will not be recorded.
- You are only able to record your response once.
- On Answer Short Question, if you wait for more than three seconds, the recording will stop and the item status will change to ‘completed’ (Pearson says the same applies to Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image and Re-tell Lecture)
Those are Pearson's rules, in Pearson's words except for the bracketed note, which is our summary. For habits that fit them, see PTE speaking tips.
Prepare even if your English is strong
"All test takers should prepare for PTE Academic, even if English is their first language."
"Test takers who consider themselves to be fluent in English sometimes score lower than expected, as lack of preparation affects their performance during the test."
Use one spelling style
"However, one spelling convention should be used consistently in a given response."
Practise the test-day setup
- Arrive early. Pearson's rules say you must arrive at least 30 minutes before your test, and that if you arrive late you will not be allowed to take the test and you will lose your test fee.
- Bring your valid passport. Pearson says the ID must be a valid document (not expired) and issued no more than 10 years ago, and that the name, date of birth, citizenship and gender you use when you book the test must exactly match the details on your ID. If you cannot produce the required ID you will not be allowed into the test room and will lose your test fee.
- Practise on a QWERTY keyboard. Pearson recommends it if you are not used to one.
Use your own results to decide what to study
"Each skill area in your Skills Profile expands to show your personalized Recommendations, to help you identify where you can improve your language skills and how you can improve on your test score."
The same applies to mock tests. Take one early to see which task types cost you most, then spend most of your time there.
A four-week study plan
Our plan. Pearson says many candidates prepare for 2 to 4 weeks, but some need more or less time.
"Many candidates prepare for 2 to 4 weeks, although some may need more or less time."
| Week | Goal | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Know the test | Read the task rules for all 22 question types. Take a free guided practice test or a diagnostic. Note your weakest three tasks. |
| Week 2 | Fix the weak tasks | Spend 30 to 40 minutes a day on those three tasks. Record speaking answers and time all writing. |
| Week 3 | Build all four skills | Alternate days: speaking and writing one day, reading and listening the next. Take a mock test midway. |
| Week 4 | Test conditions | Timed sets. A full mock test in the middle of the week. Rest the day before. Pack ID and check your booking. |
Short on time? Take a mock test on day one, pick the three weakest tasks, drill those daily, and take one more mock test two days before your booking. Our PTE speaking practice test page has a short speaking set you can do tonight.
What this page is not
This is not a review of every PTE product. We quote what Pearson and the course provider say about their own products and we have not tested the products against your needs. Prices and bundles change, so check each product page before you pay. This page is not immigration advice, and Pearson's pages decide the rules of the test.
Common questions
We do not rank books. Pearson's own is the Official Guide to PTE Academic, which it sells as an eBook only. It includes 20 videos and a bonus 300 practice questions, and costs $19.99 USD on Pearson's page. Whatever book you choose, check that it covers all current question types.
Pearson says: “No, the Official Guide to PTE Academic is currently available only as an eBook.” Other publishers may sell print books, but we have not reviewed them.
Pearson lists a study plan, guided practice tests, video courses and test tip documents as free resources in Smart Prep, which also holds paid ones, and says its AI practice is free to start with no card needed.
We do not rank courses. Pearson offers a 120-hour Expert Self-Study Course at B1 and B2 levels, and it names E2Language as an online option. Choose by your target score, your budget and whether you want human feedback on speaking and writing.
Pearson says many candidates prepare for 2 to 4 weeks, although some may need more or less time. It depends on your starting English, your target and your practice time.
Habits work. Pearson says memorised material makes a response irrelevant, and an irrelevant response gets no content mark. Pearson's score guide says: “Responses that contain pre-prepared or memorized material are classified as irrelevant responses.” Use the rules, word limits and timing tips on this page instead.
Prices change, so check each product page. When we read Pearson's pages they showed $19.99 USD for the Official Guide, $49.99 USD for the Expert Self-Study Course and 35.99 USD for a Scored Practice Test, and its AI practice has a free tier. Pearson charges in USD and your bank sets the exchange rate.