PTE academic vocabulary: word and collocation lists by job
Pearson's marking text scores vocabulary on how well words fit an academic setting, with synonyms used appropriately, not on a set list. Pearson does publish the Academic Collocation List of 2,469 collocations. Below are our own lists by job: linking words, collocations, trends and spelling.
A PTE vocabulary list sounds like a set of words to memorise. The marking text Pearson publishes does not describe a set list. It looks at fit, range and accuracy inside the tasks. This page quotes what Pearson says about vocabulary, points to the list Pearson publishes, then gives you seven lists we wrote for the jobs the test actually sets. We are not Pearson and this is not immigration advice; Pearson's pages decide how the test works.
What PTE Academic marks in your vocabulary
Pearson's own words, task by task.
Pearson marks vocabulary inside the tasks, not in a section of its own. Each time it uses the same ideas: fit to an academic setting, range, and accuracy. The table below gives the lines.
| Task | What Pearson says about vocabulary |
|---|---|
| Write Essay | Vocabulary range is scored according to the variety of words in your response and their appropriateness in an academic environment. Synonyms, idiomatic expressions and academic terms are also assessed if appropriate. |
| Summarize Written Text | Vocabulary is scored according to its relevance to the passage and its appropriateness in an academic environment. The appropriate use of synonyms is also scored. |
| Summarize Spoken Text | Vocabulary is scored according to its relevance to the lecture and its appropriateness in an academic environment. The appropriate use of synonyms is also scored. |
| Fill in the Blanks (Type In) | Each correct word spelled correctly scores one point. |
Pearson also says what its strongest essays do with words, and that complexity only helps when it is correct.
"The best responses use precise academic terms and avoid repetition by using synonyms and idioms where appropriate."
"You are more likely to receive full credit if you use complex sentence structures and vocabulary correctly, rather than consistently using simple sentence structures and vocabulary."
Reading tasks use vocabulary in a different way. In Fill in the Blanks, Pearson's tip is to think in phrases, because the right word is often the one that usually sits next to its neighbour.
"Remember that some words often go together to form a familiar phrase. This is called 'collocation'. Using collocation can help you recognize the correct word for each blank."
Its worked example is a choice between words that look close in meaning, settled by what normally goes with the noun.
"but we 'quote' or 'cite' references, so you can see that only 'cite' fits the blank"
Our reading: the test rewards a precise word in the right company, spelled correctly, more than a rare word used loosely. The lists below are built around that.
Pearson's Academic Collocation List
What Pearson says about its list.
"The Academic Collocation List (ACL), created by Pearson, contains 2,469 of the most frequent and pedagogically relevant lexical collocations in written academic English."
"The list was compiled from the written curricular component of the Pearson International Corpus of Academic English (PICAE), comprising over 25 million words."
"Learners often spend hours learning new vocabulary words in isolation, but finding connections between words that are commonly used together can be of greater value."
Pearson's page sits in its teachers' area and says the list can help teachers plan lessons. It also says the list can help learners.
"In highlighting the most important cross-disciplinary collocations, the ACL can help learners increase their collocational competence and thus their proficiency in academic English."
The page offers the list as a PDF and as an Excel file. A list of that size is long, so we suggest you do not read it from the top. Pick the collocations that match the tasks you are weakest at, learn them inside sentences you write yourself, and use the lists below to organise the work.
List 1: linking words by job
Ours. For essays, summaries and spoken answers.
| Job | Words and phrases | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Contrast | however, on the other hand, whereas, although | Public transport is cheaper than driving. However, it is often slower. |
| Addition | moreover, in addition, as well as | The course teaches budgeting. In addition, it explains how credit works. |
| Cause and result | because of, as a result, consequently, therefore | Rainfall fell sharply. As a result, the dam level dropped. |
| Example | for instance, such as, to illustrate | Many cities, such as Perth and Adelaide, have grown quickly. |
| Concession | admittedly, even so, despite this | Admittedly, the plan is expensive. Even so, it saves money in the long run. |
| Sequence | first, then, subsequently, finally | First the samples are collected, then they are tested, and finally the results are shared. |
| Conclusion | in conclusion, overall, to sum up | Overall, the evidence supports a longer trial. |
Use each one for a job, not for decoration. Three or four well-placed linking words in an essay do more than ten in every sentence.
List 2: verbs for reporting ideas
Ours. For summaries, Retell Lecture and Summarize Group Discussion.
| Verb | What it does | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| argue | Puts a case with reasons | The author argues that cities should limit cars in the centre. |
| suggest | Offers an idea or an inference | The data suggest that sleep affects memory. |
| point out | Draws attention to a fact | The speaker points out that costs have doubled. |
| emphasise | Stresses importance | She emphasises the need for early testing. |
| claim | States something that may be disputed | Critics claim the policy is unfair to small shops. |
| warn | Signals a risk | The report warns that water supplies are under pressure. |
| propose | Puts forward a plan | The committee proposes a longer trial. |
| acknowledge | Admits a limit or a counterpoint | The author acknowledges that the sample was small. |
| conclude | Draws the final point | The study concludes that regular exercise improves mood. |
| highlight | Brings a point into focus | The lecturer highlights two main causes of the shortage. |
Each verb also gives you a way to avoid repeating 'says'. Pearson's marking text for summaries rewards synonyms used appropriately, so a short list of reporting verbs you control is a good investment.
List 3: collocations to learn in sentences
Ours. Verb and noun pairs, then adjective and noun pairs.
| Collocation | Example sentence |
|---|---|
| conduct research | The team will conduct research into soil quality. |
| draw a conclusion | It is too early to draw a conclusion from one survey. |
| raise awareness | The campaign aims to raise awareness of skin cancer. |
| play a key role | Teachers play a key role in early reading. |
| pose a threat | Invasive species pose a threat to native birds. |
| gain access to | Students can gain access to the library after they enrol. |
| meet a requirement | Applicants must meet the English language requirement. |
| reach an agreement | The two sides reached an agreement on Friday. |
| make a contribution | Volunteers make a valuable contribution to the town. |
| place emphasis on | The curriculum places emphasis on practical skills. |
| face a challenge | Small farms face a challenge from rising costs. |
| Adjective and noun | Example sentence |
|---|---|
| a growing body of evidence | There is a growing body of evidence that exercise helps with stress. |
| a significant increase | The survey found a significant increase in remote work. |
| widespread concern | The proposal caused widespread concern among residents. |
| limited resources | Schools with limited resources rely on volunteers. |
| a major challenge | Housing costs remain a major challenge for graduates. |
| sound judgement | The role requires sound judgement under pressure. |
| a detailed analysis | The report offers a detailed analysis of the data. |
| a clear distinction | The author draws a clear distinction between speed and accuracy. |
| rapid growth | Rapid growth in the suburbs has strained local services. |
Learn each one inside a sentence you write yourself, and say it aloud once. A collocation you can say without thinking is one you will recognise in a blank.
List 4: describing data and trends
Ours. For Describe Image and for essays that use figures.
| What you want to say | Words and phrases | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Goes up | rise, climb, increase steadily | Sales climbed steadily through the year. |
| Goes down | fall, decline, drop sharply | Prices dropped sharply after the summer. |
| Stays level | remain stable, level off, plateau | The rate levelled off in the final quarter. |
| Moves up and down | fluctuate, vary, swing | Numbers fluctuated between summer and winter. |
| Highest and lowest | peak at, reach a low of, hit a high of | Demand peaked in December. |
| A share of a whole | account for, make up, represent | Renters make up almost half of the group. |
| Comparing groups | whereas, in contrast, by comparison | Rural areas grew, whereas cities shrank. |
List 5: paraphrase pairs and the care they need
Ours. For summaries and for retelling.
| Common word | Alternatives | Care needed |
|---|---|---|
| increase | rise, grow, climb | 'Climb' suits numbers. 'Grow' suits things that develop. |
| decrease | fall, decline, drop | 'Drop' is common for numbers, as in 'dropped sharply'. 'Fall' and 'decline' read slightly more formally in an essay. |
| show | demonstrate, indicate, reveal | 'Reveal' suggests something that was hidden. |
| problem | issue, challenge, difficulty | 'Challenge' suggests it can be met. |
| important | significant, essential, vital | 'Significant' often implies a measurable effect. |
| help | support, assist, benefit | 'Benefit' needs something that gains. |
| many | numerous, a large number of | 'Numerous' is formal. |
| begin | start, launch, commence | 'Launch' suits projects and products. |
| people | individuals, citizens, residents | Pick the one that matches the group you mean. |
| get | obtain, receive, gain | 'Gain' fits things that grow, such as access or experience. |
A synonym that changes the meaning costs you more than the original word would have. If you are not sure, keep the word from the passage. Pearson says the best summaries use words from the passage appropriately as well as synonyms.
"The best responses use words from the passage appropriately, demonstrate an understanding of the context and use synonyms effectively to show variety in language use."
List 6: spelling you cannot afford to guess
Ours. For Write from Dictation, Fill in the Blanks (Type In), the essay and the summaries.
Spelling is marked in several places. Pearson counts a word as correct in Write from Dictation and in Fill in the Blanks (Type In) only when it is spelled correctly, and the essay and the spoken-text summary each have a Spelling factor. Pearson also says which spelling conventions it accepts.
"PTE Academic recognizes English spelling conventions from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. However, one spelling convention should be used consistently in a given response."
| Word | The part people get wrong |
|---|---|
| accommodation | Double c and double m. |
| necessary | One c and two s. |
| separate | 'a' in the middle, as in sep-a-rate. |
| environment | An 'n' before the 'm'. |
| government | An 'n' before the 'm'. |
| definitely | Ends in 'ite', not 'ate'. |
| knowledge | A silent k at the start and a d in the middle. |
| argument | No 'e', unlike 'argue'. |
| receive | 'e' before 'i' after 'c'. |
| achievement | Keep the 'e' of 'achieve'. |
| maintenance | 'ten' in the middle. 'Maintain' loses its 'i'. |
| responsibility | From 'responsible', so '-ibility'. |
| committee | Double m, double t, double e. |
| occurrence | Double c and double r. |
| Often confused | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| affect / effect | 'Affect' is a verb (influence). 'Effect' is a noun (result). | Noise can affect sleep, and the effect lasts all day. |
| accept / except | 'Accept' means receive. 'Except' means leave out. | The university accepts every valid certificate except expired ones. |
| principal / principle | 'Principal' means main. 'Principle' means a rule. | The principal reason is a simple principle of fairness. |
| lose / loose | 'Lose' means fail to keep. 'Loose' means not tight. | Do not lose the loose pages. |
| advice / advise | 'Advice' is a noun. 'Advise' is a verb. | I advise you to take her advice. |
| complement / compliment | 'Complement' means go well with. 'Compliment' means praise. | The colours complement each other, which is a compliment to the designer. |
| their / there / they're | Belonging to them. A place or 'there is'. 'They are'. | They're sure their bags are over there. |
| Australian or British spelling | American spelling |
|---|---|
| organise | organize |
| behaviour | behavior |
| centre | center |
| analyse | analyze |
| colour | color |
| favour | favor |
| travelled | traveled |
| defence | defense |
Either column is accepted. The rule is to stay in one column inside a response.
List 7: word families
Ours. Knowing the form that fits the gap helps in every reading and writing task.
| Verb | Noun | Adjective | Adverb |
|---|---|---|---|
| analyse | analysis | analytical | analytically |
| decide | decision | decisive | decisively |
| differ | difference | different | differently |
| emphasise | emphasis | emphatic | emphatically |
| create | creation | creative | creatively |
| act | action | active | actively |
| compete | competition | competitive | competitively |
| persuade | persuasion | persuasive | persuasively |
In a gap, ask what part of speech is missing before you look at the choices. The right form often removes two of the four options at once.
How to study vocabulary for PTE
Ours. A routine you can keep.
- Learn phrases, not single words. Write 'raise awareness', not 'awareness'.
- Write one sentence of your own for every item and say it aloud once. A sentence you made is easier to recall than a sentence you read.
- Use the new item in a written answer within a day. Words you have used in your own writing are easier to keep.
- Keep a short error list. Add every word you misspell or mis-hear, and test yourself from it.
- Review on a rhythm: the next day, three days later, then a week later.
- Read academic English in small amounts every day: a news analysis, a university web page, a science summary. Underline phrases, not words.
| Day | Ten minutes |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Linking words: write one sentence for each job. |
| Day 2 | Reporting verbs: summarise a news paragraph using three of them. |
| Day 3 | Collocations: choose five, write a sentence for each, say them aloud. |
| Day 4 | Trends: describe any chart in the news using four phrases. |
| Day 5 | Paraphrase: restate three sentences from a text using the pairs list. |
| Day 6 | Spelling: test yourself on the spelling list and add your own errors. |
| Day 7 | Review the week's items, then take the self-test below. |
A six-question self-test
Ours. Choose the word that fits. The answers follow.
- The charity wants to ____ awareness of the problem. (a) make (b) raise (c) put (d) take.
- The new rule could ____ a threat to small farms. (a) pose (b) make (c) give (d) do.
- Students can ____ access to the journals once they enrol. (a) make (b) gain (c) put (d) do.
- There is a growing ____ of evidence that exercise improves mood. (a) body (b) crowd (c) band (d) team.
- The report places great ____ on early intervention. (a) emphasis (b) emphasise (c) emphatic (d) emphatically.
- Poor sleep can have a harmful ____ on your ability to concentrate. (a) affect (b) effect (c) affected (d) affecting.
| Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | (b) raise | 'Raise awareness' is the fixed phrase. 'Make awareness' is not English. |
| 2 | (a) pose | 'Pose a threat' is the collocation. 'Make a threat' means to threaten someone. |
| 3 | (b) gain | 'Gain access to' is the collocation. The others do not go with 'access'. |
| 4 | (a) body | 'A body of evidence' is the collocation. |
| 5 | (a) emphasis | A noun is needed after 'great', and 'emphasis' is the noun. |
| 6 | (b) effect | A noun is needed after 'harmful', and 'effect' is the noun. 'Affect' is the verb. |
Common questions
Pearson publishes the Academic Collocation List, which it says contains 2,469 collocations from written academic English. Its page offers the list as a PDF and an Excel file. Pearson's marking text talks about range and fit rather than a fixed list.
It is vocabulary that suits an academic setting. Pearson scores vocabulary on its relevance and its appropriateness in an academic environment, and it also scores the appropriate use of synonyms.
Not as a separate task, but Pearson's tips for Fill in the Blanks tell you to use collocation to choose the right word, and it explains that words often go together to form a familiar phrase.
Use precise ones. Pearson says its best responses use precise academic terms and avoid repetition, and that you are more likely to get full credit when complex language is used correctly rather than simple language all the time.
Either. Pearson says PTE Academic recognises spelling conventions from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, but that one convention should be used consistently in a response.
Yes. In Fill in the Blanks (Type In) Pearson says each correct word spelled correctly scores one point, and the essay and the spoken-text summary each have a Spelling factor.
Learn phrases, write one sentence of your own for each, use them in a written answer within a day and review them on a rhythm. The routine and the self-test above are built for that.