PTE Core courses and classes for Canada
Pearson sells a 20-hour self-study PTE Core Preparation Course. Live classes and coaching come from providers such as E2Language, and tutors on Preply. Pearson says PTE Academic preparation material is not suitable for PTE Core, so check any course covers Core's own tasks before you pay.
This page lists what is on offer for PTE Core classes and courses, what each provider says about itself, what it costs on the page we read, and how to check that a course really teaches Core. We rank no one.
What is on offer for PTE Core
Pearson sells self-study. Providers sell classes and coaching.
Pearson's help page says PTE Core “is a new general English test”, so check that anything called a PTE class really covers Core. This table sorts the main options using each provider's own words.
| Option | Who it comes from | How it works, in their words |
|---|---|---|
| Self-study course | Pearson | A 20-hour structured digital course for self-study PTE Core preparation. |
| Free practice | Pearson | Free to start, no payment required |
| Live classes | E2Language | Join our PTE Core live classes led by our expert PTE Core teachers. |
| One-to-one coaching | E2Language | Improve your PTE Core score faster with online coaching from our expert tutors in one-on-one PTE Core tutorials online. |
| Private tutors | Preply | Online PTE Tutors for Exam Prep Classes |
Our reading: if you need a teacher to correct your Speaking and Writing, you need a class or a tutor. If you mostly need Core-style questions and a score estimate, Pearson's self-study tools may be enough.
Pearson's own PTE Core preparation
Self-study, with a free tier. Prices are in US dollars.
The first rule from Pearson is about content. Material for the wrong test will waste your time:
"No, the preparation materials for PTE Academic/PTE Academic UKVI are based on academic English content, whereas PTE Core is based on everyday English content."
Pearson's own Core preparation includes a course, a guide, practice tests and AI practice. This is what its pages say.
| Product | What Pearson says | Price on Pearson's page |
|---|---|---|
| PTE Core Preparation Course | A 20-hour structured digital course for self-study PTE Core preparation which includes activities, strategies, and task-based practice. | No price shown on the page we read |
| Official Guide to PTE Core | eBook format + 20 videos. Includes 300 bonus practice questions. | Selling price: $19.99 USD |
| Scored Practice Test | Take a 2-hour practice test that uses the same format and scoring engine | Scored Practice Test Selling price: 35.99 USD |
| Official PTE Core AI Practice | Free to start, no payment required | 7 day access: $29.99 USD. 1 month access: $59.99 USD. 3 month access: $89.99 USD |
Pearson's Smart Prep also lists free items for PTE Core:
- A full Guided Practice Test.
- Sectional Guided Practice Tests.
- Video courses split by skill.
- Test tip documents.
Pearson's help page lists a Core Question Bank among the paid items too. Our PTE Core practice test page compares all of this in detail.
E2Language's PTE Core course
Online classes and coaching, with prices in US dollars.
We link to E2Language with a tracking link only and have no paid arrangement with it at the moment. It is an online test-prep provider. Its PTE Core page says:
- Start your online PTE Core course now and create your personal PTE Core study plan.
- Join our PTE Core live classes led by our expert PTE Core teachers. Try a free sample live class with your pte exam group.
- Improve your PTE Core score faster with online coaching from our expert tutors in one-on-one PTE Core tutorials online.
E2 also says it covers the two newer Core tasks. Its words:
"This includes prep resources for the two new PTE Core question types- PTE Core Speaking - Respond to a Situation and PTE Core Writing - Write Email."
Free classes and the schedule
E2's Core page shows a live class schedule that includes free classes, such as a Skill-building class, a Grammar Workshop and others. To join, E2 says:
The times on that schedule are in AEST, which is Australian eastern time. A typical entry reads Monday 18:00 (AEST). Our reading: convert them to your own time zone before you plan around them, because some will land in the middle of the night in Canada and some in your afternoon.
Packages and prices
E2 says its course is “available in a range of packages from self-study to teacher-led intensive packages”. The page shows these prices in US dollars:
| Package | Price E2 shows |
|---|---|
| Express | 69.00 USD |
| Express+ | 89.00 USD |
| Bronze | 169.00 USD |
| Silver | 249.00 USD |
| Gold | 359.00 USD |
E2 headlines a score guarantee on this page: “Achieve PTE Core Score Improvement you need, or your money back!” Its Core page ties the guarantee to the Bronze, Silver and Gold packages and does not name Express or Express+ in it. The guarantee has terms, so read them on E2's page before you pay.
Check a "PTE Core" course really teaches Core
Our reading of the evidence on provider pages.
Pearson's Score Guide says PTE Core has 19 task types, and Pearson's format page lists seven tasks in Part 1: Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Respond to a Situation, Answer Short Question, Summarize Written Text and Write Email. Compare that with what E2's Core page says:
| Topic | Pearson | E2's PTE Core page |
|---|---|---|
| How many task types | You will complete between 52 and 67 tasks in any given test and a range of 19 different task types. | Methods for tackling each of 20 PTE Core question types |
| Tasks named in its marked feedback | Pearson's Core task list does not include Re-tell Lecture or Write Essay, although one note on Pearson's own Core format page still names Re-tell Lecture. | read aloud, describe image, re-tell lecture, summarize written text, write essay and summarize spoken text |
E2's Core page counts one more task type than Pearson does, and its feedback sentence names six tasks, two of which, Re-tell Lecture and Write Essay, are not among Pearson's Core task types (Summarize Spoken Text is a Core listening task). That may be wording carried over from PTE Academic material, which would also explain the one stray mention of Re-tell Lecture on Pearson's own Core format page, and E2 also says on the same page that it covers the two newer Core tasks. We cannot tell from a web page. So before you pay any provider, ask which tasks the Core course teaches, and check the answer against Pearson's list.
Two more questions to ask: who marks my Speaking and Writing and how fast, and can I see a sample lesson first? E2 says you can try a free sample live class. Use a free class to check that the teacher knows Core.
One-to-one tutors on Preply
A marketplace, not a single course.
Preply lists PTE tutors, and its PTE page shows a price range per lesson across them:
- Online PTE Tutors for Exam Prep Classes.
- Price per lesson $3 – $40+.
- Book trial lesson.
That page is titled for PTE in general. Our reading: ask any tutor which PTE test they have taught, and ask for a Core example, such as how they mark a Write Email or a Respond to a Situation. A tutor who only teaches Academic will teach you the wrong tasks. Book one trial lesson before you buy a block of lessons. We do not rank tutors.
How to choose
Match the option to your gap, your time and your budget.
This table is our reading, not Pearson's or a provider's.
| If this is you | Start with |
|---|---|
| You have never seen PTE Core | Pearson's free format pages and the free diagnostic |
| You study well alone | The Preparation Course and the Question Bank, plus free practice |
| Speaking or Writing is the problem | A class or tutor that gives marked feedback, checked for Core tasks |
| You want a final check | One Scored Practice Test close to test day |
| Your budget is tight | Free tools first, then one mock test, then one tutor lesson on your weakest task |
We have not listed local classes in Canadian cities, because we cannot source them. Online options do not depend on where you live, but the test itself is taken at a test centre. Pearson says:
For the fee and dates, see our PTE Core price and exam dates page. For tips and study plans, see PTE Core practice tips. This page is not immigration advice, and Pearson's own pages decide what PTE Core is accepted for.
Common questions
Yes. Pearson sells a PTE Core Preparation Course, which it describes as “A 20-hour structured digital course for self-study PTE Core preparation.” E2Language also runs an online PTE Core course with live classes.
Pearson's Official PTE Core AI Practice is “Free to start, no payment required.” E2Language lists free live classes such as a Skill-building class and a Grammar Workshop on its Core page, and says: “Start FREE TRIAL to access Live Classes”.
Pearson says no. The preparation materials for PTE Academic are based on academic English content, whereas PTE Core is based on everyday English content.
Online classes are open to you wherever you live. E2Language's schedule is in AEST, so convert the times. We have not listed local classes because we cannot source them.
It depends on the provider. E2Language's Core page shows Express 69.00 USD, Express+ 89.00 USD, Bronze 169.00 USD, Silver 249.00 USD and Gold 359.00 USD. Preply shows a price per lesson of $3 – $40+, depending on the tutor.
Pearson says it is a 20-hour structured digital course for self-study PTE Core preparation.
Yes. Preply lists online PTE tutors, with a trial lesson button on each. Check that the tutor has taught PTE Core and not only PTE Academic.