Free Practice Questions for PTE Core
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Key Facts: PTE Core Exam
3 sections
Speaking & Writing, Reading and Listening, with 19 question types in total
Pearson PTE - PTE Core test format
About 2 hours
Total PTE Core test time across the three sections
Pearson PTE - PTE Core overview
10 to 90
PTE Core score range reported for each English skill
Pearson PTE - PTE Core scoring
CLB-aligned
PTE Core scores map to Canadian Language Benchmark levels for immigration
Pearson PTE - PTE Core scoring
Recognized by IRCC
Accepted for Canadian economic immigration and citizenship applications
IRCC - Language test results
About 48 hours
Typical time to receive PTE Core results after the test
Pearson PTE - PTE Core scoring
2 years
How long a PTE Core score stays valid for visa applications
Pearson PTE - PTE Core overview
100
Free original Reading and Listening practice questions here
OpenExamPrep
PTE Core is a roughly two-hour, computer-based, AI-scored general English test that IRCC recognizes for Canadian economic immigration and citizenship. It has three sections - Speaking & Writing (50-65 minutes), Reading (27-37 minutes) and Listening (22-37 minutes) - and 19 question types in total. Each skill is scored from 10 to 90, mapping to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels rather than a single pass mark; many candidates target CLB 5 to CLB 9. Results are usually available within 48 hours and scores stay valid for two years. This 100-question bank gives original single-best-answer practice modelled on the selected-response Reading and Listening item types at CLB 5-9 level.
Sample PTE Core Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the PTE Core exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Read the notice: 'The community centre pool will be closed for cleaning every Monday from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. All other hours remain open as usual.' What is the main message of this notice?
2Read: 'To return an item, bring your receipt to the customer service desk within 30 days of purchase. Items must be unused and in their original packaging.' According to the text, what is required for a return?
3Read: 'Although the bus was late, Priya still arrived at work on time because she had left home early.' Why did Priya arrive on time?
4Choose the word that best fills the blank: 'Please make sure you ______ the form completely before you submit it.'
5Read: 'The new recycling program asks residents to separate paper, plastic and food waste into three different bins. Collection happens every Thursday.' How many bins must residents use?
6Read: 'Maria has worked at the bakery for ten years. New staff often ask her for advice because she knows every recipe by heart.' What can you infer about Maria?
7In the sentence 'The instructions were so vague that none of the volunteers knew what to do,' the word 'vague' most nearly means:
8Read this email: 'Hi team, the staff meeting has been moved from Tuesday to Wednesday at 2 p.m. Please update your calendars. Thanks, Sam.' What change is Sam announcing?
9Choose the word that best fills the blank: 'The library offers free workshops, ______ you must register in advance to get a seat.'
10Read: 'Our clinic is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. We are closed on Sundays and public holidays.' When is the clinic open the longest?
About the PTE Core Exam
PTE Core (Pearson Test of English Core) is a computer-based general English test recognized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for economic immigration and citizenship. It assesses everyday, workplace and community English across three sections: Speaking & Writing, Reading and Listening. The test is fully AI-scored with no human examiner, takes about two hours, and reports a score from 10 to 90 for each skill that maps to the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB). PTE Core was launched in early 2024 and results are typically available within 48 hours, with scores valid for two years. This practice bank focuses on the selected-response (multiple-choice) Reading and Listening item types, which are the parts that can be practised as single-best-answer questions.
Exam sponsor: Pearson. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Assessment
Three sections: Speaking & Writing (7 question types), Reading (5 question types) and Listening (7 question types) - 19 question types in total. The exact number of items varies by test version, and tasks mix selected-response and spoken or typed responses.
Time Limit
About 2 hours of test time: Speaking & Writing 50-65 minutes, Reading 27-37 minutes and Listening 22-37 minutes, plus an unscored introduction and instructions.
Passing Score
No single pass mark. Each skill is scored 10-90, and the level you need depends on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) your immigration program requires (for example CLB 7 needs Reading 60-68 and Listening 60-70).
Exam / Certification Fees
The fee varies by country and test center; in Canada it is commonly around CAD 340-360 and in India around INR 18,900 (inclusive of tax). Use Pearson's official price finder for your exact city.
Exam sponsor websiteFees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Our practice resources: topics covered
We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.
Reading
Official test: Reading (27-37 minutes) uses 5 question types - multiple choice single answer, multiple choice multiple answer, reorder paragraphs, and two fill-in-the-blanks types. Practice here uses short general, workplace and community passages to test main idea, detail, inference, vocabulary in context, best word choice, sentence order logic and best summary as single-best-answer items at CLB 5-9 level.
Listening
Official test: Listening (22-37 minutes) uses 7 question types, including multiple choice single and multiple answer, highlight correct summary, select missing word, and typed tasks. Practice here transcribes short everyday and workplace recordings as text, then tests gist, detail, speaker purpose, inference and best summary as single-best-answer items at CLB 5-9 level.
Preparing for the PTE Core Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: No single pass mark. Each skill is scored 10-90, and the level you need depends on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) your immigration program requires (for example CLB 7 needs Reading 60-68 and Listening 60-70).
- Assessment: Three sections: Speaking & Writing (7 question types), Reading (5 question types) and Listening (7 question types) - 19 question types in total. The exact number of items varies by test version, and tasks mix selected-response and spoken or typed responses.
- Time limit: About 2 hours of test time: Speaking & Writing 50-65 minutes, Reading 27-37 minutes and Listening 22-37 minutes, plus an unscored introduction and instructions.
- Exam / certification fees: The fee varies by country and test center; in Canada it is commonly around CAD 340-360 and in India around INR 18,900 (inclusive of tax). Use Pearson's official price finder for your exact city. Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 100 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
PTE Core: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PTE Core used for?
PTE Core is a general English test recognized by IRCC for Canadian economic immigration and citizenship. Its scores map to the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) and are shared automatically with IRCC.
How long is the PTE Core test and how many sections does it have?
PTE Core takes about two hours and has three sections: Speaking & Writing (50-65 minutes), Reading (27-37 minutes) and Listening (22-37 minutes), with 19 question types in total.
Is there a pass mark for PTE Core?
No. Each skill is scored from 10 to 90. The level you need depends on the CLB required by your immigration program; for example, CLB 7 needs Reading 60-68 and Listening 60-70.
Which item types does this practice bank cover?
This bank covers the selected-response Reading and Listening item types as single-best-answer questions. Speaking and the typed Writing and dictation tasks are not practised here because they cannot be scored as multiple choice.
How is PTE Core scored and how fast are results?
PTE Core is scored entirely by AI with no human examiner, which reduces bias. Results are typically available within 48 hours and scores are valid for two years from the test date.
Are these official Pearson PTE Core questions?
No. These are original OpenExamPrep questions modelled on PTE Core selected-response skills. Pearson provides official scored practice tests and a question bank separately.