PTE Academic scores vs IELTS band scores (General and Academic).

IELTS band scores are scaled from 1 (the lowest) to 9 (the highest) meanwhile PTE Academic (PTE-A) scores from 10 to 90. The table below shows the IELTS and PTE equivalencies for the Overall scores.

PTE & IELTS final band scoring comparison (& the Cambridge European Framework).

IELTS	5	5.5	6	6.5	7	7.5	8	8.5	9
PTE	40.8	45.4	51.6	58.5	66.3	74.6	82.3	88.1 *122 out of 136	90
Cambridge European Framework		B1		B2		C1		C2

• There are 136 questions in PTE so 122 out of 136 is 88.1 However, there are integrated questions (questions that contribute to say both speaking and listening or say reading adn writing) and some scaling by computer AI (the technology is based on comparing samples from native speakers with the test taker and this can pull final scores up and down).
• There are 80 questions in IELTS (in the listening and reading) which is 50% of your score which is then graded to the bandscore. Speaking and Writing are marked from 1-9 by a human examiner using a four-part guideline. (see upcoming blog)

PTE & IELTS Reading score comparison

The PTE Academic reading test consists of 15- 20 questions and around 12 – 15 short readings. You will have 32-41 minutes.

The scoring also includes integrated questions for in other parts of the test which require reading, for instance, such as the Read Aloud in the speaking test. In some questions (the multiple choice and arrange paragraph) you will be negative marked- points are deducted for wrong answers.

IELTS General and Academic both consist of 40 questions and gives you an hour. It’s straight up, right or wrong with no negative marking.

General has three parts. The first part is two short readings from everyday life, the second is two short work or formal documents, and the last one is long and more academic.

Academic is three long academic articles.

PTE Academic Reading Out of 20	IELTS General Reading Out of 40	IELTS Academic Reading Out of 40
40.8         8 (out of 20***)	5        23 (out of 40)	5        15-17 (out of 40)
45.4         9	5.5     28	5.5     18-22
51.6        10	6         30	6        23 -27
58.5        12	6.5      32	6.5     28-30
66.6        13	7         34	7        30-32
74.6        15	7.5    36	7.5   32-35
82.3        17	8         38	8       35- 38
88.1        18	8.5      39	8.5   38
90            19	9         40	90   39-40

**** these PTE scores rough estimate on a 20-question test but it can be as few as 12 and scores also come from integrated questions in other section.

PTE & IELTS Listening scoring comparison

PTE consists of 12 to 20 questions in 30-42 minutes (and additionally the answers are scaled against combined skills in other parts of the test such as the repeat sentence, short questions and write from dictation)

IELTS listening is the same for Academic and General 40 questions in 1 hour. The answers are right or wrong, as per the reading with no negative marking.

PTE Listening range of 12-20	IELTS listening out of 40
40.8  4 (out of 12)-9 (out of 20)	5         16
45.5           5-10	5.5      20
51.6           6-11	6         23
58.5           7-12	6.5      26
66.3            8-13	7         30
74.6           9-15	7.5      33
83. 3          10-16.5	8         35
88.1           11- 17.5	8.5      38
90              12- 19	9         40

*** PTE scores depend on both the number of questions in the listening section and integrated skills in the other sections, so this is just an estimated range.

Stay tuned form upcoming blogs that explain how the listening and speaking are scored.