PTE Highlight Incorrect Words Practice
In Highlight Incorrect Words, a PTE Academic transcript appears on screen with a few words that differ from the recording. You tap those words while the audio plays once. This free tool gives you 43 original passages, plays each one in a British, Australian, American or Indian accent. When you press Check my score, it shows a practice estimate using the published rule: one point per correct word, minus one per wrong word, never below zero.
- Free, no sign-up
- Original questions
- Exam timing
Tap every word on the screen that differs from the audio. Tap again to unmark a word.
Marking a word that matches the audio costs a point. Marking nothing is allowed and scores 0.
Audio uses your browser's built-in voices, so it sounds a little different on each device. Results are practice estimates of the published rule, not official scores. Progress is saved in this browser only.
How Highlight Incorrect Words works
The transcript is visible before the recording starts, and the audio begins automatically in the real test. Pearson describes the recording as 15 to 50 seconds long and says you can listen only once. You have to keep your eyes on the text and click each word that is different from what you hear. The task checks listening and reading together.
How this task is scored (practice estimate)
Press Check my scoreunder the passage. The tool compares the words you marked with the words that really differ from the recording, then applies Pearson's published rule and shows:
- Points and a percentage. Points are the number of changed words you found minus the number of unchanged words you marked, never below zero. The maximum is the number of changed words in that passage. The percentage is points divided by that maximum.
- A word-by-word review. Each changed word is listed as found or missed with what the speaker said, and every word you marked by mistake is listed with its penalty.
- Your progress. The result is saved once in this browser and appears on the practice progress page.
What this estimate does not do:
- It is not an official score and is not a prediction of one. Only Pearson issues official PTE scores.
- It does not turn the percentage into a 10 to 90 score. Pearson does not publish how item points are weighted into listening and reading skill scores.
- Pronunciation is never measured on this site. It does not apply here, because the task is marked only on the words you select.
- Grammar and spelling are not checked, because you type nothing. The passages are our own and contain two to four changed words each, so a percentage on one passage says little about a real test question.
- A word counts as changed when it differs from the audio text after ignoring capital letters and punctuation.
How the marks are counted
Pearson's Score Guide describes this question type with partial credit. The rule, in plain terms, is below.
- +1 for each correct word you select, meaning a word on screen that differs from the audio.
- −1 for each word you select that matches the audio.
- The total for one passage has a minimum of zero, so it never goes negative.
You can read the full table in Pearson's PTE Academic Score Guide (PDF), and the task description on the Pearson listening test-format page. The results on this site apply that rule as a practice estimate.
Worked example of the estimate
Say a passage has three changed words. You tap two of them and one word that was read correctly. That is +1 +1 −1 = 1 point. If you had tapped only one correct word and two unchanged words, the total would be −1, which the minimum-zero rule lifts to 0. Pearson's Score Guide lists about 2 to 3 questions of this type in a test, so each one matters, but a single careless tap can erase a correct answer.
What kinds of changes to listen for
The changed words in a passage are usually meaningful, not random. The table shows the four types you will meet most often in practice.
| Type of change | Transcript on screen | What the speaker says |
|---|---|---|
| Number | twenty rivers | twelve rivers |
| Opposite verb | increases the commute | reduces the commute |
| Day, time or place | on Tuesday morning | on Monday morning |
| Adjective | a brief debate | a lengthy debate |
Five strategies that work
- Skim before the audio starts. You have a few seconds. Use them to read the nouns, adjectives and verbs, and decide what the topic is. Words that do not fit the topic are good candidates.
- Follow the text with your cursor. Move along the line as the speaker talks. Pearson advises against taking notes in this task, because you need to keep your eyes on the words.
- Check meaning, not just sound. A changed number, place or opposite adjective changes what the sentence says, so it is easier to catch than a tiny spelling difference.
- Mark only what you are sure of. Each wrong mark costs a point, so an unsure word is usually better left alone.
- Review every miss. After checking, listen again to the words you missed and note the type of change. Patterns repeat across passages.
A simple practice plan
Start with the easy passages and aim for accuracy rather than speed. Move to medium and hard passages once you can find most of the changes without a second listen. Use the PTE listening practice hub to switch between task types, and check the PTE exam pattern to see where this task sits in the test.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Highlight Incorrect Words task in PTE?
It is a listening and reading task in PTE Academic. A transcript of a short recording is shown on screen, but a few words in it are different from what the speaker says. While the audio plays once, you select the words that do not match.
How is Highlight Incorrect Words scored?
Pearson's published Score Guide gives 1 point for each correct word you select and deducts 1 point for each incorrect word you select, with a minimum score of 0. The guide lists 2 to 3 questions of this type per test. When you press Check my score, our practice tool applies that rule to the passage and shows the points, a percentage, and a word-by-word review. It is a practice estimate, not an official score.
Is there negative marking in Highlight Incorrect Words?
Yes. Each wrong selection takes away a point, although the total for one question cannot go below zero. Mark a word only when you are confident it differs from the audio.
How long is the recording, and can I replay it?
Pearson lists the recording as 15 to 50 seconds long, and you can listen only once. This page follows the same rule when Exam mode is on. Turn Exam mode off to replay a passage while you study it.
Does this task count towards my PTE score?
Yes. Pearson's Score Guide places Highlight Incorrect Words under listening and reading. Your speaking and writing skills are not tested by this task.
Are the passages on this page real PTE questions?
No. Every passage was written from scratch for this site to match the length and style of the task. None of them is taken from a real or repeated exam item.
How many words are changed in each recording?
Pearson's official pages do not state a fixed number of changed words for each recording. The practice passages here contain between two and four changed words, so you can build the habit of checking every word.
PTE highlight incorrect words kaise karein? (How do I do it?)
Read the transcript quickly before the audio starts, decide the topic, then follow the words with your cursor as you listen. Tap a word only when you hear a clear difference in a noun, number, time, place or opposite meaning, and skip any word you are unsure about.
PTE mein incorrect words kaise pehchanein? Any tips?
Focus on content words: numbers, names, places, adjectives and verbs such as increased or reduced. Changes to small grammar words are less common, so check the meaning of each line first. Practise a few passages a day and review the ones you missed.
PTE te highlight incorrect words kivabe korbo?
Start by scanning the transcript, then listen once and follow the text. Look for words that do not fit what you hear, such as a different number or an opposite adjective. Because each wrong tap costs a point, select only the words you are sure about.
Should I guess if I am not sure of a word?
Usually not. A guess that is wrong costs a point, which can cancel out a correct word. Only mark a word when you are confident, and leave the rest unmarked.
Does this practice tool save my results?
Each checked passage is saved only in this browser, using local storage on your device, and feeds the progress page. Nothing is sent to our servers, and clearing your browser data removes the history.
What does the percentage on the result mean?
It is the points you earned divided by the number of changed words in that passage, after the minus-one rule and the minimum of zero. It is a practice estimate for one passage. It is not a 10 to 90 PTE score, and it does not predict one. Pearson does not publish how item points are weighted into the final score.
Does the tool check my pronunciation or grammar here?
No, and it does not need to. Highlight Incorrect Words is marked only on which words you select, so there is nothing spoken or typed to assess. Pronunciation is never measured on this site.