Listening

Highlight Incorrect Words

You follow a transcript while a recording plays. Some words in the transcript are wrong. You click the ones that differ from what you hear.

Listening
Reading

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Items on a test: About 2–3
Audio: 15–50 seconds, once
Before the audio: About 10 seconds to skim
Scoring: +1 correct word, −1 wrong word, minimum 0

Item counts vary slightly by test form. The ranges follow Pearson’s PTE Academic test-taker score guide.

What this task asks

The transcript is almost the recording, with some substitutions. You click a word to select it and click again to remove it. Selected words are highlighted. You do not correct the word or type a replacement. You only mark the mismatches.

This is one of the three item types where a wrong selection deducts a point. The others are the multiple-answer multiple-choice items in reading and listening.

How scoring works

Each word you select that really does differ from the audio scores 1. Each word you select that was actually correct scores −1. The item cannot score below 0.

The item contributes to Listening and Reading. If you are not confident a word is different, leaving it unselected protects the points you have already earned.

Timings and scoring follow Pearson’s published format for Listening.

Tips that match the task

1
Use the 10 seconds to skim for the topic and for the content words: nouns, verbs and adjectives. You will not have time to read it word by word.
2
Move the cursor along with the speaker so you are always near the word being said. Falling behind is how mismatches get missed and later words get clicked by mistake.
3
Click only when you hear a different word, not a different emphasis. The task is about the word, not the tone.
4
Do not take notes. Pearson’s tip for this item is to follow the text and click, rather than write.
5
If you are unsure, do not click. A wrong highlight removes a point. A missed highlight only forgoes a point.
6
After the audio, you can still clear a highlight you regret before you go on. Do not add new guesses at that point unless you are sure.

Common mistakes

Highlighting every word that feels slightly different in pronunciation. Only words that are not the words spoken should be selected.
Clicking ahead of the audio and marking the wrong line.
Guessing several extra words “just in case”. Each one can deduct a point.
Trying to type the correction. The task only asks you to select the incorrect word.
Losing the place after a long phrase and then clicking a burst of words to catch up.

Frequently asked questions

How does negative marking work on Highlight Incorrect Words?

You gain one point for each incorrect transcript word you identify, and you lose one point for each correct word you select. The score for the item does not go below zero. Select a word only when you heard something different.

Do I type the right word?

No. You click the words in the transcript that do not match the recording. You do not enter a correction.

Which skills does it affect?

Listening and Reading. A test form includes about 2–3 items, with recordings of about 15–50 seconds, played once.

Practise Highlight Incorrect Words on a real question

Open a free practice question in the LearnPTE app and try this task with instant feedback.