PTE 90 is the highest score possible for the PTE exam, opening the doors for thousands of career opportunities.

Some consider this goal unrealistic, but in fact, many candidates manage a perfect 90 even on their first attempt.

Our specialist team from PTE Magic has conducted thorough interviews with these students to discover the secret behind their success.

Keep scrolling to learn more.

(Read our Vietnamese version here)

Key Takeaways

• PTE 90 is the highest score possible for the PTE English proficiency test and can be translated to band 9 in IELTS.
• Provided most of your skills are already average, it might take two weeks to less than 30 days to prepare for a PTE 90.
• We have compiled the top tips for each section of the test to help you achieve a PTE 90 score.

Related:

• A quick study guide for PTE preparation
• PTE scores and important things to know about
• What is PTE score validity?

Top Tips to Get PTE 90

#1. For Speaking

Many students scored 90 out of 90 for speaking in their PTE exams, not just once but multiple times! 

Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to speak like someone working at CNN or BBC. With the right practice tips, any candidate should be able to improve their skills in record time:

• Make it a habit to read new articles using the right stress on all the keywords. Try to do that at least once a day! 

One common method is to listen and scan through transcriptions of famous TED talks. This strategy ensures you understand how the speaker modulates his voice and focuses on important words. 

• Do not focus too much on mimicking native speakers and their accents. You might actually lose your pronunciation and fluency marks by doing so in your PTE exam. Not to mention, it is also unnecessary, as PTE machines can understand over 100+ accents. 
• During your speech, remember the goal is to convey your message to other people. Avoid monotonous and robot-like tones.
• Pauses are inevitable, but keep them shorter than 3 seconds; otherwise, the computer might stop recording. And we do not encourage you to speak too quickly, either. Remember to pause whenever you see a full stop or comma. 

For those who want to improve their pronunciation, consider using software or mobile applications to transcribe your words into text. If 90% of the written words match your speech, you are getting closer to that perfect 90! 

Extra Tips for Describe Image

• Begin by stating what the graph is about. 
• Do not let the content in your PTE test overwhelm you. Even with a graph filled with numerous details, you only need to discuss the most important parts.
• Make sure your speech is at least 35 seconds long.
• It’s alright if you describe some aspects incorrectly, but avoid bringing those parts a second time or repeating the same mistake. 
• Connecting words or phrases (however, in contrast, moreover, etc.) is highly recommended.
• Here are some great phrases to describe key or high points: rapid reduction, rapid decrease, increasing dramatically, fluctuating significantly, etc. Try to enrich your vocabulary words using reliable websites, such as PTE Magic. 

Extra Tips for Repeat Sentences and Retell Lectures

There is no better way than to keep practicing with mock tests (just like with most other tasks). Make it your goal to finish 4-5 training videos on YouTube every day! For very long sentences, consider breaking them down to memorize each part more easily.

#2. For Reading

One common mistake is to read the entire paragraph before jumping into the follow-up questions. Do not do that! 

Instead, you should understand what the question is about and what options are available first. That way, you can quickly scan the paragraph for meanings and associate each option with the relevant sentences. 

• Watch out for the differences between the text and the options, no matter how minor. Only choose options or statements with a 100% match! 
• Multiple-choice questions with multiple answers come with negative markings, so blind guesses are a big No. Skip that question altogether if you are not confident in any option. 

Extra Tips for Reorder Paragraphs

• Pay attention to link words that connect the sentence with another. 
• Identify the core theme and the idea flow (also known as cohesion). This strategy makes it easier to predict how different parts fit into the bigger picture. 

Extra Tips for Fill in The Blank

• Read for meanings and focus on grammatical cues if there are any.
• Still struggling? We suggest spending more time listening to audio (e.g., Ted Talks) or reading articles. Your collocation skills should improve dramatically. 

#3. For Writing

For the Summarize Written Text task, avoid too many details in your writing. If the original text mentions multiple examples, just include one in your paragraph! 

About 40 words in total should be perfect, as it will give you more proofreading time. Most importantly, never let yourself make spelling mistakes or use unnecessary vocabulary. There is no shortcut; you can only achieve that by constant practicing.

When writing essays, try to include 6 to 8 advanced words. That’s why we strongly recommend reading sources like CNN, BBC, or the Washington Post. Do not worry if some figures and facts you mentioned are incorrect; PTE machines cannot fact-check all of that. 

#4. For Listening

Read the questions and prompts first before listening to the clip or audio. PTE centers allow papers and notebooks, so you should also keep one during practice. 

Only note the keywords and important aspects, especially if they involve figures (e.g., year, telephone number) or specific names.

Listen to YouTube clips or news broadcasts at least once a day to improve your listening. TED Talks with transcriptions are common among successful students, as they can practice both speaking and listening using the same clips.

How Much Preparation Time Do You Need For PTE 90?

Provided most of your skills are already average, it might take two weeks to less than 30 days to prepare for a PTE 90. But the number also depends on other factors, such as your current schedule, strong and weak points, available learning materials, etc.

There are rare examples of excellent students who manage to cram for PTE 90 in just 7 days. However, we do not recommend you follow in their footsteps. 

Mental health is just as important as your skills and knowledge, so it would be better to spread your preparation over longer periods. 

That way, you can balance your study and health while keeping stress at bay. 

What Is the IELTS Equivalent of PTE 90?

PTE 90 can be translated to band 9 in IELTS, the highest possible achievement for any candidate. 

With such an impressive score, you do not have to think twice about which organization or university to apply for. 

The only exception is when the requirements specifically mention other English tests (e.g., IELTS, TOEFL) and do not accept score conversions.

Conclusion

PTE 90 might sound like an unachievable goal, but it all boils down to smart and constant practice. Set a consistent schedule for your study, and remember to utilize quality learning materials from PTE Magic, TED Talks, YouTube, etc. Write to us if you need help!