If you’ve taken the PTE examination multiple times, you’ve likely observed certain words that consistently appear in most tests.

Even when you practice with question banks or mock tests, these words tend to stand out.

To assist you in familiarizing yourself with them, PTE Magic has compiled a comprehensive PTE spelling list for you below.

Let’s scroll down to learn more!

(Read our Vietnamese version here)

Key Takeaways

• PTE Magic has compiled a comprehensive PTE spelling list to help you familiarize yourself with the most common PTE words.

• This list helps you prepare for the upcoming test. Learn with examples to grasp their nuances in different contexts.
• Apart from the 50 words below, expand your vocabulary further to better comprehend the test.

Related:

• PTE tools that can help you score better
• PTE preparation tips for complete beginners

PTE Vocabulary List: 50 Most Repeated Words With Spellings

The PTE word list below will help you prepare for the upcoming test. It’s recommended to learn with examples to grasp their nuances in different contexts.

1. Accumulation (n)

US & UK pronunciation: /əˌkjuː.mjəˈleɪ.ʃən/

Meaning: the process in which something is collected and gradually increases in amount.

Example: “The accumulation of debris at the bottom of the gas tank has blocked the fuel system.”

2. Acquisition (n)

US pronunciation: /ˌæk.wəˈzɪʃ.ən/ 

UK pronunciation: /ˌæk.wɪˈzɪʃ.ən/

Meaning: the process of gaining or learning something

Example: “Language acquisition is a complex process that involves cognitive and linguistic skills.”

3. Appreciation (n)

US & UK pronunciation: /əˌpriː.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/

Meaning: the recognition or understanding of the significance and value of something or someone.

Example: “The student doesn’t express any appreciation for his teacher.”

4. Archaeologist (n)

US pronunciation: /ˌɑːr.kiˈɑː.lə.dʒɪst/

UK pronunciation: /ˌɑː.kiˈɒl.ə.dʒɪst/

Meaning: a person who studies how people lived in the past through physical remains or artifacts.

Example: “The new archaeologist has joined with other team members at the excavation site.”

5. Accommodation (n)

US pronunciation: /əˌkɑː.məˈdeɪ.ʃən/

UK pronunciation: /əˌkɒm.əˈdeɪ.ʃən/

Meaning: a place where people live or stay

Example: “The travel agency will take care of your accommodation if you select that package.”

6. Assumption (n)

US & UK pronunciation: /əˈsʌmp.ʃən/

Meaning: a belief that something is true or will happen without proof

Example: “The company has to make some assumptions about the current market before developing their marketing strategy.”

7. Accelerate (v)

US pronunciation: /ekˈsel.ɚ.eɪt/

UK pronunciation: /əkˈsel.ə.reɪt/

Meaning: to move or happen faster/ to increase

Example: “If you accelerate past the speed limit, you will get fined.”

8. Aviation (n)

US & UK pronunciation: /ˌeɪ.viˈeɪ.ʃən/

Meaning: the design, production, and operation of aircraft

Example: “The Wright brothers’ invention of the first airplane marked the dawn of the aviation age.”

9. Achievement (n)

US & UK pronunciation: /əˈtʃiːv.mənt/

Meaning: the process of gaining something or something that you get with a lot of effort and skills.

Example: “My biggest achievement in life is to become a doctor who saves lives.”

10. Bandage (n)

US & UK pronunciation: /ˈbæn.dɪdʒ/

Meaning: a piece of cloth to cover a wounded area

Example: “The doctor told me not to peel off the bandage to keep my open wound from bacteria.”

11. Bilateral (adj)

US pronunciation: /ˌbaɪˈlæt̬.ɚ.əl/ 

UK pronunciation: /ˌbaɪˈlæt.ər.əl/

Meaning: involving two parties or affecting two sides

Example: “They are seeking bilateral sponsorship from tourism agencies to run the year-end music festival.”

12. Complementary (adj)

US pronunciation: /ˌkɑːm.pləˈmen.t̬ɚ.i/

UK pronunciation: /ˌkɒm.plɪˈmen.tər.i/

Meaning: combining to support or enhance the qualities of each other

Example: “The university applies complementary teaching methods to help international students.”

13. Compositional (adj)

US pronunciation: /ˌkɑːm.pəˈzɪʃ.ən.əl/

UK pronunciation: /ˌkɒm.pəˈzɪʃ.ən.əl/

Meaning: relating to the creation of a creative work, especially a piece of writing or music

Example: “The author’s compositional style is evident in her masterful use of plot twists.”

14. Configuration (n)

US pronunciation: /kənˌfɪɡ.jəˈreɪ.ʃən/

UK pronunciation: /kənˌfɪɡ.əˈreɪ.ʃən/

Meaning: the pattern or arrangement of related elements in a certain form

Example: “I’ve set up my furniture in more than five configurations before coming up with this arrangement.”

15. Construction (n)

US & UK pronunciation: /kənˈstrʌk.ʃən/

Meaning: the process of building something or the structure of something

Example: “These fishing waders boast a one-piece construction for optimal heat retention.”

16. Commencement (n)

US & UK pronunciation: /kəˈmens.mənt/

Meaning: the start or beginning of something

Example: “I have to finish all of the deadlines before the commencement of the new year.”

17. Competition (n)

US pronunciation: /ˌkɑːm.pəˈtɪʃ.ən/

UK pronunciation: /ˌkɒm.pəˈtɪʃ.ən/

Meaning: a situation or an event where people try to win or become the best among others

Example: “The fierce competition in the fashion industry is fueled by fleeting trends that come and go.”

18. Collaborate (v)

US & UK pronunciation: /kəˈlæb.ə.reɪt/

Meaning: to work with others for a common goal

Example: “Gucci collaborated with Nike to launch the Nike Air Force 1 Low By You Custom models.”

19. Consecutive (adj)

US pronunciation: /kənˈsek.jə.t̬ɪv/

UK pronunciation: /kənˈsek.jə.tɪv/

Meaning: following one after another continuously

Example: “She hasn’t gone to work for five consecutive days. What happened?”

20. Dissertation (n)

US pronunciation: /ˌdɪs.ɚrˈteɪ.ʃən/

UK pronunciation: /ˌdɪs.əˈteɪ.ʃən/

Meaning: a long piece of academic writing based on research on a certain subject, particularly for a university or college degree

Example: “He spends all day in the library, surrounded by stacks of books and paper, trying to finish his dissertation on time.”

21. Disappointment (n)

US & UK pronunciation: /ˌdɪs.əˈpɔɪnt.mənt/

Meaning: the feeling when something or someone is not as you hoped

Example: “I was filled with disappointment when receiving the result of my final exam.”

22. Development (n)

US & UK pronunciation: /dɪˈvel.əp.mənt/

Meaning: the process of growing or becoming better

Example: “The product development should be done based on market research and customer data.”

23. Defend (v)

US & UK pronunciation: /dɪˈfend/

Meaning: to protect something or someone from criticism or attack

Example: “Leading a healthy life can defend you against diseases.”

24. Deserve (v)

US pronunciation: /dɪˈzɜːrv/

UK pronunciation: /dɪˈzɜːv/

Meaning: to receive something, like a punishment or a reward, that’s appropriate for your effort or behavior

Example: “After all of that hard work, you deserve a high score in the PTE exam.”

25. Dilemma (n)

US or UK pronunciation: /dɪˈlem.ə/ or /daɪˈlem.ə/

Meaning: a situation that requires you to make a tough decision between two things

Example: “The lockdown in the pandemic has put me in a dilemma of whether to quit my job or not.”

26. Discourage (v)

US pronunciation: /dɪsˈkɜːrɪdʒ/

UK pronunciation: /dɪˈskʌr.ɪdʒ/

Meaning: to prevent someone from doing something or to make someone less enthusiastic to do something

Example: “The bad weather has discouraged students from taking part in the outdoor picnic.”

27. Distinct (adj)

US & UK pronunciation: /dɪˈstɪŋkt/

Meaning: clearly different or noticeable from others

Example: “The distinct smell of spoiled food leaves everyone in the room cringe.”

28. Efficient (adj)

US & UK pronunciation: /ɪˈfɪʃ.ənt/

Meaning: working in a quick and organized manner that can result in good outcomes

Example: “The fly fishing technique proves efficient in catching bigger game fish.”

29. Emphasize (v)

US & UK pronunciation: /ˈem.fə.saɪz/

Meaning: to stress the importance of something 

Example: “The teacher always emphasizes the importance of self-studying.”

30. Encounter (v + n)

US pronunciation: /ɪnˈkaʊn.t̬ɚ/

UK pronunciation: /ɪnˈkaʊn.tər/

Meaning: 

• (v): to meet, come across someone or experience something by chance
• (n): an unexpected meeting or experience

Example: “I encountered a suspicious stranger on the way home, but I didn’t tell my parents about that encounter.”

31. Enormous (adj)

US pronunciation: /əˈnɔːr.məs/

UK pronunciation: /ɪˈnɔː.məs/

Meaning: very great or large

Example: “The flood swept through the village and left an enormous impact in its wake.”

32. Enthusiasm (n)

US pronunciation: /ɪnˈθuː.zi.æz.əm/

UK pronunciation: /ɪnˈθjuː.zi.æz.əm/

Meaning: the willingness and eagerness to do or get involved in something

Example: “The glorious victory of Argentina in the 2022 World Cup has sparked my enthusiasm for football.”

33. Evidence (n)

US pronunciation: /ˈev.ə.dəns/

UK pronunciation: /ˈev.ɪ.dəns/

Meaning: the documents, facts, or information to prove that something is true

Example: “The man was released from jail due to the lack of evidence.”

34. Fluctuate (v)

US & UK pronunciation: /ˈflʌk.tʃu.eɪt/

Meaning: to go up and down frequently

Example: “The temperature fluctuates a lot between days and nights.”

35. Forecast (v + n)

US pronunciation: /ˈfɔːr.kæst/

UK pronunciation: /ˈfɔː.kɑːst/

Meaning: 

• (v): to predict that something will happen in the future
• (n): a statement that predicts something is expected to happen based on the current situation

Example: “The tourism sector is forecasted to rebound in the next two years.”

36. Formulate (v)

US pronunciation: /ˈfɔːr.mjə.leɪt/

UK pronunciation: /ˈfɔː.mjə.leɪt/

Meaning: to prepare something by developing all the related details

Example: “The company will have a meeting to formulate a new marketing plan.”

37. Frugal (adj)

US & UK pronunciation: /ˈfruː.ɡəl/

Meaning: careful in spending and using money or food

Example: “That family has a frugal lifestyle because they are struggling to make ends meet.”

38. Global (adj)

US pronunciation: /ˈɡloʊ.bəl/

UK pronunciation: /ˈɡləʊ.bəl/

Meaning: international, relating to the world

Example: “We are experiencing a global economic crisis.”

39. Grateful (adj)

US & UK pronunciation: /ˈɡreɪt.fəl/

Meaning: expressing appreciation and thanks to others

Example: “I’m grateful for what he’s done for me when I lost my job.”

40. Geographical (adj)

US & UK pronunciation: /ˌdʒi.əˈɡræf.ɪ.kəl/

Meaning: relating to geography

Example: “The geographical features of the region, like steep cliffs and immaculate beaches, make it a tourist attraction.”

41. Helicopter (n)

US pronunciation: /ˈhel.əˌkɑːp.tɚ/

UK pronunciation: /ˈhel.ɪˌkɒp.tər/

Meaning: a type of wingless aircraft with large blades on top

Example: “The helicopter hovers in the air for a while before landing.”

42. Hesitate (v)

US pronunciation: /ˈhez.ə.teɪt/

UK pronunciation: /ˈhez.ɪ.teɪt/

Meaning: to delay doing something because you are nervous or uncertain about it

Example: “She hesitates to tell him that his father passed away.”

43. Implementation (n)

US pronunciation: /ˌɪm.plə.menˈteɪ.ʃən/

UK pronunciation: /ˌɪm.plɪ.menˈteɪ.ʃən/

Meaning: the act of putting something into use

Example: “The project is under implementation and has started to show some positive results.”

44. Linguistics (n)

US & UK pronunciation: /lɪŋˈɡwɪs.tɪks/

Meaning: the study of language, including its structure and development

Example: “He chose to study linguistics at that university.”

45. Motivation (n)

US pronunciation: /ˌmoʊ.t̬əˈveɪ.ʃən/

UK pronunciation: /ˌməʊ.tɪˈveɪ.ʃən/

Meaning: the willingness or enthusiasm for doing something

Example: “The company trip has boosted the motivation among employees.”

46. Notorious (adj)

US pronunciation: /noʊˈtɔːr.i.əs/

UK pronunciation: /nəʊˈtɔː.ri.əs/ or /nəˈtɔː.ri.əs/

Meaning: widely known for something negative or bad

Example: “The man is notorious for domestic violence.”

47. Navigate (v)

US pronunciation: /ˈnæv.ə.ɡeɪt/

UK pronunciation: /ˈnæv.ɪ.ɡeɪt/

Meaning: to guide or direct the way of a vehicle or to move through a difficult situation

Example: “She can navigate the crowded street easily.”

48. Perspective (n)

US pronunciation: /pərˈspektɪv/

UK pronunciation: /pəˈspektɪv/

Meaning: a particular way of thinking or considering something

Example: “You should see everything from an overall perspective.”

49. Prerequisite (n)

US & UK pronunciation: /ˌpriːˈrekwəzɪt/

Meaning: something that must be done before something else can happen

Example: “This application is the prerequisite for a new social media platform.”

50. Resilient (adj)

US & UK pronunciation: /rɪˈzɪliənt/

Meaning: able to recover and become happy again after a difficult or unpleasant event

Example: “The tomato plant is incredibly resilient to cold spells.”

Conclusion

The PTE spelling list goes on because you will encounter thousands of words during the exam.

Apart from the 50 words above, it’s best to expand your vocabulary further to better comprehend the test. If you have any questions about PTE, don’t hesitate to reach out to PTE Magic!