PTE Academic · Task guide 22 · 3 min read
PTE Listening Multiple Choice, Single Answer: tips
PTE Academic Listening Multiple Choice (Single Answer) explained: one hearing, one correct option, no negative marking, and a routine.
What you see and do
You hear a short recording, such as part of a lecture, a talk or a conversation. On screen there is a question with several options, usually four or five. Only one option is correct. You click the button next to your answer.
You hear the recording once only. The question and options are visible before the audio begins.
Timing
| Stage | About how long |
|---|---|
| Read the question and options before the audio | about 5 seconds |
| Audio | about 30–60 seconds |
| Answer | within the shared Listening timer |
How it is scored
Listening Multiple Choice (Single Answer) counts towards Listening.
It is scored correct or incorrect: one mark for the right answer, zero otherwise. There is no negative marking, so always choose an answer, even if you are unsure.
What the questions ask
| Question type | What to listen for |
|---|---|
| Main idea or topic | The point the speaker keeps returning to |
| Detail | A specific fact, number, name or reason |
| Speaker's purpose | Why the speaker is saying this: to explain, persuade, warn, compare |
| Speaker's attitude | Tone and evaluative words: "surprisingly", "unfortunately", "promising" |
| Inference | What the speaker implies without stating it directly |
Common mistakes
- Not reading the question before the audio. Five seconds is enough to know what to listen for.
- Choosing the option with the most words you heard. Distractors often reuse the speaker's vocabulary.
- Answering from general knowledge. The answer must come from the recording, even if another option is true in real life.
- Missing a change of direction. A "but" or "however" late in the recording can change the answer.
A short routine
- Read the question and, if there is time, skim the options.
- While listening, note key words, numbers and any change of direction.
- After the audio, eliminate options that contradict your notes or were not mentioned.
- Choose the best remaining option.
- Move on promptly to protect the shared timer.
Exam tip: for attitude and purpose questions, the speaker's opinion is often clearest in the final sentence or two. Keep listening carefully to the end.
Illustrative example
This recording summary and question were written for Fable Tests. They are not taken from any official material.
Imagine a talk in which a museum guide explains that a famous painting was once thought to be the work of a single artist. Recent analysis of the paint layers, the guide says, shows that at least two people worked on it, probably a master and an assistant. The guide adds that this was common practice in large workshops at the time and does not reduce the painting's value.
What is the guide's main point?
| Option | Comment |
|---|---|
| A. The painting is a copy and is worth much less than believed. | Wrong: the guide says the value is not reduced |
| B. New analysis suggests that more than one person painted the work, which was normal at the time. | Correct: covers the finding and the context |
| C. Museums should stop using paint analysis. | Not mentioned |
| D. Assistants were not allowed to work on important paintings. | Contradicts "common practice" |
Key points
- Only one option is correct, and you hear the recording once.
- It counts towards Listening.
- Correct or incorrect, with no negative marking: always answer.
- Read the question first, note key words and listen to the end.
- Base your answer on the recording, not general knowledge.
For the official current format, see pearsonpte.com. More guides are on the PTE hub.