Cambridge Research: How long to improve 10 scores?

We have been supporting over 20,000 test-takers (for taking the PTE and DET) so far, and we realised that countless students believed in unfeasible things. They thought that they could improve 10 to 15 in 2-3 weeks. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. 

You may have read from other sources guiding you on how to prepare for the PTE Academic. What we want to deliver here is to help you fully understand scientific research from Cambridge on how many hours we need to improve your 10 PTE scores. First thing first, the PTE Academic is no different from the IELTS, TOEFL, or DET (Duolingo English Test) in terms of evaluating your English skills. The differences are the test structure and question types. As a result, NEVER expect easy scores because it needs our dedication and commitment time after time to get the desired scores. If anyone tells you that they can help you reach your dream scores in 1 or 2 weeks, they are frauds as there is no such thing in this world! 

Let’s prove that point with published research from Cambridge. 

There are six (06) different English levels in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR): A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2. If test-takers want to upgrade their levels in the CEFR scale, we will need a number of guided learning hours to obtain our objectives. 

Nonetheless, we do have several elements that likely impact how long we need to achieve our goals, including:

• Your language learning background (how long have you been studying English?)
• The intensity of your study (the quality of your study)
• Your age (at different ages, people have different abilities to study)
• The amount of study/ exposure outside of lesson times (Do you study by yourself after class?)

The following table recommends how many guided studying hours students need to advance to the next level. Please note that these figures should only be used as a guideline because you may need more or fewer hours depending on other criteria and your needs. 

But what is the relation between CEFR and the Pearson Test of English?

The Official PTE website displays the ranges of scores that correspond to IELTS scores, and we already have a score comparison between IELTS and CEFR, so the below table is for study.

According to this research, if students want to move from 55 (their level) to 70 (their desired score) overall score, they will need around 180-200 guided learning hours. For details, go take a look at this article, “05 Strategic preparation steps to achieve your dream scores”.

“Guided learning hours” mean the number of learning hours under the instruction of a trainer, or for reading, listening, writing, and speaking in addition to practice on the PTE Practice Platform. Back to our initially concrete statement that improving 15 PTE scores in 3 weeks is IMPOSSIBLE because we need to devote 200 learning hours to study, which means we spend around 70 hours a week. Learning 70 hours a week is not effective as we need time to digest and comprehend what we study deeply in order to use it efficiently. 

Again, DO NOT BELIEVE people who say that they can help you achieve your desired scores in just a few weeks without entirely understanding your case, they are all frauds! Instead, to reach your PTE dream scores, it apparently requires lots of effort and everyday dedication, and sometimes, unsuccessful tests before get what you want. 

In case you are looking for a Live-Interactive PTE Practice Platform offering instant feedback for all question types, especially AI-based scores for Speaking and Writing questions. With a Premium account, test-takers have access to all the following benefits:

• Thousands of practice questions;
• Full 2-hour mock tests;
• Same grading elements as Pearson;
• Instant feedback for all question types;
• Fast Support;
• An integrated dictionary;
• 03 supportive vocab lists (not for FREE users);
• Other self-study supporting features.

Here is a video guide to practice on the PTE Practice Platform and an instant feedback sample.

Let’s create your FREE account on our PTE Practice Platform to experience all feedback and see how AI-based scores and instant feedback help you improve your scores.