One of the most interesting questions of the PTE Listening test is Highlight Incorrect Words. This question contributes marks to both the reading and listening sections. In this question, you’ll listen to audio of 15 to 20 seconds and read the transcript available on the screen. You’ve to highlight the word that doesn’t match with the transcript. Simply, you’ve to listen to the audio and identify the differences between the text and the spoken words. It requires full concentration and the ability to understand the audio in a noisy environment. You also need to be familiar with different accents for this task.
Highlight Incorrect Words and Negative Marking
You’ve to be alert while highlighting any incorrect word. There is a negative marking for this task. For every wrong answer, one mark will be deducted. Make sure to highlight only words you’re confident are correct. The least marking you can get for this task is zero.
Tips to Achieve Good Scores in Highlight Incorrect Words
Here are a few suggestions that will help you achieve good scores in this task.
Keep your cursor ready
Before the audio starts, keep the cursor on the transcript and your fingers on the mouse. Start moving the cursor in sync with the audio. Whenever you find a different word, highlight it side by side. Do not wait for the audio to end.
Keep Moving
Make sure you keep moving your cursor and do not stop to verify your answers. In case, the audio is too fast and you’ve lost the words, then you must start tracking the audio from where the speaker is speaking. In this way, you’ll not miss out on the audio. Make sure you do not lag. Else you’ll lose marks.
Don’t highlight randomly
In case you’re not sure about the answer move ahead and skip that word. Remember that this task has negative markings. Do not guess the words randomly.
Practicing is the only mantra
Practice, Practice, Practice. Only practicing will help you achieve good scores in this task. It is a highly scoring section of the PTE listening test. It contributes to both reading and listening. So, you must make sure that you practice a lot before the real exam.
Listen actively
This task demands full concentration. You’ve to listen actively till the end and move your cursor along with the transcript. The cursor and audio should be in sync to find incorrect words. You’ve to quickly click on any wrong word you identify on the screen and move ahead with audio.
Skip note-taking
Don’t waste your time taking notes. You’ve to select the words side by side and highlight them. No need to write the words in the words in the notebook and highlight them at the end of the audio.
Remember practice is the only key to achieving your desired scores. Try to appear in a mock test and section-wise practice test before appearing in the real exam. This will help you identify the problems you might face in the PTE exam.