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PTE Academic · Listening · L2

PTE Academic Listening: Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers

In Listening Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers you hear a short recording once and answer one question by ticking all the options you think are correct. More than one is right, but each wrong tick loses a point, with a minimum of zero. PTE Academic includes 2 to 3 of these items.

Items per test
2–3
Recording
Played once
Response
Tick all correct options (more than one)
Scoring
+1 per correct tick, −1 per wrong tick; item minimum 0
Scores
Listening

How it works

  1. 1The question and answer options are shown on screen.
  2. 2The recording plays once; you can take notes.
  3. 3You tick every option the speaker supports.
  4. 4Wrong ticks subtract marks, but the item cannot go below zero.

Sample question

Original sample · not from an official test

You hear: "Our survey of first-year students found that most preferred recorded lectures because they could pause and rewind. However, attendance at live seminars stayed high, since students valued discussing ideas with classmates. Only a small group said they wanted all teaching online." Which views did students express? Select all that apply.

  1. ARecorded lectures are useful because they can be paused.
  2. BLive seminars are not worth attending.
  3. CDiscussion with classmates is valuable.
  4. DAll teaching should move online.
  5. ELectures should be shorter.
Show answer

Answer: Options 1 and 3.

Pausing and rewinding, and valuing discussion, are both stated. Seminar attendance stayed high, which contradicts option 2. Only a small group wanted everything online, so it is not the students' general view, and length is never mentioned.

Tips that work

  • Read the question and options as early as you can, and note one keyword per option.
  • While listening, tick options on your notes only when you hear clear support; mark doubtful ones with '?'.
  • Watch for quantity words ('most', 'only a small group'); they often separate a correct option from a distractor.
  • Select only the options you are confident about. An extra wrong tick cancels a correct one.

Common mistakes

  • Ticking an option because its words were heard, even though the speaker rejected it.
  • Choosing every plausible option and losing marks to negative scoring.

Questions candidates ask

Does this task have negative marking?

Yes. Each correct choice earns a point and each incorrect choice removes one, but the item score never falls below zero.

Can I hear the recording twice?

No. All PTE Academic listening recordings play once.

Should I leave it blank if unsure?

If you are confident about one option, select just that one. Leaving it blank scores zero, the same as a wrong guess that is cancelled out.

Other PTE Academic Listening tasks

PTE Academic overviewPTE Academic Listening: all partsPTE Academic full mock testsPTE Academic articles on the blog