Original BandLadder material
It teaches a 4-step method: question word, lock the clues, fetch the word and say it, stop. Along the way you get worked examples with the key words marked, before-and-after fixes that show why the first version loses marks, a one-page visual summary, a quick check to test yourself and a recap of the rules to remember. Each card holds one idea, so you can read it on a phone between practice sessions.
With a free BandLadder account you can read the first three cards online in our study reader, on the web and in the app. The other 7 cards and the PDF download come with any plan.
The first 2 of 10 cards
why a guess is always worth saying
You hear five or six of these, one point each. If you don't know the word, silence earns nothing, and so does a wrong answer.
You hear: "What do we call balls of ice that fall from the sky in a storm?" You say: "Um… I don't know."a point thrown away
Wrong and silent both score 0. So say your best word.
official timing, trait and skills
| PTE Academic | PTE Core | |
|---|---|---|
| Time | Speak up to 10 s | Speak up to 10 s |
| Scored on | Vocabulary 1 | Vocabulary 1 |
| Counts for | Listening | Listening + Speaking |
Timings: Pearson's test format. Scoring and skills: its Score Guides (Academic July 2025, Core January 2026).
Card 3 of 10 onwards
Card 3 is free too
Create a free account for card 3; the other 7 come with any plan.
Create a free account →10 cards
Start One word, no silence free
Create a free account to read the first 3 cards. The full lesson and its PDF come with any plan.
Create a free account →Free practice
Keep reading
Questions
The first three cards are free to read online with a free BandLadder account. The full lesson opens with any plan.
The PDF download comes with any BandLadder plan. Free accounts read the lesson online in the study reader, on the web and in the app.
The BandLadder team wrote and checked it. It is original BandLadder material, not copied from books or other websites, and its exam facts are checked against the official IELTS and PTE pages.
Both versions of the test: it covers what they share and says where they differ.
IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge, the British Council and IDP Education Australia. PTE is a trademark of Pearson. BandLadder is not affiliated with either.
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