PTE Core Highlight Incorrect Words: method, scoring and practice
A transcript is visible while a recording plays once, but some displayed words differ from what is spoken. You select each mismatch while staying synchronized with the audio; the task tests precise listening and reading together.
How Highlight Incorrect Words is scored
Highlight Incorrect Words contributes to Listening and Reading. Correct mismatches earn points and incorrect selections lose points, so random clicking can cancel correct work; the item score does not fall below zero.
Use this correctly: practise the task rule and review the exact error pattern. A task-level practice result is not a conversion to Pearson’s 10–90 score and is not a promise of your test result.
A three-step method that survives test pressure
- Step 1. Use the preview to locate names, numbers, content words and sentence structure, then place your cursor near the opening.
- Step 2. Track word by word as audio plays and select a mismatch immediately without stopping your forward movement.
- Step 3. After audio, keep only selections you actually heard differ; do not add words merely because they look unusual.
Three common traps
- Reading ahead and losing alignment with the spoken sentence.
- Clicking a spelling variant when the spoken word is actually the same lexical item.
- Selecting suspicious words after audio without auditory evidence and triggering negative marking.
See the method on a fresh task
Prompt: Audio says “The new policy allows staff to work remotely for two days each week.” The transcript shows “requires” and “three.”
Approach: Select only “requires” and “three.” Every other displayed word matches, so selecting an additional word would deduct a point.
Open Highlight Incorrect Words drills
The matching bank runs locally in your browser. Objective tasks score immediately; speaking recordings stay on your device and use honest record-and-review feedback.
Questions learners ask
What does PTE Core Highlight Incorrect Words score?
Highlight Incorrect Words contributes to Listening + Reading. Highlight Incorrect Words contributes to Listening and Reading. Correct mismatches earn points and incorrect selections lose points, so random clicking can cancel correct work; the item score does not fall below zero.
Can this Highlight Incorrect Words practice predict my official PTE score?
No. The drills provide task-level practice feedback, not an official or guaranteed PTE score. Pearson controls the real test and score report.
Where can I practise PTE Core Highlight Incorrect Words?
Use the free matching practice linked on this page. It saves only completion and score summaries; answers and recordings are not uploaded with progress.
Related listening tasks
Primary source: Pearson’s official PTE Core Listening format and thePTE Core Score Guide 2026. Verified July 2026. Pearson controls the test format and scoring; TestDayTwin is an independent practice site.