PTE Academic Knowledge 3

Question 1

In academic writing assessed by PTE, which term describes language that expresses uncertainty or possibility rather than absolute certainty?

Accepted Answer

Hedging

Answer

Hedging language (e.g., 'may,' 'might,' 'it appears that') is used in academic writing to indicate that claims are not absolute.

Question 2

Which signal word BEST indicates a contrast relationship between two ideas in an academic text?

Accepted Answer

Nevertheless

Answer

'Nevertheless' signals that the upcoming idea contrasts with or concedes the previous point, making it a contrast marker.

Question 3

In PTE Reading: Fill in the Blanks, which strategy is MOST helpful for selecting the correct word?

Accepted Answer

Consider grammatical category and collocation of the surrounding words

Answer

Checking whether the missing word fits grammatically (e.g., noun, verb) and collocates naturally with adjacent words is the most reliable strategy.

Question 4

The word 'albeit' in academic writing is best replaced by which of the following phrases?

Accepted Answer

Even though / although

Answer

'Albeit' is a formal conjunction meaning 'even though' or 'although,' used to introduce a concessive clause.

Question 5

What does 'inference' require a reader to do when answering comprehension questions in PTE Academic Reading?

Accepted Answer

Draw conclusions from implied information not directly stated

Answer

Inference means reading between the lines—drawing logical conclusions from information implied but not explicitly stated in the text.

PTE Practice Test