PTE Highlight Incorrect Words: 10 Drills + Cursor Method

⚡ Quick answer

In PTE Highlight Incorrect Words, the audio reads a transcript with intentional deviations; click each word you hear differently from the text. Scoring uses negative marking: +1 for each correct click, −1 for each wrong word clicked, with the item minimum capped at 0. Expect 2–5 incorrect words per item, so only click when certain.

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PTE Highlight Incorrect Words 2026 — Cursor Method Strategy

Highlight Incorrect Words (HIW) is one of the most manageable Listening tasks in PTE Academic. Unlike Write From Dictation (which requires typing) or Highlight Correct Summary (which requires comprehension), HIW simply requires you to identify words in a transcript that differ from what the speaker says. With the cursor method, you can maximise your HIW score reliably.

For broader context, see the PTE score requirements guide.

What Is Highlight Incorrect Words?

You see a written transcript on screen. You hear a speaker read a similar — but not identical — text. Some words in the transcript differ from what the speaker says. You must click on the incorrect words as you hear the deviations. There are typically 2-5 incorrect words per item, and the task runs in real time — you must click while listening.

HIW appears 2-3 times per PTE Academic exam and contributes to both Listening and Reading communicative skill scores.

How Is HIW Scored?

HIW uses partial credit with a negative marking element for the Listening component:

Each correctly identified incorrect word: +1 point
Each word clicked that is actually correct (false positive): -1 point
Minimum score for the item: 0 (cannot go negative)

This means over-clicking — clicking words you are not sure about — actively reduces your score. Selective, confident clicking beats anxious clicking of every word that sounds different.

Verify the latest official format on pearsonpte.com/pte-academic/test-format before relying on task counts, timings, or scoring rules — Pearson updates these without site-wide announcements.

The Cursor Method — How to Use It

Step 1 — Hover Your Cursor Over the Text

Before the audio begins, position your cursor at the start of the transcript text. As the audio plays, slowly scroll your cursor across the text, word by word, tracking the speaker's pace.

This synchronises your visual focus with the audio playback. When a spoken word does not match the written word under your cursor, the mismatch is immediately obvious — and you click.

Step 2 — Click Immediately When You Detect a Mismatch

Do not wait until the end of the sentence to decide if a word was wrong. Click the moment you hear that the spoken word does not match the written word. Delaying your click often means the audio has moved on and you lose the position.

Step 3 — Do Not Click Speculatively

Only click when you are sure there is a mismatch. Common sources of false positives:

Slightly different pronunciation of the same word (British vs American vowels) — NOT an incorrect word
Natural speaking contractions ("it is" spoken as "it's") — depends on whether the written text says "it is" or "it's"
Fast speech connecting two words — wait to confirm if the whole phrase is different before clicking

Types of Deviations HIW Uses

HIW deviations are consistent and predictable. The transcript changes one word in a phrase, and the speaker says the original (or a different version). Common deviation types:

Synonym substitutions: "important" (transcript) vs "significant" (spoken) — click "important"
Number changes: "three" vs "four" — click the wrong number in transcript
Verb tense changes: "increased" (transcript) vs "increases" (spoken)
Adjective changes: "large" vs "significant", "new" vs "recent"
Negation changes: "did not" vs "did" — this is a meaning-changing deviation, always click

Time Management for HIW

HIW runs in real time — you cannot pause and review. Unlike multiple choice tasks where you can reconsider your answer after the audio ends, HIW requires real-time decisions. The cursor method solves the "where am I in the text" problem, allowing you to focus entirely on listening for deviations.

After the audio ends, quickly scan your selections — if you accidentally clicked a correct word, you can de-select it before the task timer expires.

Common Mistakes Nepali Students Make on HIW

Reading the transcript instead of listening — Students who read the transcript too carefully lose sync with the audio. Follow with your cursor; do not read independently of the audio.
Clicking too many words out of uncertainty — Remember: false positives deduct points. When unsure, do not click. The cost of missing one incorrect word (0 points for that word) is the same as incorrectly clicking one correct word (-1 point). But if you click several uncertain words, the deductions add up.
Not positioning cursor at the start before audio begins — Students who scramble to find their place in the text after the audio starts miss early deviations.

How to Practice Highlight Incorrect Words

HIW is hard to drill alone because you need audio that deviates from a written transcript. The 10 drills below solve that: each drill shows the on-screen transcript (the version with the wrong words). The audio script — what the speaker actually says — is hidden in a collapsible box under each drill. Copy the audio script into any text-to-speech tool (or hand it to a study partner) without reading it first, press play, and track the transcript with your cursor. Click (circle, on paper) every word you hear differently. Each drill is 30–40 words with 2–3 incorrect words — the real exam range. Check the answer key at the end.

Drill 1 — Education

Transcript: "Universities around the world are increasingly adopting online assessment methods. While these systems reduce administrative costs, critics argue that they cannot fully replace traditional examinations, particularly in subjects that require practical demonstration of skills."

Audio script (for TTS or a study partner — don't read it yourself first)

"Universities around the world are increasingly adopting online assessment tools. While these systems lower administrative costs, critics argue that they cannot fully replace conventional examinations, particularly in subjects that require practical demonstration of skills."

Drill 2 — Environment

Transcript: "Coral reefs support roughly a quarter of all marine species, yet rising ocean temperatures have caused widespread bleaching events. Scientists warn that without immediate action, most reefs could disappear by the end of this century."