PTE Listening Multiple Choice Multiple Answer : Beat Negative Marking

Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers (MCMA) in the PTE Listening section tests not just your comprehension, but also your strategic decision-making. After listening to a recording, you must select all the correct statements from a list. The catch? A wrong answer will cost you a point.

This element of negative marking makes the task a high-stakes balancing act. How many options should you choose? What if you’re not completely sure about one of them? The fear of losing points can lead to hesitation and poor choices.

This guide will give you a clear, low-risk strategy to handle this task with confidence. The focus is not on finding every possible correct answer. Instead, you will learn a “safety-first” method that prioritizes securing the points you are certain of while actively avoiding the penalties that can lower your score.

What is Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers in PTE Listening

To build a smart strategy, you must know exactly how this MCMA task is scored.

What you will do: You will listen to an audio recording (40 to 90 seconds long). Afterwards, you must select all the correct options from a list of 5 to 7 statements.

How PTE Listening Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers is Scored

• You get +1 point for every correct option you choose.
• You get -1 point for every incorrect option you choose.
• The minimum score for the entire question is zero. You cannot get a negative total.

The most important takeaway: The scoring system punishes guessing. It is always better to choose only one answer you are sure of than to choose one correct and one incorrect answer (which results in zero points).

Your Strategy: The “Note-Based Certainty” Method

The key to success is to base your decisions not on vague feelings, but on the concrete evidence you gather during the audio: your notes.

Step 1: Prime Your Brain (Before the Audio)

You have a few seconds before the audio starts. Use this time to read the question prompt. What is the main topic of the lecture? Knowing this primes your brain and helps you focus your listening.

Step 2: Listen for Key Ideas, Not Just Keywords (During the Audio)

As the audio plays, your goal on your erasable noteboard is to capture the main ideas. Don’t try to write full sentences. Jot down 3-4 key phrases that summarize the speaker’s main points.

• Example: If the speaker discusses the decline of bee populations, your notes might look like this:
  • Bee population dropping
  • Main reason -> pesticides
  • Impacts food production
  • Need more research

These notes are now your “source of truth.”

Step 3: Verify Each Option Against Your Notes (After the Audio)

Now, go through the answer options one by one. For each option, compare it to the notes you just took. This is where you rate your certainty.

• 100% Certain: “I can see this exact point in my notes.” or “I clearly remember the speaker saying this.” -> Select this option.
• Not Certain: “This option sounds plausible, but it’s not in my notes.” or “This uses keywords, but I’m not sure the meaning is correct.” -> Do not select this option.

The Golden Rule: If it’s not in your notes or you don’t have a clear memory of the speaker stating it, do not click it. Trust your notes, not your guesses.

Practical Examples of Our Method to Solve Listening MCMA

Let’s see how the “Note-Based Certainty” method works in a couple of different scenarios.

Example 1: A Science Topic

• Audio (Summary): A lecturer explains that while coffee is often criticized, moderate consumption has been linked to several health benefits. The main benefit discussed is a reduced risk of liver disease. However, the speaker cautions that adding large amounts of sugar and cream can negate these positive effects.
  
• Your Notes:
  • Coffee -> health benefits
  • Main benefit = less liver disease
  • Warning: sugar/cream bad -> negates benefits
    
• Answer Options:
  • A) Coffee is beneficial for liver health.
  • B) All types of coffee are equally healthy.
  • C) The lecturer believes coffee is generally a harmful substance.
  • D) Adding sugar and cream can reduce the health benefits of coffee.
  • E) Coffee can help cure all forms of liver disease.

The Solution Process:

1. Analyze Option A: “Coffee is beneficial for liver health.” My notes say “Main benefit = less liver disease.” This is a 100% match. Select A.
   
2. Analyze Option B: “All types of coffee are equally healthy.” My notes say “sugar/cream bad.” This contradicts the option. Do not select.
   
3. Analyze Option C: “The lecturer believes coffee is generally a harmful substance.” The speaker talked about “health benefits.” This contradicts the option. Do not select.
   
4. Analyze Option D: “Adding sugar and cream can reduce the health benefits of coffee.” My notes say “Warning: sugar/cream bad -> negates benefits.” This is a 100% match. Select D.
   
5. Analyze Option E: “Coffee can help cure all forms of liver disease.” The speaker mentioned “reduced risk,” not a “cure.” This is a classic “extreme word” trap. Do not select.

Final Decision: I am 100% certain about A and D. I select only these two options and secure my 2 points.

Example 2: A Business Topic

• Audio (Summary): A manager is giving a briefing about a new company policy regarding remote work. She states that the policy is designed to improve work-life balance for employees. As part of the new system, all staff will be allowed to work from home two days per week. However, she emphasizes that employees must still be available for all scheduled meetings online.
  
• Your Notes:
  • New remote work policy
  • Goal = better work-life balance
  • Work from home 2 days/week
  • MUST be available for online meetings
    
• Answer Options:
  • A) The new policy requires all employees to work from home permanently.
  • B) The primary goal of the new policy is to improve employee well-being.
  • C) Employees working from home are not required to attend meetings.
  • D) The company is introducing a new remote work option.
  • E) The policy allows employees to choose their own work hours.

The Solution Process:

1. Analyze Option A: “The new policy requires all employees to work from home permanently.” My notes say “2 days/week,” not permanently. This is a mismatched detail. Do not select.
   
2. Analyze Option B: “The primary goal of the new policy is to improve employee well-being.” My notes say “Goal = better work-life balance.” This is a very close and accurate paraphrase. It is a 100% match. Select B.
   
3. Analyze Option C: “Employees working from home are not required to attend meetings.” My notes explicitly say “MUST be available for online meetings.” This directly contradicts the option. Do not select.
   
4. Analyze Option D: “The company is introducing a new remote work option.” The entire lecture was about the new “remote work policy.” This is a clear, factual statement. It is a 100% match. Select D.
   
5. Analyze Option E: “The policy allows employees to choose their own work hours.” The speaker did not mention anything about flexible hours, only the location of work. This is an “out of scope” trap. Do not select.

Final Decision: I am 100% certain about B and D. I will select only these two options to guarantee my 2 points.

How to Practice PTE Listening Multiple Choice Multiple Answers

• Practice Active Note-Taking: The core skill is capturing main ideas quickly. You can practice this anytime. Listen to a short news segment or a podcast and give yourself 30 seconds to write down the 3 main points.
• Become a Trap Spotter: When you do practice questions on our PTE Listening MCMA page, focus on identifying the traps. For each wrong answer, ask yourself why it is wrong. Is it a mismatched detail? An extreme word? This analytical practice is crucial.
• Build Your Listening Stamina: This task requires sustained focus. To prepare for the real exam, you need to practice it as part of the complete PTE Listening practice section.
• Simulate the Pressure: A PTE Listening Sectional Mock Test is the best way to test your ability to take good notes and stick to your “Note-Based Certainty” strategy when the clock is ticking.

The key to this task is discipline. Trust your notes, stick to what you know for sure, and never guess. This approach will protect you from negative marking and help you consistently score points.

Ready to see how you perform in a full test simulation? Take a free, full-length PTE mock test with a complete score report.

Frequently Asked Questions About Listening MCMA

Q1. How many correct answers are there usually?

Typically, there will be 2 or 3 correct options. However, this is just a general tendency, not a rule. You must base your decision on your notes and your certainty, not on guessing the number of correct answers.

Q2. What if I am 100% sure about only one option?

Then you should select only that one option. Securing 1 guaranteed point is infinitely better than guessing a second option and ending up with 0 points. Playing it safe is the winning strategy.

Q3. This seems similar to Highlight Correct Summary. What’s the difference?

Both test your comprehension of a main idea. The key difference is the format. In HCS, you choose one summary paragraph. In MCMA, you choose multiple individual sentences. MCMA also has the added risk of negative marking, which requires a more cautious strategy.