To solve the basic problem of comparing two probabilistic linguistic term sets(PLTSs), we propose an improved possibility degree(PD) formula based on the existing ones. The new PD formula is simple to operate and can effectively distinguish any two PLTSs. Moreover, its application can be easily extended. It is found in further research that the PD matrix constructed by pairwise comparing multiple alternatives, based on the new PD formula, constitutes a fuzzy reciprocal preference relationship with additive consistency; the comprehensive possibility matrix constructed by weighted averaging multiple PD matrices, also constitutes a fuzzy reciprocal preference relationship with additive consistency. Based on these findings, we develop a probabilistic linguistic multi-attribute decision-making(MADM) method, and apply it to evaluate the education and teaching quality in military academies. Numerical results show that the proposed probabilistic linguistic MADM method employs a simple structure and has a strong self-checking capability in the calculation process, which can ensure the validity of the decision-making results.