PTE Academic is a computer-based test scored entirely by Pearson's scoring system (with human review for some open responses). Many tasks are "integrated": a single answer can count toward two skills. That is why knowing each task's timing and scoring rules is worth more than general English practice alone.
The structure at a glance
| Part | Time | Question types |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1: Speaking & Writing | 76–84 minutes | 9 |
| Part 2: Reading | 23–30 minutes | 5 |
| Part 3: Listening | 31–39 minutes | 8 |
Before Part 1 there is an unscored personal introduction: about 25 seconds to prepare and 30 seconds to record.
Part 1: Speaking & Writing (9 question types)
| # | Task | Items per test | Key timings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Read Aloud | 6–7 | Text up to 60 words; 30–40 s preparation |
| 2 | Repeat Sentence | 10–12 | 3–9 s audio; 15 s to respond |
| 3 | Describe Image | 5–6 | 25 s preparation; 40 s to speak |
| 4 | Re-tell Lecture | 2–3 | Audio/video up to 90 s; 10 s preparation; 40 s to speak |
| 5 | Answer Short Question | 5–6 | 3–9 s question; 10 s to answer |
| 6 | Summarize Group Discussion | 2–3 | Discussion up to 3 min; 10 s preparation; 2 min to speak |
| 7 | Respond to a Situation | 2–3 | Situation up to 60 words (text and audio); 10 s preparation; 40 s to speak |
| 8 | Summarize Written Text | 2 | Text up to 300 words; 10 min; one sentence of 5–75 words |
| 9 | Write Essay | 1 | 2–3 sentence prompt; 20 min; 200–300 words |
Tips for the speaking tasks
- Start speaking promptly. The microphone stops recording after a few seconds of silence. Hesitating at the start of a recording can cost you the whole response.
- Fluency beats self-correction. Stopping to fix a small error usually hurts your oral fluency more than the error itself.
- Describe Image and Re-tell Lecture reward a clear structure: the main idea, two or three key details, and a conclusion or implication.
Summarize Group Discussion (new)
You hear three speakers discussing a topic, then summarise the discussion in up to two minutes. Good responses name the topic, give each speaker's main position, and explain where they agree or disagree. Taking brief notes by speaker (S1, S2, S3) makes this much easier.
Respond to a Situation (new)
You read and hear a short description of an everyday situation, for example needing to rearrange a meeting or explain a problem to a neighbour, and respond as if speaking to the person involved. Match your tone to the situation, address what the prompt asks, and keep the response natural.
Writing tasks
- Summarize Written Text: one complete sentence of 5 to 75 words. Use a connector (such as "while", "although", "because") to join the main ideas into one grammatical sentence.
- Write Essay: stay in the 200–300 word range. Writing well outside it is penalised on form.
Part 2: Reading (5 question types)
| # | Task | Items per test | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks | 5–6 | Choose words from drop-down menus |
| 2 | Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers | 2–3 | Negative marking |
| 3 | Reorder Paragraph | 2–3 | Drag boxes into order |
| 4 | Reading: Fill in the Blanks | 4–5 | Drag words from a box into gaps |
| 5 | Multiple Choice, Single Answer | 2–3 | One correct answer |
Reading has one timer for the whole part, not per question. Candidates often overspend time on Reorder Paragraph. Look for the one sentence that can stand alone as an opening (no pronoun or connector pointing backwards) and build logical pairs from there.
Part 3: Listening (8 question types)
| # | Task | Items per test | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Summarize Spoken Text | 1 | 60–90 s audio; 10 min; 50–70 words |
| 2 | Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers | 2–3 | Negative marking |
| 3 | Fill in the Blanks | 2–3 | Type missing words into a transcript |
| 4 | Highlight Correct Summary | 2–3 | Choose the best summary |
| 5 | Multiple Choice, Single Answer | 2–3 | One correct answer |
| 6 | Select Missing Word | 1–2 | Choose the words replaced by a beep |
| 7 | Highlight Incorrect Words | 2–3 | Click words that differ from the audio; negative marking |
| 8 | Write from Dictation | 3–4 | Type the sentence you hear |
Write from Dictation is short but important: each correctly typed word earns credit, and the task contributes to both Listening and Writing. Spelling counts.
Structures for the open-response speaking tasks
Five speaking tasks ask you to produce extended speech with little preparation. A simple plan for each keeps you speaking smoothly.
Describe Image (40 seconds)
- What the image shows: "This bar chart compares energy use in five countries."
- The main feature: "The highest figure is..."
- One or two comparisons or trends: "By contrast,... while..."
- A closing line: "Overall, the chart suggests that..."
Re-tell Lecture (40 seconds)
- The topic: "The lecture was about..."
- Two or three key points, in the order you heard them
- The speaker's conclusion or implication
Summarize Group Discussion (up to 2 minutes)
- The topic of the discussion
- Each speaker's main view, with one supporting point each
- Where they agreed or disagreed, and any conclusion
Respond to a Situation (40 seconds)
- Greet or address the person
- Respond to the situation directly (apologise, explain, request)
- Offer a next step or solution
Answer Short Question (10 seconds) Give only the answer, a word or short phrase. Long explanations do not earn extra credit.
Structures for the writing tasks
Summarize Written Text (one sentence, 5–75 words): identify the main idea and one or two key supporting points, then join them with a connector. For example: "Although urban green spaces are expensive to maintain, the passage argues that their benefits for residents' health and local biodiversity justify the investment."
Summarize Spoken Text (50–70 words): note key words while listening, then write the topic, two or three main points and the conclusion in full sentences.
Write Essay (200–300 words): introduction with your position, two body paragraphs each with one main idea and support, and a short conclusion.
Rules that catch people out
- Negative marking: on Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers and Highlight Incorrect Words, wrong selections subtract points (an item never goes below zero). Only select what you are confident about.
- No going back: once you click Next, the previous question is closed.
- No replay: every audio and video clip plays once.
- No scheduled break in the test.
Test day checklist
- A valid passport or the ID accepted for your test location
- Arrive early for check-in, photo and palm-vein or similar identity checks at the centre
- Test your headset and microphone position when prompted, and keep the microphone at a consistent distance
- Leave personal items in the locker; you will receive an erasable noteboard for notes
How to practise the format
Because timing is so tight, the fastest improvement usually comes from repeating each task type under real timings until the rhythm is automatic, then sitting full tests to build stamina.
EnglishHub's PTE Academic simulator uses the real three-part format, with 50 full mock tests and 200 practice sets, and AI feedback on speaking and writing tasks. Your first mock test is free: start a PTE Academic mock or go to the PTE Academic hub. If you are unsure whether you need PTE Academic or PTE Core, read PTE Academic vs PTE Core.
EnglishHub is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pearson. Always check the latest format and rules on the official PTE website before your test.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are in PTE Academic?
A PTE Academic test contains between 65 and 75 questions across 22 question types. The exact number varies from form to form, and not every minimum or maximum occurs in the same test.
How long is PTE Academic?
About two hours. Pearson states a maximum of 2 hours 15 minutes. Part 1 (Speaking and Writing) takes about 76–84 minutes, Part 2 (Reading) 23–30 minutes and Part 3 (Listening) 31–39 minutes.
What are the new PTE Academic question types?
Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation were added to the Speaking and Writing part on 7 August 2025. Both are speaking tasks: one asks you to summarise a three-person discussion, the other to respond to a described situation.
Can I replay audio in PTE Academic?
No. Every recording plays once, there is no scheduled break, and you cannot go back to a previous question once you move on.
Is the personal introduction scored?
No. The short personal introduction at the start is not scored, but it is sent to institutions with your score report, so it is worth doing calmly and clearly.
