Loading…

PTE Academic · Speaking · S3

PTE Academic Speaking: Describe Image

Describe Image shows a graph, table, map, process diagram, photo or similar visual. You have 25 seconds to study it and 40 seconds to describe it into the microphone. PTE Academic includes 5 to 6 of these items, and they are scored for Speaking.

Items per test
5–6
Preparation
25 seconds
Speaking time
40 seconds
Image types
Charts, tables, maps, processes, photos, infographics
Scores
Speaking

How it works

  1. 1The image appears with a 25-second preparation countdown.
  2. 2Recording starts automatically when the preparation time ends.
  3. 3You describe the main idea, key details and any trend or relationship.
  4. 4Recording ends at 40 seconds, or after about 3 seconds of silence.

Sample task

Original sample · not from an official test

A bar chart titled 'Weekly hours spent cycling to work, by city (2024)' shows: Riverton 5.5, Lakeside 4.0, Hillcrest 2.5, Portmoor 1.0. Describe the image in detail.

Show a strong response

Outline: "The bar chart compares how many hours people in four cities spend cycling to work each week in 2024. Riverton has the highest figure at five and a half hours, followed by Lakeside at four. Hillcrest is lower at two and a half, and Portmoor has the lowest, just one hour. Overall, cycling time in Riverton is more than five times that in Portmoor."

The answer states what the chart shows, gives the highest and lowest values with numbers, adds a middle point, and ends with a comparison. That covers topic, detail and relationship within about 35 seconds.

Tips that work

  • Spend the first 10 seconds of preparation on the title and units, then pick the highest value, the lowest value and one relationship.
  • Use one reliable opening pattern, such as 'The chart compares…', so you can start without hesitating.
  • For maps and processes, move in a clear order: left to right, first stage to last stage.
  • Finish with a one-sentence overall point about the trend or contrast, even if you have not mentioned every detail.

Common mistakes

  • Reading out every number in a table instead of choosing the important ones.
  • Stopping at 25 seconds because you run out of planned content.
  • Reciting a memorised template that does not match the image.

Questions candidates ask

Do I need to mention every detail?

No. A clear overview plus the most important details and a comparison or trend is more useful than a rushed list.

What kinds of images appear?

Bar, line and pie charts, tables, maps, process diagrams and photos are all possible, so practise a range.

Does EnglishHub give feedback on my answer?

Yes. Speaking practice on EnglishHub includes AI feedback on your recorded response. It is a practice estimate, not a Pearson score.

Other PTE Academic Speaking tasks

PTE Academic overviewPTE Academic Speaking: all partsPTE Academic full mock testsPTE Academic articles on the blog