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PTE Core · Speaking · SW3

PTE Core Speaking: Describe Image

Describe Image shows a chart, table, map, process diagram or photo and asks you to describe it aloud. You have 25 seconds to study it and 40 seconds to speak. A strong answer names the main point, gives two or three specific details and ends with an overall comparison or trend.

Items per test
3–4
Preparation
25 seconds
Speaking time
40 seconds
Image types
Charts, tables, maps, processes or photos
Silence rule
Recording stops after 3 seconds of silence

How it works

  1. 1An image appears with a 25-second preparation timer.
  2. 2Identify the topic, the biggest or smallest values and any clear trend.
  3. 3When the tone sounds, describe the image for up to 40 seconds.
  4. 4Finish with a one-sentence overall point before the timer ends.

Sample task

Original sample · not from an official test

A pie chart titled "How staff travel to work" shows: car 45%, bus 25%, bicycle 15%, walking 10%, other 5%.

Show a strong response

Outline: "The chart shows how staff travel to work. Driving is the most common option at 45 percent, followed by the bus at a quarter. Cycling accounts for 15 percent and walking for 10, while only 5 percent use other methods. Overall, nearly half of staff rely on cars, and active travel makes up a quarter."

The answer opens with the topic, moves from largest to smallest, uses exact figures and closes with a summary that combines two categories. That is about 55 words, a comfortable amount for 40 seconds.

Tips that work

  • Spend the first ten seconds of preparation on the title and labels; misreading the topic undermines the whole answer.
  • Pick two or three details only. Trying to read out every number makes you rush and hesitate.
  • Use a small set of phrases you can say without thinking: "the highest", "just over", "roughly a quarter".
  • For photos or processes, describe what is happening and in what order, not just the objects you see.

Common mistakes

  • Stopping at 25 seconds because you ran out of prepared details; add a comparison instead.
  • Guessing figures that are not shown on the image.
  • Long pauses while searching for a word, which can close the microphone.

Questions candidates ask

Do I need to talk for the full 40 seconds?

Not necessarily, but finishing far too early usually means missing content. Plan for about 35 seconds of steady speech.

Should I use a memorised template?

A light structure helps, but a template that ignores the image content does not describe it. Fill your structure with real details from the picture.

What images appear in PTE Core?

Expect everyday and workplace visuals such as bar and pie charts, tables, simple maps, process diagrams and photos.

Other PTE Core Speaking tasks

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