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PTE Core · Speaking · SW5

PTE Core Speaking: Answer Short Question

Answer Short Question plays a brief spoken question, usually 3 to 9 seconds long, and you answer in a word or a short phrase within 10 seconds. The questions use everyday knowledge, and some items include an image. PTE Core has 5 to 6 of these in Part 1.

Items per test
5–6
Question length
About 3–9 seconds of audio
Response time
10 seconds
Answer length
One word or a short phrase
Image
Only on some items

How it works

  1. 1The question plays once; an image appears only if the question needs it.
  2. 2The microphone opens when the audio ends.
  3. 3Say your short answer clearly within 10 seconds.
  4. 4The screen moves on after the time ends or after silence.

Sample task

Original sample · not from an official test

You hear: "What do you call the document a shop gives you to prove you paid for something?"

Show a strong response

Outline: "A receipt."

Only the key word is needed. Saying "a receipt" clearly is enough; a full sentence adds nothing and risks hesitation.

Tips that work

  • Answer with the key word or phrase only. Long sentences waste time and add chances to go wrong.
  • Listen for the question word at the end, such as "which", "how many" or "what do you call".
  • If you are unsure, give your best guess at once; silence scores nothing.
  • Build everyday vocabulary around shopping, transport, health, work and the home, since questions draw on daily life.
  • Keep your voice clear and at normal volume; a mumbled one-word answer is easy to mis-hear.

Common mistakes

  • Repeating the whole question before answering.
  • Giving two different answers, which makes it unclear which one you mean.

Questions candidates ask

Do I need a full sentence in Answer Short Question?

No. A single word or short phrase is the expected answer.

Are the questions about specialist topics?

No. They test everyday knowledge and vocabulary, not expertise.

What if I do not know the answer?

Say your best guess clearly and move on. Each item is short, so one miss has a small effect.

Other PTE Core Speaking tasks

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