1.Read Aloud
6–7 per testspeakingPrepare by silently reading the whole text and marking stressed words. Speak from the first word — there is no penalty for a small mistake, but a long silence can end the recording and lose the item.
PTE test format
One test, three timed sections.
Explore the current Academic format, how each section is arranged, and what changed with the two added question types.
Speaking & WritingReadingListeningScore weightage & priority matrix ↓How scoring works →All 22 question guides →
At a glance
The three sections
| Part | Section | Duration | Types | Scored skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Speaking & Writing | 76–84 min | 9 | speaking |
| Part 2 | Reading | 23–30 min | 5 | reading |
| Part 3 | Listening | 31–39 min | 8 | listening |
The minimum and maximum times do not add up to a fixed total because each test version is balanced for length. No candidate receives either extreme.
2025 Update
Two new question types added
Pearson added two item types in August 2025, bringing the total to 22. Summarize Group Discussion plays a recorded exchange between three or four speakers and asks you to summarise the group's position in your own words. Respond to a Situation describes a scenario and asks you to deliver an appropriate spoken response. Both sit in Part 1 and are scored on oral fluency, pronunciation and content.
Strategic Scoring Priority
How scoring works →Score weightage & contributor matrix
Unlike traditional exams where skills are isolated, PTE distributes marks across sections through integrated tasks. Filter by your target skill to reveal which tasks provide the bulk of your points.
Target score focus plans
Select your benchmark to adapt your daily study allocation:
Full PTE Score Architecture
80% time on Tier 1 & 2 · 20% on mock exams & remaining itemsUnderstand the Pareto distribution (80/20 rule) in PTE Academic scoring
Over 70% of total exam marks come from just 6 of the 22 question types. Mastering Tier 1 guarantees the greatest return on practice time.
High-yield priorities:Write From DictationRepeat SentenceRead AloudR&W Fill in the BlanksDescribe Image
Crucial PTE Fact
The "Integrated Scoring Trap"
Candidates who fail Writing often assume they wrote a poor essay. In reality, over 50% of your Writing marks are awarded in the Listening and Reading sections: Write From Dictation (~25 pts), R&W Fill in the Blanks (~22 pts), and Summarize Spoken Text (~12 pts). Similarly, Read Aloud donates ~22 points directly to Reading.
Filter by skill:
Filter by tier:
Showing 22 of 22 question types
Write From Dictation
(Listening)Tier 1 · Criticallistening + writing
Estimated Point Impact25–28 pts (Writing + Listening)Target duration: 1–1.5 min per audio
Cross-Skill Contributor
Massive Writing donor! Donates ~25 points directly to Writing. Skimping on time here breaks your Writing score.
Exam Strategy: 100% spelling accuracy. Write alternative endings if unsure (no negative penalty for extra words). Practice 20–30 daily.
3–4 per full exam
Repeat Sentence
(Speaking & Writing)Tier 1 · Criticalspeaking + listening
Estimated Point Impact30–33 pts (Speaking) + 18–20 pts (Listening)Target duration: 15 sec immediately after beep
Cross-Skill Contributor
Biggest speaking contributor and large listening donor. Contributes over 30 points to Speaking alone.
Exam Strategy: Continuous fluency beats word-for-word recall. If you catch 65–70% of words, speak them smoothly without stopping or hesitating.
10–12 per full exam
Read Aloud
(Speaking & Writing)Tier 1 · Criticalspeaking + reading
Estimated Point Impact22–25 pts (Speaking) + 20–22 pts (Reading)Target duration: 35–40 sec preparation, 30–35 sec speech
Cross-Skill Contributor
Massive Reading donor! Secures ~22 points in Reading before Part 2 (Reading section) even starts.
Exam Strategy: Read with natural cadence and rhythm. Stress key nouns and verbs. Never correct yourself if you mispronounce a word — keep flowing.
6–7 per full exam
Tier 1 · Criticalreading + writing
Estimated Point Impact22–25 pts (Reading) + 20–22 pts (Writing)Target duration: 2–2.5 min per passage
Cross-Skill Contributor
The single highest-weight task in the Reading section, and provides ~22 points to Writing.
Exam Strategy: Master the Academic Collocation List (ACL), verb agreement, and preposition pairings. Budget 2–2.5 minutes per passage.
5–6 per full exam
Describe Image
(Speaking & Writing)Tier 1 · Criticalspeaking
Estimated Point Impact22–25 pts (Speaking)Target duration: 25 sec preparation, 25–30 sec speech
Cross-Skill Contributor
Pure speaking booster. Easiest task to automate with a fixed 25–30 second oral delivery template.
Exam Strategy: Rely on a proven 4-point template (Title → Highest trend → Lowest trend → Conclusion). Speak without hesitations or pauses.
5–6 per full exam
Tier 1 · Criticalreading
Estimated Point Impact15–18 pts (Reading)Target duration: 1.5–2 min per passage
Cross-Skill Contributor
Core Reading score foundation. Critical for meeting 65+ and 79+ cutoffs.
Exam Strategy: Eliminate options using parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective, adverb). Place confident words first to narrow remaining choices.
4–5 per full exam
Summarize Spoken Text
(Listening)Tier 2 · Corelistening + writing
Estimated Point Impact12–14 pts (Listening) + 12–14 pts (Writing)Target duration: 10 min per item (independent timer)
Cross-Skill Contributor
Equal dual weightage for Listening and Writing.
Exam Strategy: Strict 50–70 words. Note down 4–5 clear phrase groups. Embed them into grammatically clean compound sentences. Check spelling.
1 per full exam
Write Essay
(Speaking & Writing)Tier 2 · Corewriting
Estimated Point Impact11–13 pts (Writing)Target duration: 20 min per essay (independent timer)
Cross-Skill Contributor
Surprisingly lower weight than Write from Dictation or R&W FIB, but essential for Form and Discourse.
Exam Strategy: Stick strictly to 220–260 words across 4 paragraphs. Use a template to finish writing in 15 minutes, leaving 5 minutes for proofreading.
1 per full exam
Re-tell Lecture
(Speaking & Writing)Tier 2 · Corespeaking + listening
Estimated Point Impact10–12 pts (Speaking) + 10–12 pts (Listening)Target duration: 10 sec preparation, 30–35 sec speech
Cross-Skill Contributor
Dual score for both Speaking and Listening.
Exam Strategy: Capture 5–7 keywords and key phrases on notepad. Channel them immediately into a fluent lecture template without stammering.
2–3 per full exam
Summarize Written Text
(Speaking & Writing)Tier 2 · Corereading + writing
Estimated Point Impact8–10 pts (Reading) + 8–10 pts (Writing)Target duration: 10 min per prompt (independent timer)
Cross-Skill Contributor
Feeds both Reading and Writing skills.
Exam Strategy: Must be ONE single complete sentence ending in a full stop (5–75 words; sweet spot 35–45 words). Two sentences = 0 Form score!
2 per full exam
Listening: Fill in the Blanks
(Listening)Tier 2 · Corelistening + writing
Estimated Point Impact7–9 pts (Listening) + 7–9 pts (Writing)Target duration: 1.5–2 min per passage
Cross-Skill Contributor
Directly influences your Writing score via spelling accuracy.
Exam Strategy: Type rough notes or directly into blanks as audio plays. Double-check plural -s, past-tense -ed, and vowel combinations.
2–3 per full exam
Highlight Incorrect Words
(Listening)Tier 2 · Corereading + listening
Estimated Point Impact8–10 pts (Reading) + 8–10 pts (Listening)Target duration: Plays once (audio length)
Cross-Skill Contributor
Dual score for Listening and Reading.
Exam Strategy: ⚠️ Negative marking (-1 per wrong click)! Track with your cursor word by word. Only click if you are 100% sure the speaker said a different word.
2–3 per full exam
Re-order Paragraphs
(Reading)Tier 2 · Corereading
Estimated Point Impact6–8 pts (Reading)Target duration: 2 min per item
Cross-Skill Contributor
Pure Reading score. Scored per adjacent correct pair.
Exam Strategy: Identify the independent topic sentence (no pronouns or unexplained references). Match adjacent pairs (A→B, B→C) methodically.
2–3 per full exam
Summarize Group Discussion
(Speaking & Writing)Tier 2 · Corespeaking + listening
Estimated Point Impact8–10 pts (Speaking) + 8–10 pts (Listening)Target duration: 10 sec preparation, 35–40 sec speech
Cross-Skill Contributor
2025 new format item. Integrated Speaking & Listening.
Exam Strategy: Differentiate the 2–3 speakers and note consensus vs divergence. Deliver a structured summary within 40 seconds.
2–3 per full exam
Respond to a Situation
(Speaking & Writing)Tier 2 · Corespeaking
Estimated Point Impact8–10 pts (Speaking)Target duration: 20 sec preparation, 30–35 sec speech
Cross-Skill Contributor
2025 new format item. Evaluates pragmatic oral communication.
Exam Strategy: Identify the tone (formal vs informal). Follow 4 steps: Greeting → Reason/Empathy → Concrete Solution → Polite Sign-off.
2–3 per full exam
Tier 3 · Low yieldreading
Estimated Point Impact1–2 pts (Reading)Target duration: 1–1.5 min max
Cross-Skill Contributor
Low yield. Never spend more than 90 seconds here.
Exam Strategy: Read the question stem first, scan passage for keywords, eliminate two obvious distractors, choose and move on.
2–3 per full exam
Tier 3 · Low yieldreading
Estimated Point Impact2–3 pts (Reading)Target duration: 1.5–2 min max
Cross-Skill Contributor
⚠️ Negative marking (-1 per wrong option).
Exam Strategy: Golden Rule: Pick ONLY ONE option you are 100% sure about. Never guess a second option unless completely certain.
2–3 per full exam
Multiple Choice, Single Answer (Listening)
(Listening)Tier 3 · Low yieldlistening
Estimated Point Impact1–2 pts (Listening)Target duration: Audio duration + 10 sec
Cross-Skill Contributor
Low yield.
Exam Strategy: Skim the question during the 5-second countdown. Lock in your answer within 10 seconds after audio concludes.
2–3 per full exam
Tier 3 · Low yieldlistening
Estimated Point Impact2–3 pts (Listening)Target duration: Audio duration + 15 sec
Cross-Skill Contributor
⚠️ Negative marking (-1 per wrong option).
Exam Strategy: Protect your points: select ONLY ONE option you are confident in. A second wrong guess wipes out your correct mark.
2–3 per full exam
Highlight Correct Summary
(Listening)Tier 3 · Low yieldlistening + reading
Estimated Point Impact2–3 pts (Listening + Reading)Target duration: Audio duration + 30 sec
Cross-Skill Contributor
Low yield dual score.
Exam Strategy: Focus on overall argument and outcome, not matching isolated buzzwords. Eliminate summaries containing extreme statements.
2–3 per full exam
Select Missing Word
(Listening)Tier 3 · Low yieldlistening
Estimated Point Impact1–2 pts (Listening)Target duration: Audio duration + 10 sec
Cross-Skill Contributor
Low yield.
Exam Strategy: Follow the speaker’s tone and train of thought to anticipate how the final sentence logically completes before the beep.
1–2 per full exam
Answer Short Question
(Speaking & Writing)Tier 3 · Low yieldspeaking + listening
Estimated Point Impact2–3 pts (Speaking + Listening)Target duration: 5–10 sec
Cross-Skill Contributor
Low yield.
Exam Strategy: Answer with 1–2 words immediately after audio ends. If you do not know, say "I do not know" or any relevant noun and move on.
5–6 per full exam
The library
All 22 question types
Part 1 · Speaking & Writing
Nine speaking and writing types. Repeat Sentence, Re-tell Lecture and Summarize Group Discussion each feed both Listening and Speaking; Summarize Written Text feeds both Reading and Writing.
9 types · 76–84 min
2.Repeat Sentence
10–12 per testlistening + speakingChunk the sentence into three-to-five-word groups and shadow the audio. Hesitations and pauses are ignored, so keep going even if you lose a word.
3.Describe Image
5–6 per testspeakingUse a fixed frame: "The graph shows… the highest/lowest is… followed by…". Cover structure, then trend, then specifics.
4.Re-tell Lecture
2–3 per testlistening + speakingNote only the lecture skeleton — three or four keywords — while listening. Re-tell in your own words with a clear cause-and-effect chain.
5.Answer Short Question
5–6 per testlisteningAnswer with one to four words, and begin the moment the microphone opens: waiting more than three seconds ends the recording and the item is lost. The score guide awards 1 for appropriate word choice and 0 for inappropriate — there is no partial credit.
6.Summarize Group Discussion
2–3 per testlistening + speakingListen for each speaker's position, not the detail. Summarise the group's overall stance plus how the speakers relate to one another.
7.Respond to a Situation
2–3 per testspeakingDeliver a complete, situationally appropriate response. Content 0 means no points at all, however fluent the delivery.
8.Summarize Written Text
2 per testreading + writingRead the passage once, then write one sentence. Form is scored 1 for a single complete sentence and 0 otherwise — form 0 scores the whole item at zero.
9.Write Essay
1 per testwritingTwenty minutes, 200–300 words. Form is worth 2 points at 200–300 words, 1 at 120–199 or 301–380, and 0 outside that — and form 0 scores the item at zero.
Part 2 · Reading
One academic passage, twenty scored items, five types. Re-order Paragraphs awards a point per correctly ordered adjacent pair rather than being all-or-nothing.
5 types · 23–30 min
1.Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown)
5–6 per testreadingRead the whole text once first, then decide. One point per completed blank, no penalty for the ones you get wrong.
2.Fill in the Blanks (Table)
4–5 per testreadingEach blank is scored separately, so partial credit applies. Work down a column rather than across a row.
3.Multiple Choice (Single Answer)
2–3 per testreadingCorrect or incorrect, one point, no partial credit. Two of the four options are always plausible — reject them explicitly before choosing.
4.Multiple Choice (Multiple Answers)
2–3 per testreadingOne point per correct option, minus one per wrong option, floored at zero. Every wrong selection costs a whole point.
5.Re-order Paragraphs
2–3 per testreadingOne point per correctly ordered adjacent pair, so four boxes are worth three points. There is no negative marking and a wrong order scores zero.
Part 3 · Listening
Eight item types. Write from Dictation and Summarize Spoken Text feed both Listening and Writing; Highlight Correct Summary and Highlight Incorrect Words feed both Listening and Reading.
8 types · 31–39 min
1.Summarize Spoken Text
1 per testlistening + writingForm is worth 2 points at 50–70 words, 1 at 40–49 or 71–100, and 0 outside that. Form 0 scores the whole item at zero.
2.Fill in the Blanks
2–3 per testlisteningOne point per word spelled correctly, no deduction for the rest. Predict the word class and number before the audio plays.
3.Highlight Correct Summary
2–3 per testlistening + readingExactly one summary matches, and the item is all-or-nothing. Compare the options side by side rather than one at a time.
4.Multiple Choice (Single Answer)
2–3 per testlisteningAll or nothing, one point. Read the question and options before pressing play.
5.Multiple Choice (Multiple Answers)
2–3 per testlisteningOne point per correct option, minus one per wrong option. A single wrong selection can take the whole item to zero.
6.Select Missing Word
1–2 per testlisteningAll or nothing. The options are near-homophones, so eliminate on stress pattern and grammar rather than meaning.
7.Highlight Incorrect Words
2–3 per testlistening + readingOne point per correct highlight, minus one per word highlighted wrongly. Highlight a third word by mistake and the item scores zero.
8.Write from Dictation
3–4 per testlistening + writingOne point per word spelled correctly, and no deduction for the ones you miss. Capitalisation and a single missing full stop each cost a word.
On the day
How the test is delivered
- Computer-delivered at a test centre, with a headset, microphone, keyboard and screen.
- You speak your answers aloud while the prompt is on screen. Nothing is recorded by the candidate.
- There is no scheduled break between the three parts; the next part starts as soon as the previous one ends.
- Each section opens with an on-screen introduction and countdown, which count towards the section time.
- All items are machine scored. Constructed speaking and writing responses are scored on content, form, oral fluency and pronunciation.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long is the PTE Academic test?
The PTE Academic is a single computer-based test divided into three timed parts. Current section ranges are Speaking and Writing 76–84 min, Reading 23–30 min, and Listening 31–39 min. The minimum and maximum ranges do not add up to a fixed total.
How many questions are in the PTE Academic?
The exact number varies slightly between versions because each version is balanced for total length. A full-length test typically contains around 70 to 90 scored items spread across 22 question types, plus an unscored personal introduction at the start.
What are the recent changes to the PTE Academic?
The most recent change added two item types in August 2025: Summarize Group Discussion, which asks you to listen to a multi-speaker exchange and give an oral summary, and Respond to a Situation, which asks for a spoken response to a described context. The current format is nine Speaking and Writing types, five Reading types and eight Listening types, 22 in total.
Is the PTE computer-delivered?
Yes. It is delivered on computer at a test centre. You use a headset with a microphone, a keyboard and a screen. Speaking tasks require you to say your answer aloud while reading a prompt that appears on screen.
Do you get a break between sections?
There is no scheduled break. The three parts run one after another, and the clock for each part starts as soon as you begin it. Section introductions are shown on screen and count towards the time.
Practice the format now
A full mock on this site builds 84 items across all 22 types, in the real order, with the real section timings.