PTE Academic runs in one sitting of about 2 hours 15 minutes. Before the scored questions there's an unscored Personal Introduction: you get 25 seconds to prepare and 30 seconds to introduce yourself. It's a chance to get used to the microphone.
Part 1: Speaking & Writing (76–84 minutes)
| Task | What you do | Key timings |
|---|---|---|
| Read Aloud | Read a text of up to 60 words aloud | 30–40 seconds to prepare |
| Repeat Sentence | Repeat a short sentence exactly | 15 seconds to answer |
| Describe Image | Describe a graph, chart, map or picture | 25 seconds to prepare, 40 to speak |
| Retell Lecture | Retell a lecture of up to 90 seconds | 10 seconds to prepare, 40 to speak |
| Answer Short Question | Answer a question in a word or two | 10 seconds |
| Summarize Group Discussion (new 2025) | Summarise a discussion between 3 people (up to 3 minutes) | 10 seconds to prepare, 2 minutes to speak |
| Respond to a Situation (new 2025) | Say what you'd say in an everyday situation | 10 seconds to prepare, 40 to speak |
| Summarize Written Text | Summarise a text of up to 300 words in one sentence | 10 minutes, 5–75 words |
| Write Essay | Write an argumentative essay | 20 minutes, 200–300 words |
Part 2: Reading (23–30 minutes)
| Task | What you do |
|---|---|
| Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks | Choose words from drop-down lists to complete a text of up to 200 words |
| Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers | Choose all correct answers about a text of up to 350 words. Wrong choices cost marks. |
| Reorder Paragraph | Put text boxes in the right order |
| Fill in the Blanks (drag and drop) | Drag words into gaps in a short text |
| Multiple Choice, Single Answer | Choose one answer about a short text |
Part 3: Listening (31–39 minutes)
You hear each recording once, and you can take notes on the erasable noteboard.
| Task | What you do |
|---|---|
| Summarize Spoken Text | Write a 50–70 word summary of a 60–90 second recording |
| Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers | Choose all correct answers. Wrong choices cost marks. |
| Fill in the Blanks | Type the missing words in a transcript |
| Highlight Correct Summary | Choose the summary that best matches the recording |
| Multiple Choice, Single Answer | Choose one answer |
| Select Missing Word | Choose the word or phrase that ends the recording |
| Highlight Incorrect Words | Click words in a transcript that differ from the audio. Wrong clicks cost marks. |
| Write from Dictation | Type a short sentence exactly as you hear it |
Practical tips for the format
- Speaking starts immediately. For most tasks, if you stay silent for 3 seconds the microphone closes. Start talking as soon as it opens, even if your first sentence is simple.
- Time is per part, not per question, for Reading and Listening. Don't spend five minutes on one reorder task.
- Learn the zero-score rules. A one-sentence summary that's two sentences, or an essay under 120 words, gets nothing.
Pearson can update task details. For the final word, check the official PTE Academic test format pages.
Frequently asked questions
What changed in PTE in August 2025?
Two tasks were added to speaking: Respond to a Situation and Summarize Group Discussion, and the test became about 15 minutes longer.