PTE Academic
Prepare each skill. Bring it together on test day.
Understand the test sections, practise realistic tasks and use mock tests to identify what to revise next.
Current test format
Know every task before you practise it.
These section details and question-type counts were checked against Pearson's published PTE Academic format on 30 July 2026.
01 · PTE Speaking
Speaking question types
Spoken responses that test clear communication, listening comprehension, pronunciation and oral fluency depending on the task.
- Duration
- Part of the 76-84 minute Speaking and Writing section
- Task types
- 7
Read Aloud
Read Aloud asks you to speak a written passage clearly and naturally after a short preparation period.
Repeat Sentence
Repeat Sentence asks you to listen once and repeat the sentence as accurately and fluently as possible.
Describe Image
Describe Image asks you to give a clear spoken overview of the important information shown in an image.
Retell Lecture
Retell Lecture asks you to listen to an academic talk and restate its main ideas in your own spoken response.
Answer Short Question
Answer Short Question asks for a brief and accurate response to a spoken general-knowledge question.
Respond to a Situation
Respond to a Situation asks you to give an appropriate spoken response to a practical academic or social scenario.
Summarize Group Discussion
Summarize Group Discussion asks you to explain the main ideas and viewpoints from a recorded discussion.
Source: Pearson PTE Speaking test format
02 · PTE Writing
Writing question types
Written responses that test how accurately and coherently you communicate information and develop ideas.
- Duration
- Part of the 76-84 minute Speaking and Writing section
- Task types
- 2
Summarize Written Text
Summarize Written Text asks you to condense a passage into one accurate, grammatically complete sentence.
Write Essay
Write Essay asks you to develop a clear position in a structured 200-300 word academic response.
Source: Pearson PTE Writing test format
03 · PTE Reading
Reading question types
Five task types covering comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, cohesion and the organisation of academic text.
- Duration
- Approximately 22-30 minutes
- Task types
- 5
Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks
This task asks you to choose the most appropriate word for each gap from a drop-down list.
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
This reading task asks you to select every option supported by the passage, with more than one correct answer possible.
Reorder Paragraphs
Reorder Paragraphs asks you to arrange shuffled text boxes into a logical and cohesive order.
Reading: Fill in the Blanks
This task asks you to drag words from a word bank into gaps in a short reading passage.
Multiple Choice, Single Answer
This reading task asks you to choose the one option that best answers a question about the passage.
Source: Pearson PTE Reading test format
04 · PTE Listening
Listening question types
Eight task types based on audio or video clips that play once, with note-taking permitted.
- Duration
- Approximately 31-39 minutes
- Task types
- 8
Summarize Spoken Text
Summarize Spoken Text asks you to write a 50-70 word summary after hearing a recording once.
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
This listening task asks you to select every response supported by a recording, with more than one correct answer possible.
Listening: Fill in the Blanks
Listening: Fill in the Blanks asks you to type missing words into a transcript while the recording plays once.
Highlight Correct Summary
Highlight Correct Summary asks you to choose the paragraph that best represents a recording's main ideas.
Multiple Choice, Single Answer
This listening task asks you to select the one option that correctly answers a question about a recording.
Select Missing Word
Select Missing Word asks you to choose the option that logically completes a recording after its final word or phrase is replaced.
Highlight Incorrect Words
Highlight Incorrect Words asks you to identify words in a transcript that differ from the recording.
Write From Dictation
Write From Dictation asks you to type a sentence exactly after hearing it once.
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