PTE Academic is a computer-based English test that takes about two hours and has 22 task types in three parts: Speaking and Writing, Reading, and Listening. Every task is marked by Pearson's scoring engine, and your scores are reported from 10 to 90.
This is the complete 2026 format, task by task, with timings, what each task scores, and how to approach it. If you are new to PTE, start here, then check the score you need with our PTE score calculator.
PTE format at a glance
| Part | Tasks | Approximate time |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking and Writing | Personal introduction, Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Retell Lecture, Answer Short Question, Summarize Group Discussion, Respond to a Situation, Summarize Written Text, Write Essay | 70 to 85 minutes |
| Reading | Reading and Writing Fill in the Blanks, Multiple Choice (multiple answers), Reorder Paragraphs, Reading Fill in the Blanks, Multiple Choice (single answer) | About 23 to 30 minutes |
| Listening | Summarize Spoken Text, Multiple Choice (multiple answers), Fill in the Blanks, Highlight Correct Summary, Multiple Choice (single answer), Select Missing Word, Highlight Incorrect Words, Write from Dictation | 30 to 45 minutes |
The number of questions for each task changes between test forms, which is why each part has a time range rather than a fixed length.
What changed in August 2025
From 7 August 2025, Pearson added two speaking tasks to PTE Academic and PTE UKVI: Respond to a Situation and Summarize Group Discussion. Both test how you use English in real situations. The overall test length did not change much.
Structures help you organise an answer. Put them into your own words and fill them with the real content of the question, so you do not sound like you are reciting a template.
Part 1: Speaking and Writing
This is the longest part and carries about 63% of the overall score in Pearson's question weightings. It starts with an unscored personal introduction (25 seconds to prepare, 30 seconds to speak), which is sent to universities with your score report. Speak clearly and naturally: it is the first impression an admissions officer gets.
The last column shows what each task scores and how much of that skill it carries, from Pearson's question weightings.
| Task | Prep time | Response time | Skills scored |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read Aloud | 30 to 40 seconds | Up to 40 seconds | Speaking only (9%) |
| Repeat Sentence | None | 15 seconds | Speaking (16%), Listening (17%) |
| Describe Image | 25 seconds | 40 seconds limit, about 25 seconds is enough | Speaking only (31%) |
| Retell Lecture | 10 seconds | 40 seconds limit, about 25 seconds is enough | Speaking (13%), Listening (13%) |
| Answer Short Question | None | 10 seconds | Listening only (4%) |
| Summarize Group Discussion | Short | Up to 2 minutes (about 60 seconds is enough) | Speaking (19%), Listening (20%) |
| Respond to a Situation | 10 seconds | 40 seconds | Speaking only (13%) |
| Summarize Written Text | None | 10 minutes | Writing (28%), Reading (23%) |
| Write Essay | None | 20 minutes | Writing only (31%) |
Describe Image, Retell Lecture and Summarize Group Discussion are marked on content, fluency and pronunciation. Grammar is not marked in these three, so a steady answer with a small slip beats a perfect sentence with long pauses.
Read Aloud
Read a text of up to about 60 words aloud. Marked on content, oral fluency and pronunciation. It scores Speaking only, not Reading. Start within one second and keep an even pace. Full routine: Read Aloud tips.
Repeat Sentence
Hear a sentence of 3 to 9 seconds once, then repeat it exactly. It usually appears 10 to 12 times and feeds Speaking and Listening, so it is one of the most valuable tasks in the test. See our Repeat Sentence tips.
Describe Image
Describe a chart, map, process or picture. This is the biggest task in the test: 31% of Speaking and 15% of the overall score. You have 40 seconds, but about 25 seconds is enough for a full answer. 40 seconds is the limit, not the target. Content only needs the key features, not deep analysis. See our Describe Image template.
Retell Lecture
Listen to a lecture of up to about 90 seconds, then retell it. About 25 seconds is enough and 40 seconds is the limit. Note key phrases of 4 to 5 words, not single keywords, so each spoken sentence has something real to say. See our Retell Lecture template.
Answer Short Question
Answer a simple question in one or a few words, such as "What do we call a person who repairs cars?" You answer by speaking, but it scores Listening only, and it is a small task (4% of Listening). See our Answer Short Question tips.
Summarize Group Discussion (new)
Listen to three people discussing an academic topic, then summarise each person's points and whether the group agreed. You have up to 2 minutes, but about 60 seconds is enough. It scores Speaking (19%) and Listening (20%), which makes it the biggest Listening task. See our Summarize Group Discussion guide.
Respond to a Situation (new)
Read and hear an everyday situation (up to about 60 words), prepare for 10 seconds, then respond for 40 seconds as if you were really there. See our Respond to a Situation guide.
Summarize Written Text
Summarise a passage in one sentence of 5 to 75 words. Two sentences scores zero. It scores Reading (23%) and Writing (28%). See the one-sentence rule.
Write Essay
Write 200 to 300 words in 20 minutes on an academic topic. It is the biggest Writing task at 31%. See our essay template and sample essays.
Part 2: Reading
Reading takes about 23 to 30 minutes on one shared timer, so you manage your own pace across all questions.
| Task | What you do | Skills scored | Negative marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing Fill in the Blanks | Choose a word from a drop-down for each gap | Reading only (25%) | No |
| Multiple Choice, multiple answers | Select all correct options | Reading only (5%) | Yes |
| Reorder Paragraphs | Put sentences in order | Reading only (9%) | No |
| Reading Fill in the Blanks | Drag words into gaps | Reading only (20%) | No |
| Multiple Choice, single answer | Select one option | Reading only (3%) | No |
Reading and Writing Fill in the Blanks matters most. Despite its name, it scores Reading only, but it is the biggest Reading task. With Reading Fill in the Blanks, the two Fill in the Blanks tasks make up 45% of your Reading score. Give each passage about two minutes and never leave a blank empty. Reading is also fed by Summarize Written Text in Part 1 and by Highlight Incorrect Words and Highlight Correct Summary in Listening. See our guides to Reading Fill in the Blanks and Reorder Paragraphs.
Part 3: Listening
Every recording plays once. Summarize Spoken Text comes first: there is one question, with its own 10-minute timer. The rest of Listening shares one timer.
| Task | What you do | Skills scored | Negative marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summarize Spoken Text | Write 50 to 70 words about a lecture | Listening (10%), Writing (18%) | No |
| Multiple Choice, multiple answers | Select all correct options | Listening only (3%) | Yes |
| Fill in the Blanks | Type missing words in a transcript | Listening only (8%) | No |
| Highlight Correct Summary | Choose the best summary | Listening (2%), Reading (3%) | No |
| Multiple Choice, single answer | Select one option | Listening only (2%) | No |
| Select Missing Word | Choose the word that ends the recording | Listening only (1%) | No |
| Highlight Incorrect Words | Click words that differ from the audio | Listening (8%), Reading (13%) | Yes |
| Write from Dictation | Type the sentence you hear | Listening (13%), Writing (23%) | No |
Write from Dictation is the most valuable task in this part: every correct word scores for Listening and Writing. Remember that the two biggest Listening tasks, Summarize Group Discussion and Repeat Sentence, come in Part 1. See our guides to Write from Dictation, Summarize Spoken Text, Highlight Incorrect Words and the listening multiple-choice tasks.
How PTE is scored
You receive an overall score and four skill scores, each from 10 to 90. The overall is calculated from your performance across all questions rather than as an average of the four skills. Speaking tasks such as Describe Image, Retell Lecture and Summarize Group Discussion are marked on content, fluency and pronunciation, and grammar is not marked there. Writing tasks are marked on content, form, grammar, vocabulary and spelling. Read how PTE scoring works.
Which tasks to prioritise
Our class study guide ranks every task by what it is worth. Start each skill with the tasks in the first column.
| Skill | Most important: start here | Somewhat important: next |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | Describe Image, Summarize Group Discussion, Repeat Sentence, Retell Lecture | Read Aloud, Respond to a Situation |
| Writing | Write Essay, Summarize Written Text, Write from Dictation, Summarize Spoken Text | None: every Writing task is in the first group |
| Reading | Reading and Writing Fill in the Blanks, Summarize Written Text, Reading Fill in the Blanks | Highlight Incorrect Words, Reorder Paragraphs |
| Listening | Summarize Group Discussion, Repeat Sentence, Retell Lecture, Write from Dictation, Summarize Spoken Text | Highlight Incorrect Words, Listening Fill in the Blanks |
Least important: Answer Short Question, the multiple-choice tasks, Highlight Correct Summary and Select Missing Word. Each is worth 2% of the overall score or less. Know the format and answer carefully on the day, but spend little study time on them.
The top tasks overlap, so a few daily drills cover a lot. Repeat Sentence, Retell Lecture and Summarize Group Discussion feed Speaking and Listening. Write from Dictation and Summarize Spoken Text feed Listening and Writing. Summarize Written Text feeds Reading and Writing.
How to practise the format
- Week 1: learn what each task looks like and take one scored mock.
- Weeks 2 to 3: daily drills on the most important tasks above, with recordings for speaking.
- Final week: two full mocks under real timing, then book. See how long to prepare for PTE.
Frequently asked questions
How long is PTE Academic?
About two hours. Speaking and Writing takes the longest, followed by Listening and then Reading.
How many tasks are in PTE Academic?
22 task types since August 2025, when Respond to a Situation and Summarize Group Discussion were added.
Is there negative marking in PTE?
Only in Multiple Choice (multiple answers) in Reading and Listening, and in Highlight Incorrect Words. A wrong selection cancels a correct one.
Can I go back to a previous question?
No. Once you move to the next question, you cannot return.
Is PTE fully computer marked?
Yes. Pearson's scoring engine marks every response against the same criteria. Put structures into your own words and fill them with the real content of the question, so you do not sound like you are reciting a template.
Want a clear plan for your weakest tasks? Our tutors teach every part of this format one-on-one. See our courses and prices or send us your scores on WhatsApp.