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.