PTE Core

The PTE speaking and writing module contains seven different questions; there are five questions in the PTE speaking, whereas two questions are in the Writing module. The total test time is around 54 to 67 minutes, and it is the longest part of the PTE test. In this module, you will be assessed based on your speaking and writing skills.

The questions in the PTE speaking include:

• Read aloud
• Repeat sentence
• Describe image
• Re-tell the lecture
• Answer short questions
• Read aloud

Personal Introduction:

Before starting your test, you will be required to record your personal introduction. It does not contribute to your PTE test, as its only purpose is to boost your confidence and familiarize you with the test. In a personal introduction, you will be given a prompt in the form of a question. You will have 25 seconds to read the prompt and prepare your response, and then 30 seconds to record your response. You can only record your answer once.

Read Aloud:

Read aloud is known as the king of the PTE speaking exam because it is the most important part of speaking. You will be assessed on your speaking and reading skills in read aloud. It contributes 33% to your speaking and 27% to your overall reading. In read aloud, you need to read the written text. You will be given a paragraph of text up to 60 words, and you will have 30–40 seconds to read the text and prepare. After that, you will hear a short tone, and you have to record your answer into the microphone. The time to answer this question can vary depending on the length of the given questions.

Tips:

• Start speaking immediately after the microphone starts, because if you remain silent for longer than three seconds, the recording will stop.
• You will be marked on your fluency, pronunciation, and content.
• Speak clearly, avoid mumbling, and maintain a steady pace.

Repeat Sentence:

Repeat sentence is another important question in your PTE speaking exam. In this question, you will be assessed based on your speaking and listening skills. In repeat sentence, you need to repeat the sentence you hear. You will be given a sentence in the form of a recording of about 3–9 seconds long. After the recording stops, you have to answer your question immediately, as in the repeat sentence, you won’t hear a short tone. You will be given 15 seconds to complete your answer.

Tips:

• You are not able to replay the audio. You are only able to record your response once.
• You will be marked on your fluency, pronunciation, and content.
• Focus on word stress and intonation.
• Follow the rhythm of the sentence.

Describe Image:

Describe image is an interesting and easy-to-answer question in your PTE speaking exam. In this question, you will get any kind of image, including bar charts, pie charts, line graphs, maps, process diagrams, flowcharts, and pictures of objects, landscapes, or people, and you have to describe that image. You will be getting 25 seconds to study the image and prepare your response. After that, you will hear a short tone, and you have to speak within 3 seconds. You need to briefly mention what the image is about and the information you are getting from that image.

Tips:

• You can use the templates, but only the humanized ones.
• In graphs and charts, mention the highest and the lowest elements given.
• This task assesses your content, oral fluency, and pronunciation.
• Focus on the main idea of the image.

Respond to a Situation:

In respond to a situation, you will listen a recording and read the description of that situation. You will be given 20 seconds to think about your answer. Then you will hear a beep sound. You will have 40 seconds to answer this question. You will be Speaking and Listening.

Tips:

• Take notes while listening to the audio.
• You will have three seconds before the audio starts, so focus on the image provided in the given time.
• Add important as well as additional details, including suggestions and conclusions in a well-organized manner.
• Focus on the keywords and the main idea of the lecture.

Answer Short Questions:

Answer short questions are less important questions in your PTE test. In answer short question you will get a bunch of short questions and you will have to answer each question in one or a few words. In answer short question, you will hear an audio about 3-9 seconds long, and you have to answer it within 10 seconds. You will be assessed on the basis of your listening and speaking skills in your PTE exam.

Tips:

• Do not pause too long; answer within 3 seconds.
• Do speak clearly and shortly each answer.

WRITE AN EMAIL:

In write an email, you need to write an email containing between 80 and 120 words in response to a prompt, and you will be given 9 minutes to plan and write your email. Your response will be judged on how well you develop a position, organize your ideas, present supporting details, and control the elements of standard written English.

• Focus on grammar, spellings and punctuations.
• Add important as well as additional details, including suggestions and conclusions in a well-organized manner.

SUMMERIZE WRITEN TEXT:

In summarize written text, you will be given a paragraph of about 300 words, and you have to write a brief summary of it. You need to write between  25 and 50 words and you cannot write more than one sentence. You will be assessed on the basis of your reading and writing skills.

• Focus on grammar, spellings and punctuations.
• Add important as well as additional details, including suggestions and conclusions in a well-organized manner.

The PTE reading module contains five different questions. The total test time is around 28-30 minutes, and it is the most conceptually based module. In this module, you will be assessed based on your reading skills, except for (Reading and writing fill in the blanks), where assessment is based on reading and writing.

The questions in reading module includes:

• Reading and writing fill in the blanks.
• Multiple choice (multiple).
• Re-order paragraph.
• Reading fill in the blanks.
• Multiple choice (single)

Reading and Writing Fill in the Blanks:

Reading and writing fill-in-the-blanks are the most important questions in your PTE reading exam. In reading and writing fill-in-the-blanks, you will get a paragraph about 300 words long, and some of the words in that paragraph will be missing. You need to choose the most appropriate words from a dropdown menu to fill in the missing words.

• Select the option you think best fills the gap.
• With the help of context, select the correct option.
• Use skimming and scanning techniques.

Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers:

Multiple choice, multiple answers are less important questions in your PTE reading exam. In multiple choice questions with multiple correct answers, you will get a paragraph of about 80 words, and along with that paragraph, you will be given a bunch of options, and you have to select the most appropriate options that match the given paragraph. You will be assessed on the basis of your reading skills in this question.

• In Multiple choice, multiple answers more than one answers are correct.
• Try to solve each question within 2 minutes.
• Your marks will be deducted for each incorrect selected answer.

Re-order Paragraph:

In re-order paragraph, you will be given 4-5 sentences in incorrect order, and you need to restore the original order of the text by selecting text boxes and dragging them across the screen. You will be assessed on the basis of your reading skills in this question.

• Find the topic sentence first.
• Use elimination and pairing methods.
• Read all the text before reordering it.

Fill in the Blanks:

Reading fill-in-the-blanks are the most important question in your PTE reading exam. In reading and writing fill-in-the-blanks, you will get a paragraph about 80 words long, and some of the words in that paragraph will be missing. You have a list of words in the blue box that you can use to fill the gaps in the text. There are more words than gaps, so you will not use all the words provided. You will be assessed on the basis of your reading skills in this question.

• Select the option you think best fills the gap.
• With the help of context, select the correct option.
• Use skimming and scanning techniques.

Multiple Choice, Single Answers:

Multiple choice, single answers are less important questions in your PTE reading exam. In multiple choice questions with single correct answers, you will get a paragraph of about 80 words, and along with that paragraph, you will be given a bunch of options, and you have to select the most appropriate correct answer that matches the given paragraph. You will be assessed on the basis of your reading skills in this question.

• In Multiple choice, single answer more than one answer that is correct.
• Try to solve each question within 2 minutes.
• Your marks will be deducted for each incorrect selected answer.

The PTE listening module is the most detailed of all modules as it contains eight different questions. The total test time is around 30–43 minutes, and questions are based on audio and video clips in the listening module.  You will be assessed based on your listening and writing skills.

• Summarize spoken text
• Multiple choice, multiple answer
• Fill in the blanks
• Highlight correct summary
• Multiple choice, single answer
• Select missing words
• Highlight incorrect words
• Write from dictation

Summarize Spoken Text:

In summarize spoken text, you will hear an audio recording about 60–90 seconds and will need to write a 50–70-word summary of what you heard. 10 minutes to listen and write your summary in one word. You will be assessed on your listening and writing skills in summarize spoken text.

• Takes notes while audio is being played.
• Focus on grammar, spellings and punctuations.

Multiple Choice Multiple Answer:

Multiple choice, multiple answers are less important questions in your PTE listening exam. In multiple choice questions with multiple correct answers, you will hear an audio of 40–90 seconds, and along with that audio, you will be given a bunch of options, and you have to select the most appropriate options that match the given paragraph. You will be assessed based on your listening skills in this question.

• In Multiple choice, multiple answers more than one answers are correct.
• Try to solve each question within 2 minutes.
• Your marks will be deducted for each incorrect selected answer.

Fill in the Blanks:

In fill-in-the-blanks, you will be given a transcript of the audio recording along with the audio of about 30–60 seconds long; however, some words are missing. You have to fill in the transcript by typing in the missing words. You will be assessed based on your listening and writing skills.

• With the help of context, select the correct option.
• Use skimming and scanning techniques.
• Follow the cursor to the text along with the audio.

Highlight Correct Summary:

In Highlight correct summary you will be given an audio of 30–90 seconds. After listening to a recording, you need to select the paragraph that best summarizes the recording. You will be assessed on the basis of your listening and reading skills in this module.

• Take notes during the recording and focus on keywords.
• Usually the speaker will repeat 80-85% text in the same words.
• Select the summary that matches the audio perfectly.

Multiple Choice, Single Answer:

Multiple choice, single answers are less important questions in your PTE listening exam. In multiple choice questions with single correct answers, you will get an audio of about 30–90 seconds, and along with that audio, you will be given a bunch of options, and you have to select the most appropriate correct answer that matches the given audio. You will be assessed on the basis of your reading skills in this question.

• In Multiple choice, single answer more than one answer that is correct.
• Try to solve each question within 2 minutes.
• Your marks will be deducted for each incorrect selected answer.

Select Missing Words:

In Select missing words, you will hear an audio in the form of a sentence, and the last word or group of words in the recording has been replaced by a beep sound. There are a bunch of possible options, but only one is correct, so you need to select the most appropriate option to complete the recording. You will be assessed based on your listening and writing skills.

• Use the help of context to select the correct missing word.
• There will be 1 correct option out of 5 questions.

Highlight Incorrect Words:

In Highlight incorrect words, you will be given a transcript along with its audio recording; however, some of the words in that transcript will be incorrect. While listening and reading, you need to select the words in the text that differ from those that the speaker says. You will be assessed based on your listening and reading skills.

• Follow the cursor to the text along with the audio.
• You will be negatively marked on each incorrect word you highlight.
• You will be given 10 seconds before the audio begins, skim the transcript in that time.

Write from Dictation:

In write from dictation, you will hear a short sentence, and you need to type the sentence as you heard it into the response box at the bottom of the screen. You will be assessed based on your listening and writing skills.

Tips:

• You will be scored on your content.
• Type as much of the sentence you remember in the correct order.
• Focus on spelling.