PTE is a computer-based English proficiency test that test-takers can take it in centres or at home. Each Pearson Test of English is 2 hours long and is delivered in one single test session, including 20 question types. Let's take a closer look at all of them.
Part 1: Speaking & Writing
Seven question types: 54 – 67 minutes
Question type 1: Read Aloud
Task: Text appears on the screen, we need to read the text aloud
Prompt Length: Text up to 60 words
Timer: 70 seconds (35 prep seconds and 35 seconds to read aloud)
Frequency: 6-7 questions
Skills assessed: Reading, Speaking
Question type 2: Repeat Sentence
Task: After listening to a recording of a sentence, repeat it
Prompt Length: 3-9 seconds
Timer: 15 seconds
Frequency: 10-12 questions
Skills assessed: Listening, Speaking
Question type 3: Describe Image
Task: Describe an image that appears on the screen in detail
Prompt Length: Not applicable
Timer: 65 seconds (25 prep seconds and 40 seconds to speak)
Frequency: 3-4 questions
Skills assessed: Speaking
Question type 4: Re-tell Lecture
Task: After listening to a/an lecture/ interview, re-tell the lecture/ interview in your words
Prompt Length: Up to 90 seconds
Timer: 50 seconds (10 prep seconds and 40 seconds to speak)
Frequency: 1-2 questions
Skills assessed: Listening, Speaking
Question type 5: Answer Short Question
Task: After listening to a question, answer it with one or a few words
Prompt Length: 3-9 seconds
Timer: 10 seconds
Frequency: 5-6 questions
Skills assessed: Listening, Speaking
Question type 6: Summarize Written Text
Task: After reading a text, summarize the passage in one sentence no more than 75 words
Prompt Length: Text up to 300 words
Time to answer: 10 minutes
Frequency: 1-2 questions
Skills assessed: Reading, Writing
Question type 7: Write Essay
Task: Write a 200-300 word essay about a given topic
Prompt Length: 2-3 sentences
Time to answer: 20 minutes
Frequency: 1-2 questions
Skills assessed: Writing
Part 2: Reading
Five question types: 29 – 30 minutes
Question type 8: R&W: Fill in the Blanks
Task: Text shows up on the screen with several blanks, students pick words from a box below to fill in the gaps
Prompt Length: Text up to 300 words
Recommended timer: 2 minutes
Frequency: 5-6 questions
Skills assessed: Reading, Writing
Question type 9: Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer
Task: Answer a multiple-choice question after reading the text by selecting more than one response
Prompt Length: Text up to 300 words
Recommended timer: 2.5 minutes
Frequency: 1-2 questions
Skills assessed: Reading
Question type 10: Re-order Paragraphs
Task: Five text boxes show up on the screen in a random order, students put the text boxes in the correct order
Prompt Length: Text up to 150 words
Recommended timer: 1.5 minutes
Frequency: 2-3 questions
Skills assessed: Reading
Question type 11: R: Fill in the Blanks
Task: Drag words from a given box to fill in the blanks in the provided paragraph
Prompt Length: Text up to 80 words
Recommended timer: 1.5 minutes
Frequency: 4-5 questions
Skills assessed: Reading
Question type 12: Multiple Choice, Single Answer
Task: After reading the paragraph, answer a multiple-choice question by selecting only one correct response
Prompt Length: Text up to 300 words
Recommended timer: 2 minutes
Frequency: 1-2 questions
Skills assessed: Reading
Part 3: Listening
Eight question types : 30 – 43 minutes
Question type 13: Summarize Spoken Text
Task: After listening to an audio, write a summary of 50-70 words
Prompt Length: 60-90 seconds
Recommended timer: 10 minutes
Frequency: 1-2 questions
Skills assessed: Listening, Writing
Question type 14: Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer
Task: After listening to an audio, answer a multiple-choice question by selecting more than one response
Prompt Length: 40-90 seconds
Recommended timer: 2 minutes
Frequency: 1-2 questions
Skills assessed: Listening
Question type 15: Fill in the Blanks
Task: Listening to audio and fill in several blanks in a transcript on the screen
Prompt Length: 30-60 seconds
Recommended timer: 2 minutes
Frequency: 2-3 questions
Skills assessed: Listening, Writing
Question type 16: Highlight Correct Summary
Task: After listening to an audio, select the option that best summarizes the recording
Prompt Length: 30-90 seconds
Recommended timer: 2 minutes
Frequency: 1-2 questions
Skills assessed: Listening, Reading
Question type 17: Multiple Choice, Single Answer
Task: After listening to an audio, answer a multiple-choice question by selecting only one correct response
Prompt Length: 30-90 seconds
Recommended timer: 1.5 minutes
Frequency: 1-2 questions
Skills assessed: Listening
Question type 18: Select Missing Word
Task: After listening to an audio, select the missing word that completes the recording from a list of options
Prompt Length: 20-70 seconds
Recommended timer: 80 seconds
Frequency: 1-2 questions
Skills assessed: Listening
Question type 19: Highlight Incorrect Words
Task: While listening to an audio, identify the words in the transcript on the screen that differ from what is said
Prompt Length: 15-50 seconds
Recommended timer: 60 seconds
Frequency: 2-3 questions
Skills assessed: Listening, Reading
Question type 20: Write from Dictation
Task: After listening to an audio of a sentence, type the sentence
Prompt Length: 3-5 seconds
Recommended timer: 30 seconds
Frequency: 3-4 questions
Skills assessed: Listening, Writing
Notes on the timer
In the PTE, almost all question types in Part 1: Speaking & Writing have specific timers to answer, while question types in Part 2: Reading and Part 3: Listening do not. Time management is one of the most crucial criteria that determines students’ success, therefore, we need to pay close attention to the timer all the time.
To make it easier for test-takers to practice and upgrade their scores, we specify the timer for all question types in Part 2 and Part 3 as we see above. For details, please take a look at this article: “PTE time management strategy”.
Live-interactive PTE Practice Platform
The PTE is a computer-based test that students either can take at centres or at home. It’s why we developed a Live-Interactive PTE Practice Platform that simulates all question types in the real test, even the Full 2-hour PTE Mock tests. With a Premium account, users have access to the following benefits:
Thousands of practice questions;
Full 2-hour mock tests;
Same grading elements as Pearson;
Instant feedback for all question types;
Fast Support;
Integrated dictionary;
03 supportive vocab lists (not for FREE users);
Other self-study supporting features.
This is a feedback sample of Re-tell Lecture, the Platform evaluates users’ answers based on the same grading elements as Pearson assesses, including Content, Oral Fluency, and Pronunciation.
cre: TADE Hub
And this one is a feedback sample of Write Essay, we evaluate your answers based on Content, Grammar, Form, Vocabulary, Coherence, and Linguistic Range.
cre: TADE Hub
If you like to watch, here is a video sample to get a better understanding of how the PTE Practice Platform helps you advance your scores.
With a FREE account, users can experience all feedback and see how the platform helps improve their scores. Stop here for a while and visit our PTE Practice Platform immediately.
