PTE Academic · Task guide 1 · 4 min read
PTE Academic test format: an overview
How PTE Academic works: a computer-based test of about two hours, scored 10–90, with three parts and results usually within days.
What PTE Academic is
PTE Academic is a computer-based English test from Pearson. It is used for university admission, professional registration and many visa applications around the world. You sit it at a test centre or, in some countries, online at home, and the whole test is delivered and timed by the computer. There is no face-to-face interview: your spoken answers are recorded through a headset microphone.
The test was shortened in November 2021. It now takes about two hours; Pearson says the August 2025 update, which added two speaking tasks, extended the maximum to around 2 hours 15 minutes. Check pearsonpte.com for the current timing. Older guides that describe a three-hour test are out of date.
For the official, current format, always check pearsonpte.com. Pearson updates item types and timings from time to time, and its own pages are the final word.
The three parts
The test is divided into three timed parts. Each part contains several item types, and you meet each type in a fixed order.
| Part | About how long | Item types |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking and Writing | about 55–70 minutes | Personal Introduction, Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Re-tell Lecture, Answer Short Question, Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation (both added in 2025), Summarize Written Text, Essay |
| Reading | about 30 minutes | Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks, Multiple Choice (Multiple Answers), Re-order Paragraphs, Reading Fill in the Blanks, Multiple Choice (Single Answer) |
| Listening | about 30–45 minutes | 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 |
The number of questions of each type varies from one test to another, so the times above are ranges, not fixed figures.
How the computer runs the test
- Timers: some items have their own timer (for example Summarize Written Text and Essay). Others share a section timer. The on-screen timer always shows how much time is left.
- No going back: once you click "Next", you cannot return to an earlier item.
- Recording: for speaking items, a status box tells you when the microphone opens. If you stay silent for about three seconds, recording stops and you cannot restart it.
- Notes: you are given an erasable noteboard and pen for notes.
Exam tip: speaking items begin recording automatically after a short countdown. Watch the status box, not the clock in the corner, so that you start speaking at the right moment.
Scores
PTE Academic reports an overall score from 10 to 90, plus a score for each of the four communicative skills:
- Listening
- Reading
- Speaking
- Writing
Many items are integrated: one answer can count towards two skills. Read Aloud, for example, contributes to both Reading and Speaking. Since the 2021 changes, the separate "enabling skills" scores (such as grammar and spelling) no longer appear on the score report. Our guide to scoring explains how the marks are put together.
Results
Results are usually available within a few days, and often within two working days. You receive an email when they are ready and can view and send your scores from your Pearson account. Universities and other organisations receive them directly from Pearson.
PTE Academic and PTE Core
Pearson also offers PTE Core, a separate test introduced in January 2024. It is designed for general (rather than academic) English and is accepted for some visa routes, including certain UK and Canadian routes. It shares many item types with PTE Academic but is a different test with its own content.
Which test you need depends entirely on the organisation or visa route you are applying to. Check its requirements first, then confirm the details on pearsonpte.com before you book. This guide covers PTE Academic only.
How to prepare
- Learn the order of the item types so nothing on the day surprises you.
- Practice each type under timed conditions, using the routines in our item-type guides.
- Spend extra time on the integrated items, because each one counts twice.
- Take at least one full-length practice test to build stamina for two hours of concentration.
Key points
- PTE Academic is computer-based and lasts about two hours (up to around 2 hours 15 minutes since August 2025).
- There are three parts: Speaking and Writing, Reading, and Listening.
- Scores run from 10 to 90, overall and for each of the four communicative skills.
- Many items count towards two skills.
- Results usually arrive within a few days.
- PTE Core is a separate test; check which one you need at pearsonpte.com.
Ready to start? Visit the PTE hub for practice tests and guides.