PTE Academic · Task guide 6 · 3 min read
PTE Describe Image: format, scoring and tips
PTE Academic Describe Image explained: 25 seconds to prepare, 40 seconds to speak, how it is scored and a simple structure to use.
What you see and do
An image appears on screen. It could be a bar chart, line graph, pie chart, table, map, process diagram or photograph. You study it during the preparation time, then describe it aloud when the microphone opens.
You are not expected to mention every detail. The aim is to give a clear, organised description of the main features and what they show.
Timing
| Stage | About how long |
|---|---|
| Preparation | about 25 seconds |
| Response | about 40 seconds |
The status box counts down to recording and shows a progress bar while you speak.
How it is scored
Describe Image counts towards Speaking. It is judged on:
| Trait | What it means |
|---|---|
| Content | You describe the main features, relationships and any conclusion accurately |
| Oral fluency | Steady, natural speech without long hesitations or restarts |
| Pronunciation | Clear sounds, stress and intonation |
Content is about accuracy and coverage: naming the topic, the key figures or stages, and a sensible overall point.
Common mistakes
- Listing numbers without meaning. Say what the numbers show: the largest, the smallest, the trend.
- Long pauses while searching for details. Fluency suffers. Plan your three or four points during preparation.
- Running out of time mid-sentence. Aim to finish a few seconds before the end.
- Memorised templates that ignore the image. A fixed speech that does not match the picture scores poorly on content.
- Misreading units or labels. Check the axis titles, units and the key before you start.
A short routine
- Topic (5 seconds): say what the image shows. "This bar chart compares…"
- Main feature (10 seconds): the highest, largest or most obvious point.
- Contrast (10 seconds): the lowest point, or a clear difference.
- One more detail (10 seconds): a trend, a middle value or a stage.
- Conclusion (5 seconds): one sentence summing up. "Overall, this suggests…"
Exam tip: in preparation, look at the title, labels and units first, then the extremes. That gives you material for every part of the routine in under 25 seconds.
Illustrative example
This example was written for Fable Tests. It is not taken from any official material.
Imagine a bar chart titled "Bicycles hired per day in a city scheme", showing Monday 1,200; Tuesday 1,350; Wednesday 1,300; Thursday 1,400; Friday 1,600; Saturday 2,400; Sunday 2,100.
A possible answer:
This bar chart shows the number of bicycles hired each day in a city scheme over one week. The highest figure was on Saturday, at about two thousand four hundred hires. In contrast, Monday had the lowest number, at roughly one thousand two hundred. From Tuesday to Thursday the figures stayed fairly steady at around thirteen to fourteen hundred, before rising on Friday. Overall, the chart suggests that the scheme is used much more at weekends than on weekdays.
That is about 85 words, a comfortable amount for 40 seconds at a calm pace.
Useful phrases
| Purpose | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Introduce | This chart illustrates… / The diagram shows… |
| Highest | The highest figure was… / … peaked at… |
| Lowest | In contrast, the lowest was… |
| Trend | … rose steadily / fell sharply / remained stable |
| Conclude | Overall, it is clear that… |
Key points
- You have about 25 seconds to prepare and about 40 seconds to speak.
- It counts towards Speaking.
- Scoring traits are content, oral fluency and pronunciation.
- Use a fixed structure, but fill it with real details from the image.
- Finish with a one-sentence conclusion before the timer ends.
For the official current format, see pearsonpte.com. More guides are on the PTE hub.