PTE exam format | A section-wise comprehensive guide!

PTE exam format | An overview

The Pearson Test of English (PTE) is a standardized exam evaluating a test taker’s written and spoken English command. The PTE exam format is divided into three parts -Speaking and Writing, Reading, and Listening. It lasts around 2 hours and 15 minutes. PTE is one of the most popular choices for people who need to demonstrate their command of the English language for immigration or study abroad purposes.

PTE writing and speaking section

The PTE exam format’s most extended component is the one that tests your ability to communicate in writing and speech. Your grasp of the English language and its syntax and vocabulary is tested here. To best prepare for this part, you should focus on the following-

1. Personal introduction
2. Read aloud
3. Repeating a sentence
4. Describing an image
5. Reciting a lecture
6. Answer short question
7. Providing a text summary
8. Essay writing

Questions format

Segment	No. of questions	Approximate time to answer
Personal Introduction	1	25 seconds for prompt; 30 seconds to record
Read aloud	6-7	Read aloud the text of 60 words
Repeating a sentence	10-12	3-9 seconds for prompt prior; the 15 seconds is for recording
Describing an image	3-4	25 seconds: To observe the image and prepare the prompt
Reciting a lecture	1-2	90 seconds: This is the prompt length; then you’ll have 10 seconds to prepare and 40 seconds to answer
Answer short question	5-6	20 seconds: 3-9 seconds for prompt; 10 seconds to answer
Providing a text summary	1-2	10 minutes to summarise a given content within 300 words
Essay writing	1-2	20 minutes

Reading section

The PTE reading test aims to evaluate how well you comprehend written material. You’ll need to answer things like-

• Read, write, and fill in the blanks.
• Questions with many choices (a single correct answer)
• Reordering paragraphs
• Multiple choice questions (multiple answers have to be chosen)

Questions format

Segment	No. of questions	Task
Multiple choice, one correct answer	1-2	Read a 300-word text
Multiple choice, multiple correct answers	1-2	Read a 300-word text
Reordering paragraphs	2-3	Read a 150-word text
Read, write and fill in the blanks	5-6	Read a 300-word text

PTE Listening section

You will be tested on your ability to understand spoken English during the PTE’s listening part. There are eight distinct categories of questions you’ll need to answer-

• Summarization
• Multiple-choice questions and single answer
• Multiple-choice questions and multiple answers
• Fill in the blanks
• Choose missing word
• Point out the wrong words or phrases
• Writing from dictation
• Highlighting incorrect words

Questions format

Segment	No. of questions	Approximate time to answer
Summarization	1-2	Skimming and editing the material takes 60–90 seconds, whereas writing the final draft takes 10 minutes.
Multiple-choice questions and single answer	1-2	40-90 seconds
Multiple-choice questions and multiple answers	2-3	30-60 seconds
Fill in the blanks	1-2	30-60 seconds
Choose missing word	1-2	20-70 seconds
Point out the wrong words or phrases	2-3	15-50 seconds
Writing from dictation	1-2	30-90 seconds
Highlighting incorrect words	3-4	3-5 seconds

PTE exam result date

Dates of PTE results are not guaranteed. They are formally announced within five business days of taking the test. Nonetheless, many hopefuls report receiving their results in as little as 48 hours. Each candidate will receive an email as soon as their results are available online. Logging into their official myPTE accounts, they may see their report cards and PTE results.

Scores and feedback from the PTE are good for two years. After this time, candidates are welcome to retake the exam if they did not pass the first time. Results from the PTE are valid for three years in nations like Australia for immigration reasons.

Required PTE score

Every school has its own admissions standards, including minimum test scores and other factors. The following is a minimum acceptable PTE score–

Course	Minimum score range requirement
Foundation	36-50
Undergraduate	51-60
Postgraduate	57-67

Key takeaways

• The PTE exam format consists of the writing, speaking, reading, and listening section.
• It takes 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete and is computer-based.
• You should also be aware that, like the TOEFL and IELTS, PTE exam results are only valid for two years.
• In addition, there is no cap on the number of schools to which you can submit your PTE results.

We hope you enjoyed reading this blog. In case of any queries, reach out to us or drop a comment below!

Like this blog? Read next- Top differences between IELTS vs TOEFL vs PTE

FAQ

Q1. Which section of the PTE exam is the most difficult?

Answer- Your degree of preparedness will determine how challenging you find the PTE exam. Prepare thoroughly for the whole PTE test by reading the official PTE study guides.

Q2. How many PTE Academic tests can I take?

Answer- The PTE Academic exam can be taken multiple times. Once you get your test results back, then and only then may you schedule a retest.

Q3. What is the ideal PTE exam score?

Answer- If you take the PTE Academic test, you should aim for a score between 57 and 64. It is based on the universities’ ideal range for the PTE score.

Q4. How much is the PTE exam fee?

Answer- The PTE exam fee is INR 14,700 for PTE Academic and PTE Academic online.