Section-wisePTE Exam Pattern & Structure

The PTE exam pattern has been changed and modified for 2024 test takers. Some recent revisions in the pattern of the PTE exam include:

• The optional ten-minute break has been eliminated. However, the PTE exam time stays intact at three hours.
• The number of questions asked has been decreased from 20 to 16.
• The MCQs and Re-order paragraph questions are reduced in the reading section.
• The describe image task has been eliminated from the speaking and writing section.

The exam pattern for the PTE is divided into three parts. All three parts can be taken in one shot. The details of each PTE modules are provided below.

Part 1: Speaking and Writing (54-67 minutes)

This component of the PTE exam pattern assesses the aspirant's writing and speaking skills. The questions in this part are either shown on the screen or played out via video or audio recordings. Each question must be answered within a specific time frame, as detailed below.

PTE Test Format for Speaking and Writing

The skills measured in this section for each question are as follows:

• Self Introduction: 55 seconds (Speaking)
• Read Aloud: 30-40 seconds (Reading and Speaking)
• Repeat the Sentence: 15 seconds (Listening and Speaking)
• Describe Image: 25 seconds (Speaking)
• Re-tell Lecture: 40 seconds (Listening and Speaking)
• Answer Short Question: 20 seconds (Listening and Speaking)
• Summarize the Written Text: 10 minutes (Reading and Writing)
• Essay: 20 minutes (Writing)

Part 2: Reading

In this section, the candidate's reading abilities are evaluated. Solely one sort of fill-in-the-blank question tests the candidate's reading and writing capabilities, while the others solely examine reading abilities. For a better understanding, look at the PTE format for the reading section below.

PTE Test Format for Reading

Part 2: Listening

The listening part of the PTE test pattern 2024 includes questions based on various audio or video sources. The PTE syllabus for the hearing exam includes eight different types. Candidates can only listen to each audio or video clip once and take notes. Each question in the listening PTE pattern takes a different amount of time, depending on the length of the recordings. However, there is no time restriction for replying. The PTE exam time for this segment is 30-43 minutes.

PTE Test Format for Listening

The skills measured in this section for each question are as follows:

• Summarize Spoken Test: 60-90 seconds (Listening and Writing)
• Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer: 40-90 seconds (Listening)
• Fill in the Blanks: 30-60 seconds (Listening and Writing)
• Highlight Correct Summary: 30-90 seconds (Listening)
• Multiple Choice, Single Answer: 30-60 seconds (Listening)
• Select Missing Word: : 20-70 seconds (Listening)
• Highlight Incorrect Words: 15-50 seconds (Listening and Writing)
• Dictation: 3-5 seconds (Listening and Writing)

The PTE exam scoring is done by an electronic machine. The exam score of the PTE differs from 10 to 90. The PTE exam is scored electronically. The PTE exam score ranges between 10 and 90. The PTE academic exam scores are based on their ability of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

In the PTE test, scores are given in two ways:

• Correct and Incorrect
• Partial Credit