Section-wisePTE Exam Pattern & Structure

What is PTE?

The Pearson Test of English (PTE) is a computer-based test that assesses an individual's English competence. The PTE test pattern is accepted as proof of English proficiency at over 3000 educational institutions worldwide, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. The PTE is known for its outstanding syllabus and speedy results.

Types of PTE Exam: An Overview

PTE tests are classified into two types: PTE Academic Online and General. The PTE test pattern in these versions consists of several sections that assess a person's essential English language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Let's understand PTE Academic Online and PTE General in detail.

• PTE Academic Online: This test can be taken any time in a year, depending on the test taker's availability and convenience. Its format assesses the candidate's reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. The exam is conducted on a computer at a secure exam center. The scores are valid for up to 2 years. PTE Academic Sections and Duration SectionsTypes of Question/DurationSpeaking and WritingQuestion: 7Duration: 54-67 MinutesReadingQuestions: 5Duration: 29-30 MinutesListeningQuestions: 8Duration: 30-43
• PTE GeneralThis exam can be taken 3 times a year, i.e., in May, June, and December. You can verify the available dates on the PTE official website. This exam is divided into two sections: a written exam and a spoken test similar to an interview, both of which assess the test taker's reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in a realistic manner. The exam pattern includes six competency levels to evaluate and approve the test taker's overall English language ability. The scores are valid for a lifetime.Levels in PTE GeneralLevel of ProficiencyGrade/DurationA1Grade: FoundationDuration: 1 Hour 15 Minutes1Grade: ElementaryDuration: 1 Hour 30 Minutes2Grade: IntermediateDuration: 1 Hour 35 Minutes3Grade: Upper-IntermediateDuration: 2 Hours4Grade: AdvancedDuration: 2 Hours 30 Minutes5Grade: ProficientDuration: 2 Hours 55 Minutes

Overview of PTE Exam Format 2024

The Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) evaluates candidates' speaking, writing, reading, and listening abilities to ensure that they are prepared to study in a global environment and have a solid knowledge of the universal language of English. The PTE test consists of 20 question types, which evaluate candidates: Speaking and Writing (54 - 67 minutes), Reading (29 - 30 minutes), and Listening (30 - 43 minutes).

PTE Exam Pattern Latest Update 2024

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.

PTE Exam Structure 2024: Section-wise Details

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)

PTE Marks Distribution

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