PTE Core syllabus

A computer test of everyday English, about two hours, in three parts. Scored 10 to 90 for speaking, writing, reading, listening and overall.

Part 1: Speaking and Writing

7 scored question types, plus an unscored personal introduction · 50 to 65 minutes

In the live test, speaking and writing are scored by automated systems trained on human ratings. Here you assess your own recordings and emails against this site's criteria. Answer Short Question is marked from the words you type.

  • Personal introduction (not scored): 25 seconds to prepare, 30 seconds to record
  • Read Aloud (6–7): text up to 60 words; 30–40 seconds to prepare
  • Repeat Sentence (10–12): the sentence is played once
  • Describe Image (3–4): the format page's sample gives 25 seconds to prepare and 40 seconds to speak
  • Respond to a Situation (2–4): listen and read, then 20 seconds to prepare and 40 seconds to speak
  • Answer Short Question (5–6): answer in one or a few words as soon as the recording ends
  • Summarize Written Text (1–2): 10 minutes; full credit for form at 25–50 words
  • Write Email (2–3): full credit for form at 50–120 words; three points in the prompt

What it tests

  • Read Aloud: reading a short text aloud; scored for reading and speaking (content, pronunciation, oral fluency)
  • Repeat Sentence: repeating a sentence heard once; scored for listening and speaking
  • Describe Image: describing a chart, graph, map, picture or process; scored for speaking
  • Respond to a Situation: answering an everyday situation, such as an apology, request or complaint; scored for speaking, including whether the situation's purpose is achieved
  • Answer Short Question: a one- or few-word spoken answer to a general-knowledge question; scored right or wrong for listening and speaking
  • Summarize Written Text: one sentence summing up a short text; scored for reading and writing (content, form, grammar, vocabulary)
  • Write Email: an email covering three points to a named reader; scored for writing on content, email conventions, form, organisation, vocabulary, grammar and spelling

Part 2: Reading

5 question types · 27 to 37 minutes

Reading and Writing Fill in the Blanks also contributes to the writing score on the live test. Here each gap is its own keyed item.

  • Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks (5–6 passages, a drop-down at each gap)
  • Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers (1–2): one point per right option, one point off per wrong option, not below zero
  • Reorder Paragraph (2–3): one point for each pair of neighbouring sentences in the right order
  • Fill in the Blanks (4–5 passages): drag words from a box; more words than gaps
  • Multiple Choice, Single Answer (1–2): right or wrong

What it tests

  • Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks: choosing the right word at each gap from a drop-down; scored for reading and writing, one point a gap
  • Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers: choosing every right answer; one point for each right option and one off for each wrong one, never below zero
  • Reorder Paragraph: putting text boxes in order from linking words, pronouns and the flow of ideas; one point for each correct neighbouring pair
  • Fill in the Blanks: dragging words from a box into gaps; collocations, grammar and meaning in context
  • Multiple Choice, Single Answer: the main idea, a detail or the writer's purpose in a short text

Part 3: Listening

7 question types · 22 to 37 minutes

Summarize Spoken Text is self-assessed. The other listening tasks are marked from a key. On the live test, Pearson scores this part with automated scoring; the written summary is a writing task as well as a listening task.

  • Summarize Spoken Text (1–2): recording of 45–75 seconds, played once; 8 minutes to write; full credit for form at 20–30 words
  • Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers (1–2): one point per right option, one point off per wrong option, not below zero
  • Fill in the Blanks (2–3): type the missing words; one point per word spelled correctly
  • Multiple Choice, Single Answer (1–2): right or wrong
  • Select Missing Word (1–2): right or wrong
  • Highlight Incorrect Words (1–2): one point per word correctly marked different, one point off per wrong click, not below zero
  • Write from Dictation (3–4): one point per word spelled correctly

What it tests

  • Summarize Spoken Text: a 20 to 30 word summary of a recording heard once; scored for listening and writing
  • Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers: every right answer about a recording; wrong choices lose a point
  • Fill in the Blanks: typing the missing words from a recording; listening and writing, one point a word spelt correctly
  • Multiple Choice, Single Answer and Select Missing Word: the main point, a detail, or the word that ends the recording
  • Highlight Incorrect Words: clicking the words in a transcript that differ from the recording; scored for listening and reading
  • Write from Dictation: typing a sentence exactly as heard; listening and writing, one point a word spelt correctly