PTE Exam Pattern 2026: Full Format, Question Types & What Changed

Fact-checked by Kooroo on 30 October 2026 for the requirements and scoring comparisons corrected here. Requirements can change, and we may make mistakes. Check the official source before booking a test or making an application. Sources: Pearson August 2025 update, Pearson PTE Academic, Home Affairs Superior English, Home Affairs Proficient English.

PTE Academic has three parts and 22 task types. Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation were added on 7 August 2025, not in 2026. Pearson describes the test as a two-hour test, although its published section timing ranges add to a longer total. Use the current Pearson booking instructions for your appointment rather than treating a sum of section maxima as a fixed test duration.

Always confirm exact question counts and timing on the official Pearson test format page before your test day, as Pearson updates test forms periodically.

What is the PTE exam pattern in 2026?

The PTE Academic 2026 exam pattern is a single, computer based test split into three parts that together assess all four English skills: speaking, writing, reading, and listening. You sit at a computer in a test centre, speak into a headset, and type your answers, with no scheduled break between parts.

Some PTE Academic tasks assess two communicative skills. Repeat Sentence contributes to Listening and Speaking; Write from Dictation contributes to Listening and Writing. The current Pearson Score Guide lists Read Aloud as Speaking only. Use the task-specific scoring table rather than inferring a scored skill from the input format.

Here is the full structure you will face on test day, verified against Pearson's test format pages as of 14 August 2026:

• Part 1: Speaking & Writing · 9 scored (+ 1 unscored intro) · 76-84 min
• Part 2: Reading · 5 · 23-30 min
• Part 3: Listening · 8 · 31-39 min
• Total: three parts, 22 task types and 65-75 items. Pearson describes a two-hour test; follow its booking instructions rather than treating the sum of section ranges as a fixed duration.

Pearson describes PTE Academic as a two-hour test. Its published section ranges of 76-84, 23-30 and 31-39 minutes add to 130-153 minutes. These descriptions differ; summing the ranges does not establish the exact length of a particular form. Follow Pearson's current appointment instructions and allow time for check-in.

Which August 2025 changes remain in the current exam?

Pearson added Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation on 7 August 2025. PTE Academic now has 22 task types, with a published Speaking & Writing range of 76-84 minutes. These changes predate 2026. The tasks ask you to respond to a discussion or situation in your own words.

The two new tasks are worth understanding before you build a study plan. Summarize Group Discussion plays you a discussion between three people and asks you to summarise it in your own words. You get about 10 seconds to prepare and around 2 minutes to speak, and simply repeating what was said, without paraphrasing, lowers your score. Respond to a Situation describes an everyday scenario, such as explaining a problem to a professor or a landlord, and asks you to give a natural spoken response. You can start practising both, prep timing and all, on the Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation practice pages.

The August 2025 update also introduced additional human review on seven Academic task types. Write Essay includes human review of Content; Development, Structure and Coherence; and General Linguistic Range. Pearson also describes human scoring of unusual responses that its automated system cannot reliably assess. Follow the current task-specific criteria rather than assuming identical review on every response.

What is in Part 1: Speaking & Writing?

Part 1 combines seven spoken tasks and two written tasks within a published range of 76-84 minutes. It opens with an unscored Personal Introduction. The scored skills differ by task: the section name does not mean that each response contributes to both Speaking and Writing. Use your own performance to choose a practice priority.

The Speaking & Writing tasks you will see, with the typical number of items per form, are:

1. Read Aloud (6-7 items) - read a short paragraph (up to 60 words) aloud; scored on content, fluency, and pronunciation.
2. Repeat Sentence (10-12 items) - listen to a sentence and repeat it exactly.
3. Describe Image (5-6 items) - describe a chart, graph, map, or picture in about 40 seconds.
4. Re-tell Lecture (2-3 items) - listen to a short lecture, then re-tell it in your own words.
5. Answer Short Question (5-6 items) - answer a simple question in one or a few words.
6. Summarize Group Discussion (2-3 items, added August 2025): summarise a three-person discussion in your own words.
7. Respond to a Situation (2-3 items, added August 2025): give an appropriate spoken reply to the scenario.
8. Summarize Written Text (2 items) - read a passage and write a single sentence summary of up to 75 words.
9. Write Essay (1 item) - write a 200-300 word argumentative essay in about 20 minutes.

What is in Part 2: Reading?

Part 2 is the shortest section, with five question types in 23-30 minutes, and it tests how well you understand academic texts. Despite its name, Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks scores Reading only, not Writing, per Pearson's Score Guide. The section is mostly multiple choice and drag and drop, which means accuracy and vocabulary matter more than speed.

The Reading tasks are: Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks, dropdown (5-6 items), Multiple Choice, choose multiple answers (2-3 items), Re-order Paragraphs (2-3 items), Reading: Fill in the Blanks, drag and drop (4-5 items), and Multiple Choice, choose a single answer (2-3 items). Building academic vocabulary and learning to spot logical connectors are the two highest return things you can practise for this part.

What is in Part 3: Listening?

Part 3 has eight question types and a published range of 31-39 minutes. Summarize Spoken Text asks for a 50-70 word summary; Write from Dictation asks you to reproduce a sentence. Some tasks also contribute to Writing or Reading. This integration does not establish a universal ranking of practice value.

The Listening tasks are: Summarize Spoken Text (1 item), Multiple Choice, choose multiple answers (2-3 items), Fill in the Blanks (2-3 items), Highlight Correct Summary (2-3 items), Multiple Choice, choose a single answer (2-3 items), Select Missing Word (1-2 items), Highlight Incorrect Words (2-3 items), and Write from Dictation (3-4 items). Because this section comes last, training your concentration for a sitting of over two hours is as important as the listening skill itself.

How is the PTE exam scored in 2026?

PTE Academic is scored from 10 to 90 on the Global Scale of English, and you receive an overall score plus four communicative skill scores for Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening. Because tasks are integrated, one task can affect several scores. Repeat Sentence lifts both Listening and Speaking, while Write from Dictation lifts both Listening and Writing. If you want the full breakdown of how the bands map to levels, see our PTE score chart, or convert any score with our PTE to IELTS score converter.

To plan your preparation, it helps to know the common target scores and what they open up:

• Australia Superior English: for PTE Academic tests taken from 7 August 2025, at least Listening 69, Reading 70, Writing 85 and Speaking 88. Check the Home Affairs rule and your visa requirements.
• Australia Proficient English: for tests taken from 7 August 2025, at least Listening 58, Reading 59, Writing 69 and Speaking 76. These are visa evidence thresholds, not university admission scores.
• Australia Competent English: for PTE Academic tests taken from 7 August 2025, at least Listening 47, Reading 48, Writing 51 and Speaking 54. Check the Home Affairs rule for your visa.
• 50 (each): Entry threshold for some courses and pathway programs

Score requirements change and differ by country and institution. This matters more than ever for the UK, where the Skilled Worker visa route raised its required English level from B1 to B2 on 8 January 2026. Always verify your target on the official immigration or university website before booking. Our PTE score requirements for Australia and the UK guide covers both markets in detail, or see the PTE for Australia and PTE for the UK pages for the current thresholds by visa route.

What should you practise first? (a starting action plan)

Start with unfamiliar examples across the task types, then identify repeated errors. The suggestions below cover different skills; they are not a ranking of guaranteed score gains. Keep some practice across the whole test while spending extra time on your own weaknesses.

Use this priority checklist for your first sessions:

• Write from Dictation: practise exact words and spelling, then log omissions, replacements and spelling errors.
• Repeat Sentence - chunk sentences by meaning rather than memorising word for word; boosts Listening and Speaking.
• Highlight Incorrect Words - spot where the transcript differs from the audio; boosts Listening and Reading.
• Summarize Written Text: select the main idea and supporting points, then write one complete sentence of 5-75 words.
• The two tasks added in August 2025: practise relevant, unscripted responses to discussions and situations.
• Take one full length, timed mock test to build stamina for a sitting of over two hours.

Create a free Kooroo account to attempt questions. Free questions include marking and applicable AI feedback; a VIP pass adds marking and feedback on premium questions. Kooroo scores are practice estimates and do not reproduce Pearson's scoring engine. Use feedback to identify a correction and check it on your next attempt.

Should you choose PTE in 2026?

PTE is a strong choice in 2026 if you want fast results and prefer a computer marked test over a face to face interview. Results typically arrive quickly, the test is widely accepted for study and migration in Australia, the UK, and many other countries, and the AI driven format is consistent. If you are still deciding between tests, our PTE vs IELTS comparison walks through which one fits different goals.