PTE: types, format, scores and our coaching

PTE (Pearson Test of English) is a family of English tests from Pearson. The best known, PTE Academic, tests speaking, writing, reading and listening on a computer in a single session of about two hours. It is accepted by universities in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, the USA and Europe, and for Australian, New Zealand and UK visas.

Scoring is automated: Pearson's scoring engine is trained on responses marked by expert examiners, and human reviewers check a sample. Many questions are integrated, which means one answer counts towards two skills. For example, writing a sentence you hear counts for both listening and writing.

Because Speaking is recorded into a headset rather than spoken to an examiner, some students find PTE less stressful; others prefer a face-to-face test. A few practice tasks in each format usually make the choice clear.

Pearson offers four PTE tests for study and migration. They are not interchangeable: PTE Core is not accepted for university admission, and PTE Home only works for certain UK visas. Check which test your university or visa route names before you book.

• PTE Academic

  Most students

  Students applying to universities and colleges abroad, and applicants for Australian and New Zealand visas.

  Accepted for

  • University admission in the UK, Australia, NZ, Canada, Ireland, USA and Europe
  • Australia: Student visa and other visas, with scores set by Home Affairs
  • UK degree-level study at universities that accept it

  Format

  Speaking & Writing, Reading, Listening · about 2 hours · test centre

  Fee in India

  ₹18,900

  Results

  Usually within 2 working days (up to 5)

• PTE Academic UKVI

  UK visas

  Applicants whose UK visa route needs a Secure English Language Test (SELT) with four skills.

  Accepted for

  • UK Student visa for study below degree level, such as pre-sessional and foundation courses
  • UK Skilled Worker (B2: 59 in each skill since January 2026), Innovator Founder and other work routes
  • Degree-level study at providers that ask for a SELT

  Format

  Same content, format and scoring as PTE Academic; the score report carries a SELT Unique Reference Number

  Fee in India

  ₹18,900

  Results

  Usually within 2 working days (up to 5)

  For a degree at a UK university, regular PTE Academic is usually what you need. Book UKVI only if your visa route or provider asks for it.

• PTE Core

  Canada PR

  People applying for Canadian permanent residence, citizenship or a post-graduation work permit.

  Accepted for

  • Canada Express Entry and other economic immigration programmes (CLB levels)
  • Canadian citizenship
  • Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

  Format

  Four skills on everyday and workplace topics · about 2 hours · test centre only (not at home)

  Fee in India

  ₹18,900

  Results

  Usually within 2 working days (up to 5)

  PTE Core is not for university admission. For study in Canada, take PTE Academic.

• PTE Home (A1, A2, B1)

  UK family and settlement

  People applying for UK family, settlement or citizenship routes who only need to prove speaking and listening.

  Accepted for

  • A1: first UK spouse, partner or parent visa; also some sportsperson and overseas business representative visas
  • A2: extending a UK family visa
  • B1: indefinite leave to remain and British citizenship

  Format

  Speaking and Listening only · about 30 minutes · test centre

  Fee in India

  ₹15,300

  Results

  Pass or fail, in as little as 48 hours; shared with the Home Office

PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI have three timed parts taken in one sitting: Speaking & Writing, then Reading, then Listening. Speaking & Writing has 9 question types, Reading 5 and Listening 8. The number of questions of each type varies from test to test, which is why Pearson gives each part a time range.

Before the test starts you record an unscored personal introduction. It is sent to institutions with your score so they can hear your voice, so treat it seriously.

Time

76–84 minutes

Questions

9 question types

This is the longest part. You speak into a headset microphone for the speaking tasks: the microphone opens after a short tone and closes after three seconds of silence, so pauses matter. Then you type two written responses.

Two newer tasks, Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation, test how you handle real conversations: summarising several speakers and replying appropriately to an everyday scenario.

Question types

• Read Aloud

  Read a short text aloud after 30–40 seconds to prepare. Scores reading and speaking.

• Repeat Sentence

  Repeat a sentence exactly as you heard it; about 15 seconds to answer. Scores listening and speaking.

• Describe Image

  Describe a graph, map, chart or picture: 25 seconds to prepare, 40 seconds to speak.

• Retell Lecture

  Retell a short lecture in your own words: 10 seconds to prepare, 40 seconds to speak.

• Answer Short Question

  Answer a simple question in a word or a few words within about 10 seconds.

• Summarize Group Discussion

  Listen to a discussion between several speakers and summarise it: 10 seconds to prepare, 2 minutes to speak.

• Respond to a Situation

  Read or hear an everyday situation and give a suitable spoken reply: 10 seconds to prepare, 40 seconds to speak.

• Summarize Written Text

  Summarise a passage in one sentence within 10 minutes.

• Write Essay

  Write an argumentative essay of 200–300 words in 20 minutes.

What is assessed

• Content: does the answer cover the task
• Oral fluency: smooth, natural pace without long pauses
• Pronunciation: easy for a range of listeners to understand
• Form, grammar, vocabulary and spelling in written tasks

Time

23–30 minutes

Questions

5 question types

Reading uses short academic texts. There is no separate timer per question, so you manage the whole part's time yourself. The on-screen timer shows how much time is left.

Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks is the most valuable question type here, because it counts towards both reading and writing.

Question types

• Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks

  Choose the right word for each gap from a drop-down list.

• Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers

  Select all correct answers; wrong choices cost marks.

• Re-order Paragraphs

  Drag sentences into the correct order.

• Reading: Fill in the Blanks

  Drag words from a box into the gaps.

• Multiple Choice, Single Answer

  Select the one correct answer.

What is assessed

• Understanding main ideas and detail
• Vocabulary and collocations (which words go together)
• Following the logic and structure of a text

Time

31–39 minutes

Questions

8 question types

Listening uses recordings of lectures and conversations, each played once. Recordings range from a few seconds (Write from Dictation) to about 90 seconds (Summarize Spoken Text).

Write from Dictation is short but valuable: it counts towards both listening and writing, so every correctly spelt word helps.

Question types

• Summarize Spoken Text

  Write a 50–70 word summary of a recording in 10 minutes.

• Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers

  Select all correct answers about a recording.

• Fill in the Blanks

  Type the missing words in a transcript as you listen.

• Highlight Correct Summary

  Choose the paragraph that best summarises the recording.

• Multiple Choice, Single Answer

  Select the one correct answer.

• Select Missing Word

  Choose the word or phrase that completes the recording.

• Highlight Incorrect Words

  Click the words in a transcript that differ from what the speaker says.

• Write from Dictation

  Type a sentence exactly as you hear it.

What is assessed

• Understanding main ideas, detail and the speaker's purpose
• Following accents and natural speed
• Spelling and grammar in typed answers

PTE Academic, PTE Academic UKVI and PTE Core give an overall score from 10 to 90 and a score from 10 to 90 for each of Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. PTE Home tests are pass or fail.

The overall score is not a simple average of the four skills. It reflects your performance across every question, and integrated questions count towards more than one skill.

Each university, course and visa route sets its own PTE minimum, usually with a minimum for each skill as well as overall. These are typical ranges; we confirm the exact requirement for your course before you book.

Australia changed its PTE score requirements for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025. Older tests are assessed against the previous scores. Check Home Affairs for your visa.

Pearson charges the same fee at every PTE test centre in India. The fee for your booking is shown in your myPTE account before you pay.

Fees are set by Pearson and can change. Confirm the current fee in myPTE before you book.

You book PTE yourself through a myPTE account on Pearson's website. Seats are often available within a few days, which helps if you are close to a deadline.

1. 1Confirm whether you need PTE Academic, Academic UKVI, Core or Home.
2. 2Create a myPTE account with your name exactly as it appears in your passport.
3. 3Choose the test, your city and test centre, then a date and time.
4. 4Pay online and keep the confirmation email.
5. 5After the test, send your score to institutions free of charge from myPTE.

Booking tips

• Book two to four weeks before your deadline to leave time for a retake.
• Do at least one full timed mock test on a computer with a headset before test day.
• Check your passport is valid on the test date: it is the only ID accepted for Indian nationals.

Arrive about 30 minutes early. Check-in includes ID checks, a photograph, a palm-vein scan at most centres and a digital signature.

Rescheduling and cancelling are done in your myPTE account. These are Pearson's published rules (PTE policy centre, checked 23 October 2026). You can reschedule one booking up to 6 times.

Missing the test without cancelling means you lose the fee. For a medical or family emergency Pearson may allow a free reschedule at its discretion; apply within 72 hours of the appointment.

Pearson emails you when your score report is ready in myPTE. Most results arrive within 2 working days, sometimes up to 5.

Rescoring

If you believe your score is wrong, you can ask Pearson by phone for a rescore within 14 calendar days of your score being released. A human expert rescores the whole test. The fee is US$160; it is refunded if your overall or skill scores change. Scores can go down as well as up, and the new score replaces the old one.

Focused preparation for the computer-based PTE Academic test, with practice on every question type and the timing and microphone technique the test needs.

Who it's for

• Students applying to universities that accept PTE Academic
• Applicants comfortable with computer-based tests who want fast results
• Test takers moving from IELTS who want to compare formats

What you'll learn

• Speaking & writing

  Read aloud, repeat sentence, describe image, retell lecture, summarise written text and essay.

• Reading

  Multiple-choice, re-order paragraphs and fill-in-the-blanks with strategies for each item type.

• Listening

  Summarise spoken text, highlight correct summary, write from dictation and other listening tasks.

• Test technique

  Timing, microphone use, on-screen navigation and how integrated skills affect your scores.

Format and practice

• Classes at our centre, morning or evening batch
• Computer-based practice
• Regular timed mock tests

Mock tests use the computer-based format so you get used to the timing and on-screen tasks before test day.

A typical plan for a student who is comfortable with English and aiming for 58–65. Your trainer adjusts it after a diagnostic mock test.

1. Week 1Diagnostic and test techniqueFull computer-based mock test, microphone technique and how integrated scoring works.
2. Week 2SpeakingRead Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image and Retell Lecture with fluency and pronunciation feedback.
3. Week 3Writing and ReadingSummarize Written Text, essay structure, Fill in the Blanks and Re-order Paragraphs strategies.
4. Week 4ListeningWrite from Dictation, Summarize Spoken Text and Highlight Incorrect Words, with spelling drills.
5. Weeks 5–6Full mocksTwo or three timed mocks, review of weak question types and test-day routine.

1. 01

   Pausing while speaking

   Three seconds of silence closes the microphone and the rest of your answer is lost.

2. 02

   Guessing on multiple-answer questions

   Wrong selections are deducted, so a guess can cost marks.

3. 03

   Spelling slips

   Spelling counts in Write from Dictation, Fill in the Blanks and written tasks.

4. 04

   Ignoring word limits

   Summaries outside 5–75 words (written text) or 50–70 words (spoken text) lose marks.

5. 05

   Booking PTE Core for university

   PTE Core is for Canadian immigration only; universities need PTE Academic.

We wrote this guide from the test owners' and governments' own pages, checked on 23 Oct 2026. Bookings, fees and dates are managed by the official test providers, so confirm them before you book.

1. Pearson PTE: PTE Academic test format (opens in a new tab)
2. Pearson PTE: Speaking & Writing question types (opens in a new tab)
3. Pearson PTE: Reading question types (opens in a new tab)
4. Pearson PTE: Listening question types (opens in a new tab)
5. Pearson PTE: scoring explained (opens in a new tab)
6. Pearson PTE: PTE Academic UKVI (opens in a new tab)
7. Pearson PTE: PTE Core (opens in a new tab)
8. Pearson PTE: PTE Home (opens in a new tab)
9. Pearson PTE: UK visa requirements (opens in a new tab)
10. Pearson PTE: new Australian visa score requirements (7 August 2025) (opens in a new tab)
11. IRCC: language test equivalency charts (CLB) (opens in a new tab)
12. Cialfo: PTE exam fees in India 2026 (secondary source for India fees) (opens in a new tab)
13. Pearson PTE: cancellations and rescheduling policy (opens in a new tab)
14. Pearson PTE: rescore policy (opens in a new tab)
15. PTE official website (Pearson) (opens in a new tab)