How long is the PTE Academic test?

PTE Academic is a single computer-based session of roughly two hours. Part 1 (Speaking and Writing) takes 76 to 84 minutes, Part 2 (Reading) 22 to 30 minutes and Part 3 (Listening) 31 to 39 minutes. The exact duration varies by test form.

How many question types are in PTE Academic?

The current PTE Academic format has 22 scored question types across the three parts, plus an unscored Personal Introduction that appears before the scored Speaking and Writing questions.

Is PTE Academic computer-based?

Yes. PTE Academic is delivered fully on a computer at a test centre, including the Speaking tasks, which are recorded through a microphone rather than assessed by a live examiner.

What changed in the 2025 PTE Academic update?

The 2025 update added two question types to the Speaking and Writing part: Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation.

PTE Academic Format 2026: Sections, Tasks and Timing

Test overview

Three parts in one computer-based test

Pearson describes PTE Academic as a single computer-based test. The exact duration varies by test form, so candidates should use the official section ranges rather than planning around one fixed item count.

Part 176-84 minSpeaking and Writing

Part 222-30 minReading

Part 331-39 minListening

Personal Introduction is not scored

It is a familiarisation task before the scored Speaking and Writing questions. The current format then contains 22 scored question types.

Part 1

Speaking and Writing question types

This part contains nine scored question types. The 2025 update added Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation.

Question type	You produce	Timing	Skills scored
Read Aloud	A recording of the displayed text	30-40 sec preparation; response time varies	Speaking
Repeat Sentence	A spoken repetition	15 sec to answer	Listening, Speaking
Describe Image	A spoken description	25 sec preparation; 40 sec response	Speaking
Retell Lecture	A spoken retelling	10 sec preparation; 40 sec response	Listening, Speaking
Answer Short Question	One or a few spoken words	10 sec to answer	Listening
Summarize Group Discussion	A spoken summary	10 sec preparation; 2 min response	Listening, Speaking
Respond to a Situation	An extended spoken response	10 sec preparation; 40 sec response	Speaking
Summarize Written Text	One typed sentence	10 min	Reading, Writing
Write Essay	A 200-300 word essay	20 min	Writing

Open Speaking practice or open Writing practice.

Part 2

Reading question types

Reading is section-timed. Dropdown and drag-and-drop fill-in-the-blanks tasks both award partial credit for each correctly completed gap.

Question type	Response	Scoring style	Skills scored
Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown)	Select a word for each dropdown gap	Partial credit per blank	Reading
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers	Select more than one option	Partial credit with penalties; minimum zero	Reading
Reorder Paragraph	Arrange text boxes	Partial credit for correct adjacent pairs	Reading
Fill in the Blanks, Drag and Drop	Move words from a word bank	Partial credit per blank	Reading
Multiple Choice, Single Answer	Select one option	Correct or incorrect	Reading

Open Reading practice.

Part 3

Listening question types

Audio or video plays automatically and is heard once. Several tasks also assess Reading or Writing.

Question type	You produce	Typical prompt	Skills scored
Summarize Spoken Text	A 50-70 word summary	60-90 sec audio; 10 min to answer	Listening, Writing
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers	More than one selection	80-120 sec audio	Listening
Fill in the Blanks, Type In	Missing words	30-60 sec audio	Listening
Highlight Correct Summary	One summary selection	30-90 sec audio	Listening, Reading
Multiple Choice, Single Answer	One selection	30-90 sec audio	Listening
Select Missing Word	One word or phrase selection	20-70 sec audio	Listening
Highlight Incorrect Words	Highlighted transcript differences	15-50 sec audio	Listening, Reading
Write from Dictation	The sentence you hear	3-5 sec audio	Listening, Writing

Open Listening practice.

Scoring connection

Why integrated skills matter

A task can appear in one part of the test but contribute to more than one communicative skill. For example, Write from Dictation contributes to Listening and Writing, while Highlight Correct Summary contributes to Listening and Reading.

That is why a realistic practice result must aggregate each item into every skill it assesses. See the PTE scoring guide for the full explanation.

Common questions

PTE format FAQs

How long is the test?~2 hoursOne computer-based session: Part 1 76–84 min, Part 2 22–30 min, Part 3 31–39 min. Exact duration varies by test form.

How many task types?22 scoredAcross three parts, plus an unscored Personal Introduction before the scored Speaking and Writing questions.

Is it computer-based?FullyEvery task is on a computer, including Speaking, which is recorded through a microphone.

What changed in 2025?Two new tasksThe Speaking and Writing part added Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation.

Accuracy and sources

Official format, independent practice

This page was checked against Pearson's current PTE Academic format pages and Test Taker Score Guide on June 23, 2026. Pearson may update task details, so official Pearson material remains the final authority.

Primary sources: Speaking and Writing, Reading, Listening, and the current Pearson PTE Academic Test Taker Score Guide.