ScoreFluentOne sitting. Three parts. Scored 10 to 90.
PTE Academic is Pearson's computer-based English test. It has 22 task types in three parts. There is no interviewer. AI scores your answers from 10 to 90, and humans review some of them. Here is the format, the scoring and the task types.
PTE Academic practice is live. We score all 22 task types. Reading and listening are free. Speaking and writing answers get an examiner report, paid with credits. Start practising free →
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All 22 task types. Your score appears as soon as you stop.
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All three parts with real exam timing. Your first mock test is free when you sign up.
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Flo remembers your weak points and explains why you lost marks.
How it is scored →
How each task is weighted, and how Read Aloud is marked.
Three parts, one continuous sitting.
PTE Academic is one computer-based appointment. Some items are integrated: one answer scores two skills.
| Part | Time | Shape | What is different about it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speaking & Writing | 76–84 min | 9 item types | Recorded on a computer, no interviewer. Some items also score Listening or Reading. |
| Reading | 23–30 min | 5 item types | No timer for each item. You manage the section time yourself. |
| Listening | 31–39 min | 8 item types | Audio plays once. Some items also score Speaking or Writing. |
22 task types · ~2–2.5 hours total · computer-delivered at a test centre or online-proctored
Each task type, scored on its own traits.
Each task is scored in its own way. These guides show what each task scores, common mistakes and how to fix them.
Speaking
Describe Image →
The 5-sentence template that hits Content, Fluency and Pronunciation without improvising under pressure.
Retell Lecture →
The note-taking shorthand and 4-part structure for turning a 90-second lecture into a scoreable summary.
Repeat Sentence →
What the AI actually scores, and the 3-second rule that fixes most failures.
Answer Short Question →
Scored purely on content — why one correct word beats a full grammatical sentence.
Writing
Reading
Listening
Summarize Spoken Text →
The note-taking shorthand and 50–70 word template for a task you only hear once.
Multiple Choice →
The general-purpose note structure for questions you only see after the audio ends.
Highlight Correct Summary →
Why every option reads fluently, and only one is actually accurate.
Select Missing Word →
Why only the last few seconds of the recording actually matter.
Highlight Incorrect Words →
Why reading along silently beats listening for meaning on this task.
Write from Dictation →
One of the only items that counts toward two section scores at once.
10–90 per skill, scored by AI first.
Four main skills (Speaking, Writing, Reading, Listening) and an Overall score, each 10–90. Six smaller skills feed into them.
Four main skills, 10–90
Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening each get 10–90. Overall comes from all four. Some items count for two skills. Repeat Sentence counts for Listening and Speaking.
Six smaller skills (Enabling Skills)
Grammar, Oral Fluency, Pronunciation, Spelling, Vocabulary and Written Discourse each get 10–90. They feed into the main skills. Speaking tasks use Oral Fluency and Pronunciation. Writing tasks use Grammar and Written Discourse.
AI scoring, with human review of Content
Pearson says AI scores responses. Humans review Content on Describe Image, Retell Lecture, Summarize Written Text, Write Essay and Summarize Spoken Text. This became stricter in November 2024 and August 2025. Generic templates are now risky.
Templates are now riskier.
Two new task types and stricter review
In August 2025, Pearson added Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation to Speaking. That made 22 task types. Content review also became stricter. Generic filler and memorised frames can now be marked as off-topic.
Check a response before exam day
Our free template check looks for risky patterns in your answer: generic phrases, off-topic content and keyword stuffing. It shows the exact lines.
Where these facts come from.
ScoreFluent is independent. We are not connected to Pearson or PTE Academic. This page uses their published documents:
- PTE Academic test format — official Pearson page — the three parts and timings in the table above.
- Understanding your PTE Academic scores — official score guide — the 10–90 scale, the skills, and the AI and human review.
Exam details can change. Check the official pages above before you decide.
PTE Academic, answered.
How long is PTE Academic and how is it structured?
About 2 to 2.5 hours in one sitting. Speaking & Writing takes 76–84 minutes, Reading 23–30 minutes and Listening 31–39 minutes. Speaking is not booked separately. All parts happen back to back in one appointment.
How many task types does PTE Academic have?
22. In August 2025, Pearson added Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation to Speaking. Some items score more than one skill. Repeat Sentence, for example, counts for both Listening and Speaking.
What score do I need, and how does the scale work?
PTE scores 10–90 for Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening, plus an Overall score. Six smaller skills are also scored 10–90: Grammar, Oral Fluency, Pronunciation, Spelling, Vocabulary and Written Discourse. They feed into the main four.
Is PTE really scored entirely by computer?
Mostly. Pearson says AI scores responses. Human experts also review Content on some tasks: Describe Image, Retell Lecture, Summarize Written Text, Write Essay and Summarize Spoken Text. Pearson made this review stricter in November 2024 and August 2025. Memorised templates are now risky. Try our free template check.
Are templates still safe to use on PTE in 2026?
A loose structure is fine. A memorised script is risky. The 2024–2025 changes added content review to catch answers that do not address the question. Rigid templates often do this. Check your answer with the free template check first.
Can I practise PTE Academic on ScoreFluent today?
Yes. ScoreFluent scores all 22 PTE Academic task types. Reading, listening, Read Aloud and Repeat Sentence are scored free. Speaking and writing attempts get an examiner report, paid with credits. There is also a full mock test with real exam timing.
The best YouTube teaching on each task, cut into one lesson.
Each lesson is 8 to 11 minutes from several creators: how the task is scored, the method, a worked example and the common mistakes. Free on Mixie, no sign-in.
Speaking
- PTE Academic · Describe Image
- PTE Answer Short Question: one word, no hesitation
- PTE Read Aloud: the fluency and pronunciation that score
- PTE Repeat Sentence: hold the sentence, say it whole
- PTE Respond to a Situation: the new speaking task
- PTE Retell Lecture: a 40-second structure that always works
- PTE Summarize Group Discussion: three speakers, one summary
Reading
- PTE fill in the blanks: collocation and grammar clues
- PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks: drag, drop, and check the grammar
- PTE Reading Multiple Choice (multiple answers): beat the negative marking
- PTE Reading Multiple Choice (single answer): spend less, score more
- PTE Reorder Paragraphs: find the first sentence
Listening
- PTE Highlight Correct Summary: eliminate, then choose
- PTE Highlight Incorrect Words: read with the audio
- PTE Listening Fill in the Blanks: type while you listen
- PTE Listening Multiple Choice (multiple answers): the safe-pick strategy
- PTE Listening Multiple Choice (single answer): listen for the question first
- PTE Select Missing Word: predict the ending
- PTE Summarize Spoken Text: notes that become a summary
- PTE Write from Dictation: catch every word
Start practising PTE Academic.
All 22 task types. Reading and listening are free. Use credits for examiner reports.
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