The basic exam pattern consists of the questions, which students are given the time to read based on the length of the text prompts. Students are given at least 15 seconds to answer every question, which they should use to relax and think about the right answer. Once the 15 seconds are up, candidates have to either write the answers, speak out the answers or choose from options if the questions are multiple-choice based.
The PTE Academic exam pattern consists of three sections:
- Reading Section
- Speaking and Writing Section
- Listening Section
PTE Exam- Reading Section
The duration of the Reading section is from 32 -41 minutes and in this section, candidates are judged on their capabilities of understanding all written instructions, which would be all in English. This section is divided into 5 smaller segments:
For the paper-delivered test, the total time given for candidates to complete the exam is 3 hours 40 minutes.
| Pattern of Segments | Duration(Based on text prompt) |
|---|---|
| Multiple-Choice, Single Answer | 300 words |
| Re-Order Paragraphs | 150 words |
| Multiple-Choice, Multiple Answers | 300 words |
| Reading: Fill in the Blanks | 80 words |
| Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks | 300 words |
PTE Exam- Speaking & Writing
Candidates will get 77 – 93 minutes to complete this section, which tests candidates based on their skills of writing and speaking in the English language. Six small segments of this section test candidates on speaking in a prompt manner, while the written test involves writing essays based on the topic given to them through the text prompt.
| Pattern of Segments | Duration(Based on text prompt) |
|---|---|
| Personal Introduction | Prompt: 25 seconds, Recording: 30 seconds |
| Read Aloud | Reading out a 60-word text after 30-40 seconds of preparation |
| Repeat Sentence | Prompt: 3-9 seconds (based on sentence length), Recording: 15 seconds |
| Describe Image | 25 seconds for studying the given image and preparing the response |
| Re-Tell Lecture | Prompt: 90 seconds, Preparation Time: 10 seconds, Answering Time: 40 seconds |
| Answer Short Question | Prompt: 3-9 seconds (based on length of the question), Answering Time: 10 seconds |
| Summarize Written Text | 300-word text prompt, Answering Time: 10 minutes |
| Essay | 2-3 sentences text prompt, Answering Time: 20 minutes |
| Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks | 300 words |
PTE Exam- Listening Section
Candidates would get 45 – 57 minutes for this section, which involves testing candidates on their ability to understand spoken English. This section involves playing audio to candidates that feature segments of spoken English, for which students are given time to respond. This section is broken into the following eight segments:
| Pattern of Segments | Duration(Based on text prompt) |
|---|---|
| Summarize Spoken Text | Retention Time: 60 – 90 seconds, Spoken Text Length: 50 – 70 words, Writing Time: 10 minutes |
| Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers | Prompt Time: 40 – 90 seconds |
| Fill in the Blanks | 30 – 60 seconds |
| Highlight Correct Summary | 30 – 60 seconds |
| Multiple Choice, Single Answers | 30 – 60 seconds |
| Select Missing Word | 20 – 70 seconds |
| Highlight Incorrect Words | 15 – 50 seconds |
| Write from Dictation | 3 – 5 seconds |
Compared to other standardized English language competitive examinations such as TOEFL and IELTS, the exam pattern of the PTE is not much different. However, the main reason for the ever-increasing popularity of the PTE Academic examination is the fact that candidates can take the test at any point in time during the year.
