The Pearson Test of English (PTE) is a computer-based, AI-scored English proficiency test accepted worldwide for study abroad, work, and immigration. It measures speaking, writing, reading and listening skills with a focus on real-life English instead of only high-level grammar. Its fast results (1–2 business days) and objective automated scoring make it one of the most trusted English tests globally.
4. PTE Home (A1, A2, B1)
PTE Home tests assess everyday English skills and are primarily accepted for UK family visas (spouse/partner/parent visas). These are much simpler tests compared to PTE Academic.
| PTE Version | Purpose | Accepted For |
| PTE Academic | University admissions, skilled migration (Australia/NZ) | Universities, Australian/NZ PR visas |
| PTE Academic UKVI | UK visa applications (SELT-approved) | UK Student Visa, UK Skilled Worker Visa |
| PTE Core | Canadian immigration (Express Entry / PNP) | Canadian PR applications |
| PTE Home A1/A2/B1 | UK family/spouse visas | UK family reunion visa applications |
PTE Academic tests all four language skills — Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening —
The total test time is approximately 2 hours. Unlike PTE, which tests each skill in a separate section, PTE Academic integrates skills within tasks.
The Speaking and Writing section is the first and longest part of PTE Academic, and it also contributes to your Reading and Listening scores through its integrated tasks.
| Task | Description | Skills Assessed |
| Personal Introduction | Record a 25–30 second introduction about yourself (unscored — sent to institutions) | Speaking |
| Read Aloud | Read a text aloud; recorded and scored on pronunciation and fluency | Speaking + Reading |
| Repeat Sentence | Listen to a sentence and repeat it exactly | Speaking + Listening |
| Describe Image | Look at an image (graph, chart, map, process) for 25 seconds; describe it in 40 seconds | Speaking |
| Re-Tell Lecture | Listen to a lecture extract; re-tell it in your own words in 40 seconds | Speaking + Listening |
| Respond to a Situation | Listen to or read a real-life scenario (for example, a customer query) and record a suitable spoken response. | Speaking + Reading |
| Summarize a Group Discussion | Listen to a multi-speaker conversation and give a concise spoken summary of the key points. | Listening |
| Answer Short Question | Listen to a question; give a 1–2 word spoken answer | Speaking + Listening |
| Summarise Written Text | Read a text; write a 1-sentence summary (5–75 words) in 10 minutes | Writing + Reading |
| Write Essay | Write a 200–300-word essay on a given topic in 20 minutes | Writing |
The Reading section contains a variety of question types based on authentic academic texts. PTE Reading questions are not in a traditional passage format — they test specific reading micro-skills.
| Task | Description |
| Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks | A text with missing words; choose from a drop-down list to fill blanks |
| Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer | Read a text; select more than one correct response from options (negative marking applies) |
| Re-Order Paragraphs | Restore the correct order of jumbled text segments |
| Reading: Fill in the Blanks | Drag and drop words from a box into the correct blank in a text |
| Multiple Choice, Single Answer | Read a text; select the single correct response |
The Listening section is the final part of PTE Academic, requiring you to listen to authentic audio recordings and complete a range of tasks. Listening also integrates with writing skills in some tasks.
| Task | Description |
| Summarise Spoken Text | Listen to a 60–90 second recording; write a 50–70 word summary in 10 minutes |
| Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer | Listen to a recording; select more than one correct response (negative marking) |
| Fill in the Blanks | Listen to a recording; type the missing words into a transcript |
| Highlight Correct Summary | Listen to a recording; select the paragraph that best summarises it |
| Multiple Choice, Single Answer | Listen to a recording; select the single correct response |
| Select Missing Word | Listen to a recording with the final word replaced by a beep; select the missing word |
| Highlight Incorrect Words | Listen to a recording while reading a transcript; identify words that differ from the audio |
| Write from Dictation | Listen to a short sentence; type it exactly as heard (high-scoring task — very important!) |
PTE Scoring System
PTE Academic uses a unique scoring system powered by Pearson’s AI engine. Your performance is reported as an Overall Score and individual skill scores for Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening — all on a scale of 10 to 90.
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General PTE Strategy Tips