Summarize Group Discussion is a PTE Academic speaking task introduced for tests taken from 7 August 2025. You hear an academic discussion among three people once, take notes, then have 10 seconds to prepare and 2 minutes to summarise it. It is not a PTE Core task. Pearson Academic updates Pearson speaking tips, January 2026
Your job is to explain the discussion as a whole. Preserve the main topic, each speaker’s important contribution, and significant agreement or disagreement.
Notes by theme and speaker
Divide the page into three speaker columns. Add a short topic line across the top. Use compact symbols such as +, - and agree, but do not invent so many abbreviations that you cannot read them later.
Listen for:
- the central question
- each speaker’s position
- reasons or examples supporting those positions
- points of agreement, contrast or change
- any shared conclusion
A flexible spoken structure is: topic, first position, related or contrasting positions, shared conclusion. This is a content map, not wording to memorise.
Original discussion
Speaker 1: Our faculty wants to replace one large final exam with several smaller assessments. I support the change because one bad day would matter less, and regular assignments could show progress. However, weekly deadlines might increase workload.
Speaker 2: I agree that one exam can be unfair, but frequent assessments are not automatically better. Students taking four subjects could face overlapping deadlines. I would prefer two assignments and a shorter final exam, with a shared calendar across courses.
Speaker 3: My concern is feedback. Small tasks help only if teachers return useful comments before the next task. Without timely feedback, students repeat the same mistakes. A mixed model could work, but departments would need enough marking time.
Speaker 1: That is a good point. Perhaps some low-stakes quizzes could be automatically checked, leaving teachers more time to comment on major assignments.
Speaker 2: Yes, and the timetable should spread those assignments across the term. Then the mixed model could reduce exam pressure without creating constant deadline stress.
Compact notes:
- Topic: replace big final with smaller assessment?
- S1: supports progress + less one-day risk; worries weekly load; suggests auto quizzes
- S2: overlap risk; wants 2 assignments + short final + shared calendar
- S3: feedback essential; marking capacity; supports mixed model conditionally
- Agreement: mixed approach, coordination, useful feedback
Model spoken summary
The three speakers discussed whether a large final examination should be replaced by smaller assessments. The first speaker supported more regular tasks because they could show progress and reduce the effect of one poor exam day, although weekly deadlines might increase the workload. The second speaker agreed with the fairness concern but warned that assessments from several subjects could overlap. This speaker preferred two assignments and a shorter final exam, coordinated through a common calendar. The third speaker focused on feedback, arguing that smaller tasks are useful only when students receive comments before completing the next one. The first speaker proposed automatically checked quizzes to preserve teacher time for feedback, and the second recommended spreading larger assignments across the term. Overall, the discussion moved towards a mixed model, while concerns remained about overlapping deadlines, timely feedback and marking capacity.
The response groups connected ideas instead of giving a mechanical list. It identifies who raised each concern, states the agreement accurately and leaves out minor conversational wording.
Delivery check
Speak at a normal pace. Use brief pauses between themes, not after every note. If you lose a detail, continue with the main structure instead of restarting. Pearson advises candidates to mention speaker contributions and areas of agreement or disagreement while maintaining flow.
Name the group outcome accurately
Before speaking, make two short notes: agreed and unresolved. A discussion may settle one point while leaving another open. Describe a compromise only when speakers actually accept a combined proposal.
- Agreed: “All three speakers supported a trial period.”
- Compromise accepted: “The group accepted a mixed approach combining online materials with weekly seminars.”
- Partly unresolved: “The speakers agreed on the problem but remained divided over funding.”
Do not infer consensus from the final speaker’s confidence. Check which proposals the other speakers accepted.
Use the original discussion above for a listen-once drill, then continue with Academic Summarize Group Discussion practice.
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