PTE Academic has three parts in one computer-based test: Speaking and Writing, Reading, then Listening. Pearson's current format pages give section timing ranges, while individual task timing varies.
Format at a glance
The current PTE Academic test runs in a fixed order: Speaking and Writing, Reading, then Listening. Pearson describes the full test as approximately two hours and publishes section ranges of 76 to 84 minutes, 23 to 30 minutes and 31 to 39 minutes. Those independent ranges describe possible section variation; adding all three maximums does not create an official maximum test length. The current format has nine Speaking and Writing task types, five Reading task types and eight Listening task types.
| Part | Published range | Question types |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking and Writing | 76 to 84 minutes | 9 |
| Reading | 23 to 30 minutes | 5 |
| Listening | 31 to 39 minutes | 8 |
Question counts vary by test form. Use these ranges for section-level planning and the live task pages for response limits.
Part 1: Speaking and Writing
Pearson lists about 76 to 84 minutes and nine scored question types:
- Read Aloud
- Repeat Sentence
- Describe Image
- Retell Lecture
- Answer Short Question
- Summarize Group Discussion
- Respond to a Situation
- Summarize Written Text
- Write Essay
The Personal Introduction comes before these tasks but does not contribute to the score. Some tasks assess integrated skills. Repeat Sentence, for example, assesses listening and speaking.
Part 2: Reading
Pearson lists about 23 to 30 minutes and five question types:
- Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown)
- Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
- Reorder Paragraph
- Fill in the Blanks (Drag and Drop)
- Multiple Choice, Single Answer
The current dropdown and drag-and-drop Fill in the Blanks tasks contribute to Reading. For most reading items, Pearson does not provide a separate per-question limit. You manage the section time, so a practice timer is a training choice rather than an official item deadline.
Part 3: Listening
Pearson lists about 31 to 39 minutes and eight question types:
- Summarize Spoken Text
- Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
- Fill in the Blanks
- Highlight Correct Summary
- Multiple Choice, Single Answer
- Select Missing Word
- Highlight Incorrect Words
- Write from Dictation
Audio or video begins automatically and plays once. You may take notes. Some tasks assess listening plus writing.
Worked example: build practice around sections
Fictional candidate Amara has 45 minutes on a weekday. She does not try to simulate the entire test every evening.
On Monday, she practises a Speaking and Writing cluster: Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence and one written summary. On Wednesday, she completes a timed Reading set and records where she spent too long. On Friday, she practises Listening with one-play audio and checks spelling after dictation.
At the weekend, Amara completes a longer mixed set in the official order. This combines focused correction with section stamina. She does not label her self-imposed two-minute reading target as an official PTE limit.
What the format means for preparation
Learn instructions before trying to go faster. Integrated tasks reward more than one language behaviour, so copying an unofficial percentage chart can misdirect your time. Track errors such as omitted words, weak summaries, incorrect option selection and incomplete responses.
Use the PTE task weighting guide to separate official scoring information from estimates. Then practise by section through speaking, writing, reading and listening.
