Dreaming of studying abroad? Embarking on this journey is exciting, but before you get there, proving your English language proficiency is essential. The Pearson Test of English (PTE) is designed for non-native speakers to showcase their ability to read, write, speak, and listen in English. Recognized by over 3,000 institutions globally, including top destinations like Canada, the UK, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand, the PTE is known for its efficient, computer-based format and fast results.
Achieving a high score on this test can prove to the admissions committee and visa authorities that they can communicate in the globally recognized official language while studying in a foreign country. It also assures that candidates can convey their ideas, deliver presentations, interact internationally, and handle situations with foreign audiences.
If you’re gearing up for the PTE exam in 2024, you might have come across rumors of changes in the exam pattern. To help you out, we’ve done all the groundwork and collected information about the PTE exam pattern for 2024. If you want to maximize your performance in the PTE Exam, you should be aware of the most recent syllabus as it will ensure you’re well-prepared to achieve your academic and professional goals.
PTE Overall Exam Pattern Overview
PTE Academic is a two-hour computer-based test that adapts in difficulty based on the test-taker’s responses. The PTE exam structure comprises 20 different question types that assess applicants’ academic level: Speaking & Writing Skills (54 – 67 minutes), Reading skills (29 – 30 minutes), and Listening skills (30 – 43 minutes).
So, get ready to tackle the challenges and show off your skills in these various aspects of language! Here’s everything you need to know about the PTE exam pattern:
| PTE Exam Pattern | Speaking & Writing section (54 – 67 minutes) Reading section (29 – 30 minutes) Listening section (30 – 43 minutes) |
| PTE Duration | 2 hours and 15 minutes |
| Medium of Test | Computer-based with a headset provided by the exam centre |
| Mode | Taken at a test centre / Home Edition |
| Test Type | Assesses real-life English language skills |
| Test Layout | 20 types of questions |
| Testing Availability | Throughout the year |
| Exam Fees | ₹15,900 |
| Results & Score Scale | Results in 48 hours, score ranges from 10-90 |
Now that you understand the pattern, let’s look at the recent updates. While Pearson is always looking for new and in-depth ways to improve the PTE exam, its pattern for 2024 remains the same as in 2023. Some notable modifications include a reduced exam duration, fewer questions, the removal of optional breaks, and automated scoring, all aimed at streamlining the test-taking experience. However, these changes do not affect the exam syllabus or pattern.
The PTE Academic continues to have two formats—PTE Academic and PTE Academic Online—both of which follow the same structure, whether taken at home or at a test centre. Similarly, there are no differences between the PTE Academic and PTE UKVI Academic formats.
Exam Pattern: Speaking and Writing
The Speaking and Writing section is the longest part of the exam lasting 54 to 67 minutes. As the name implies, this segment assesses candidates based on their two key communication abilities, verbal and written. This part consists of 7 separate sections. The questions in this section are either displayed on the screen or listened to through video or audio clip. Each question has to be answered in a defined timeline and its details are mentioned below:
| Question Topics | Questions Per Task | Task Description | Duration Per Task | Skills Assessed | Communicative Skills Assessed |
| Personal Introduction | 1 | Read the prompt and prepare a response. Introduce yourself briefly. Only this question in this section is unscored. | 55 seconds: 25 seconds prompt + 30 seconds answer | Speaking | Pronunciation Fluency Reading Vocabulary Grammar Cohesion Relevance Spoken Expression Retention Summarization Conciseness Reading & Listening Comprehension Writing |
| Read Aloud | 6 – 7 | Read out the given 60 words text. | 30-40 seconds for preparation | Reading and Speaking | |
| Repeat Sentence | 10 – 12 | Repeat a sentence after hearing it. | 15 seconds: 3-9 seconds to listen, 10 seconds to answer | Listening and Speaking | |
| Describe Image | 3 – 4 | Analyze and describe the displayed image in detail. | 40 seconds are given to study and submit response | Speaking | |
| Retell Lecture | 1 – 2 | Listen/watch a lecture and describe it in your own words. | 90 seconds prompt, 10 seconds to prepare and 40 seconds to answer | Listening and Speaking | |
| Answer Short Question | 5 – 6 | Listen to the question and answer it in a single or few words. | 20 seconds: 3-9 seconds for prompt, 10 seconds to answer | Listening and Speaking | |
| Summarize Written Text | 1 – 2 | Read the text of up to 300 words and write the summary in one sentence. | 10 minutes | Reading and Writing | |
| Write Essay | 1 – 2 | Write an essay of 200 to 300 words on a given topic. | 20 minutes | Writing | |
| Total Questions: 28 – 36 | Time Allocation: 54 – 67 minutes | Score: 10 – 90 points | |||
The section is scored on a scale of 10 to 90, with 90 being the highest. The PTE Speaking and Writing section is scored using an automated system that evaluates fluency, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and content accuracy. For Speaking, clarity, coherence, and pronunciation are key, while Writing focuses on structure, grammar, and argument development.
To excel in the PTE Speaking and Writing section, practice speaking clearly and confidently, focusing on fluency rather than speed. Ensure that your essays are well-organized, with clear ideas and proper grammar.
Exam Pattern: Reading Section
This section assesses applicants’ ability to understand written instructions in the language. The section, which will be divided into five parts, and you’ve got around 29-30 minutes to handle them Let’s look into the segment-wise structure for this section’s time distribution:
| Question Topics | Questions Per Task | Duration Per Task | Prompt Length | Skills Assessed | Communicative Skills Assessed |
| Multiple-choice, single answer | 1 – 2 | Read the text and answer the MCQs by selecting only one option. | 300 words | Reading | Reading Comprehension Scanning Vocabulary Grammar Text Organization Logic |
| Multiple choice, multiple answers | 1 – 2 | Read the text and answer the MCQs by selecting more than one option. | 300 words | Reading | |
| Re-order paragraph | 2 – 3 | Arrange the text boxes from random order to the correct order. | 150 words | Reading | |
| Fill in the blanks | 4 – 5 | Fill in the blanks by choosing the right words from a box to complete the passage. | 80 words | Reading | |
| Fill in the blanks | 5 – 6 | Fill out the gaps in the text using the words in the box below it. Drag the words and drop them into the gaps. | 300 words | Reading and Writing | |
| Total Questions: 13 – 18 | Time Allocation: 29 – 30 minutes | Score: 10 – 90 points | |||
The scoring scale ranges from 10 to 90, with points awarded for accuracy in reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, and contextual understanding. Each correct answer earns your points. Each task tests your ability to grasp main ideas, logical flow, and detailed information. So to master the PTE Reading Section, focus on enhancing your reading speed, practice identifying key ideas in texts, and improve your vocabulary.
Exam Pattern: Listening Section
The PTE Academic listening section lasts 30 to 43 minutes. This one is designed to evaluate your ability to understand spoken English. The student must ensure that they carefully listen to the audio file and remember what they hear. There are 8 sub-segments, each with its own challenge. Let’s explore:
| Question Topics | Questions Per Task | Description | Duration Per Task | Skills Assessed | Communicative Skills Assessed |
| Summarize Spoken Text | 1 – 2 | Listen to an audio recording and summarize it in 50-70 words. | Prompt: 60-90 seconds, Writing time: 10 minutes | Listening and Writing | Listening Comprehension Detail Identification Spelling Vocabulary Summarization Grammar Conciseness |
| Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers | 1 – 2 | Respond to MCQs by selecting more than one response based on an audio recording. | 40-90 seconds | Listening | |
| Fill in the Blanks | 2 – 3 | The transcript of a recording appears on the screen with several gaps. Fill in missing words as you listen to the audio. | 30-60 seconds | Listening and Writing | |
| Highlight Correct Summary | 1 – 2 | Listen to the recording and pick the paragraph that gives the best summary of the recording. | 30-90 seconds | Listening and Reading | |
| Multiple Choice, Single Answer | 1 – 2 | Answer a multiple-choice question based on a single-answer audio recording. | 30-60 seconds | Listening | |
| Select Missing Word | 1 – 2 | Select the missing word that completes the recording from the given list of options. | 20-70 seconds | Listening | |
| Highlight Incorrect Word | 2 – 3 | Identify words in a transcript that are incorrect or differ from the spoken words as you listen to the recording. | 15-50 seconds | Listening and Reading | |
| Write from Dictation | 3 – 4 | Listen to a short sentence and write it down. | 3-5 seconds | Listening and Reading | |
| Total Questions: 12 – 20 | Time Allocation: 30 – 43 minutes | Score: 10 – 90 points | |||
The scoring scale ranges from 10 to 90, with key aspects like your ability to understand the speaker’s intent, recognize key information, and grasp the overall meaning. Critical criteria include accuracy, Conciseness, and attention to detail and listening Comprehension. To prepare for the PTE Listening section, practice active listening with various accents, focus on summarizing the main points of audio passages, and improve your ability to follow complex discussions.
PTE Scoring Pattern 2024
The overall score is based on your performance across the entire test. You will complete between 52 and 64 tasks in any given test and a range of 20 different task types. The overall score ranges between 10–90 points.
The PTE scoring system is designed based on automated scoring technologies where several answers are rated on the basis of their correctness and incorrectness, and other answers will be measured based on mixed criteria like accuracy, fluency, vocabulary, relevance, appropriateness etc.
Below is a PTE score chart that provides a general framework for understanding PTE scores and their corresponding Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels and its interpretation:
| PTE Score | CEFR Level | English Proficiency Level | Interpretation |
| 85-90 | C2 | Expert | Excellent proficiency, comparable to a native speaker. |
| 76-84 | C1 | Advanced | Very good command of English, capable of complex and abstract communication. |
| 59-75 | B2 | Upper-Intermediate | Good language skills, effective in most professional and academic settings. |
| 43-58 | B1 | Intermediate | Adequate for routine English tasks and social situations. |
| 30-42 | A2 | Elementary | Basic comprehension and communication skills, suitable for simple interactions. |
| 10-29 | A1 | Beginner | Limited ability to understand and use English. |
Your score chart of PTE is determined by your performance across all test sections. The PTE scoring system evaluates both your core language skills (listening, reading, speaking, writing) and enabling skills (grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc.). These scores are combined to calculate your final PTE scorecard. All scores under enabling skills are added, and then the total is divided by 6. This obtained average score is added along with the four communicative skill scores. Finally, the average of these 5 parts together is taken as the overall PTE score.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a thorough understanding of the PTE exam pattern is essential for effective preparation and success. By familiarizing yourself with the structure of each section, you can focus on their unique requirements and strategically improve your skills. Whether it’s enhancing your fluency in speaking or improving your comprehension in listening, mastering the exam format will give you a significant advantage. To ensure you’re fully prepared for the exam, take advantage of PTE resources and guidance that provide study materials and preparation strategies tailored to help you excel in every section of the PTE.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the pattern of the PTE exam 2024?
Ans: The PTE exam pattern for 2024 consists of three main sections: Speaking & Writing, Reading, and Listening. The exam is computer-based, and candidates will complete tasks such as essay writing, summarizing texts, reading passages, and answering multiple-choice questions. The duration of the exam is approximately 2 hours, with no breaks. The test assesses English proficiency across various skill levels and includes around 20 different question types to evaluate a wide range of language abilities in real-life scenarios.
Q: Is one line strategy working in PTE 2024?
Ans: The one-line strategy can be effective for certain sections of the PTE 2024 exam, particularly in tasks like summarizing spoken text or writing short responses. However, it’s important to note that different tasks require varied approaches.
For example, essay writing and descriptive speaking tasks demand detailed, well-structured responses. While concise answers are valuable in some instances, it’s essential to understand the task type to determine whether a one-line strategy is appropriate.
Q: What is the PTE Syllabus?
Ans: The PTE syllabus covers all key areas of English proficiency: Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening. Each section is designed to test specific language skills through various question formats. In Speaking and Writing, tasks include personal introductions, essays, and short answers. Reading involves multiple-choice questions, reordering paragraphs, and filling in blanks.
Listening tasks range from summarizing spoken text to multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank activities. The syllabus aligns with global English proficiency standards, ensuring that candidates can communicate effectively in academic and professional environments.
