Read Aloud
6–7 questions
Speaking 9%
Average overall contribution: 4%
Master English priority: Supporting practice
Learn this task →Understand the test • Plan your next step
PTE Academic Test Format & Scoring: Complete Guide
Understand all 22 PTE Academic task types, section timings, score contributions and negative marking. Choose your next task guide and build a focused study plan.
By Master English Australia · Sources checked 30 September 2026
PTE Academic at a glance
PTE Academic is a computer-based test with three test sections and 22 scored task types. You receive an overall score and four skill scores on the 10–90 scale. A task can contribute to more than one skill.
Part 1
Speaking & Writing
76–84 minutes
9 task types
Reading
23–30 minutes
5 task types
Listening
31–39 minutes
8 task types
Timing and question counts vary by test form. The personal introduction is not scored. This guide covers PTE Academic, not PTE Core.
All 22 PTE Academic task types
Choose a skill to highlight its contributors. Tasks stay in their test sections so you can see where the marks come from. Percentages refer to the whole task type, not one question.
Showing all 22 task types.
Part 1: Speaking & Writing
76–84 minutes · 9 task types
Repeat Sentence
10–12 questions
Listening 17%Speaking 16%
Average overall contribution: 7%
Master English priority: Core practice
Learn this task →Describe Image
5–6 questions
Speaking 31%
Average overall contribution: 15%
Master English priority: Core practice
Learn this task →Retell Lecture
2–3 questions
Listening 13%Speaking 13%
Average overall contribution: 6%
Master English priority: Supporting practice
Learn this task →Answer Short Question
5–6 questions
Listening 4%
Average overall contribution: 2%
Master English priority: Supporting practice
Learn this task →Summarize Group Discussion
2–3 questions
Listening 20%Speaking 19%
Average overall contribution: 9%
Master English priority: Core practice
Learn this task →Respond to a Situation
2–3 questions
Speaking 13%
Average overall contribution: 6%
Master English priority: Supporting practice
Learn this task →Summarize Written Text
2 questions
Reading 23%Writing 28%
Average overall contribution: 7%
Master English priority: Core practice
Learn this task →Write Essay
1 questions
Writing 31%
Average overall contribution: 7%
Master English priority: Core practice
Learn this task →Part 2: Reading
23–30 minutes · 5 task types
Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown)
5–6 questions
Reading 25%
Average overall contribution: 7%
Master English priority: Core practice
Learn this task →Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
2–3 questions
Reading 5%
Average overall contribution: 1%
Incorrect selections deduct credit
Master English priority: Supporting practice
Learn this task →Reorder Paragraph
2–3 questions
Reading 9%
Average overall contribution: 3%
Master English priority: Supporting practice
Learn this task →Fill in the Blanks (Drag and Drop)
4–5 questions
Reading 20%
Average overall contribution: 6%
Master English priority: Core practice
Learn this task →Multiple Choice, Single Answer
2–3 questions
Reading 3%
Average overall contribution: <1%
Master English priority: Supporting practice
Learn this task →Part 3: Listening
31–39 minutes · 8 task types
Summarize Spoken Text
1 questions
Listening 10%Writing 18%
Average overall contribution: 4%
Master English priority: Core practice
Learn this task →Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
2–3 questions
Listening 3%
Average overall contribution: 1%
Incorrect selections deduct credit
Master English priority: Supporting practice
Learn this task →Fill in the Blanks (Type In)
2–3 questions
Listening 8%
Average overall contribution: 3%
Master English priority: Supporting practice
Learn this task →Highlight Correct Summary
2–3 questions
Listening 2%Reading 3%
Average overall contribution: <1%
Master English priority: Supporting practice
Learn this task →Multiple Choice, Single Answer
2–3 questions
Listening 2%
Average overall contribution: <1%
Master English priority: Supporting practice
Learn this task →Select Missing Word
1–2 questions
Listening 1%
Average overall contribution: 1%
Master English priority: Supporting practice
Learn this task →Highlight Incorrect Words
2–3 questions
Listening 8%Reading 13%
Average overall contribution: 4%
Incorrect selections deduct credit
Master English priority: Supporting practice
Learn this task →Write from Dictation
3–4 questions
Listening 13%Writing 23%
Average overall contribution: 5%
Master English priority: Core practice
Learn this task →Priority is our study-planning label, not Pearson’s classification: “Core practice” means at least 15% average contribution to one skill. Supporting tasks still matter. Your actual weaknesses and target should determine how you divide your time.
Which tasks contribute to each skill?
These are Pearson’s published average contributions. For example, the Listening score includes tasks in Speaking & Writing—not just the Listening section.
Listening score contributions
Reading score contributions
Speaking score contributions
Writing score contributions
Source: Pearson’s question weighting report, Table 1. Whole-number rounding can make a displayed total slightly different from 100%. These are not guaranteed points on an individual test.
How PTE Academic scoring works
Your overall score is not a simple average
Do not add the four skill scores and divide by four to predict the overall result. Pearson calculates it from performance across the test. The skill scores help you understand separate strengths and weaknesses.
Partial credit and negative marking are different
Partial credit means some correct elements can earn marks. In the three selection tasks flagged above, incorrect choices deduct credit within that item, with a minimum item score of zero. Do not select extra answers without evidence.
Language and task rules both matter
Depending on the task, scoring considers content, form, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation or fluency. Read each task guide for its requirements; a memorised response that ignores the prompt is not a safe strategy.
Automated scoring with selected human review
Pearson uses automated scoring and human expert review for specified traits in selected tasks. Prepare to communicate relevant meaning clearly, rather than trying to exploit the scoring system.
See the official Test Taker Score Guide for task counts, scored skills and scoring criteria.
What should I work on next?
Choose the skill you want to improve. This is a study starting point, not a diagnosis or a promised score increase.
Try a representative practice test and review the mistakes, or book a free level assessment for help choosing a starting point.
What score do you need?
Start with the organisation receiving your result. Check the test version, overall score, each skill minimum and any validity rules. The same overall score will not satisfy every pathway.
Australian visa English requirementsProfessional registrationUniversity entryI need help choosing my target
General educational information, not migration or legal advice. Confirm requirements with the relevant authority.
Frequently asked questions
How many task types are in PTE Academic?
There are 22 scored task types: nine in Speaking & Writing, five in Reading and eight in Listening. The personal introduction is not a scored task.
How long does PTE Academic take?
The published section ranges are 76–84 minutes, 23–30 minutes and 31–39 minutes. The test takes approximately two hours; follow the arrival instructions in your booking.
Is PTE Academic scored from 0 to 100?
No. Overall and communicative skill scores use a 10–90 scale.
Is the overall score the average of the four skills?
No. Pearson calculates the overall result from performance across the test, not by simply averaging the four reported skill scores.
Does the test section tell me which skill is scored?
Not always. Summarize Written Text is in Speaking & Writing but contributes to Reading and Writing. Answer Short Question contributes to Listening even though you speak your answer.
Does Read Aloud contribute to Reading?
In the current score guide, Read Aloud contributes to Speaking. Older advice about a Reading contribution should not be used for the current format.
Does Listening Fill in the Blanks contribute to Writing?
The current Type In task contributes to Listening. You still need correct spelling, but that does not mean it also contributes to the Writing skill score.
Which tasks have negative marking?
Reading Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers; Listening Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers; and Highlight Incorrect Words deduct credit for incorrect selections. The item score does not go below zero.
Do the percentages mean fixed points out of 90?
No. They are average task-type contributions published by Pearson, not points per question or a calculator for your final result. Test forms and scoring are more complex.
Why do some percentage totals reach 101?
The displayed whole-number percentages are rounded. Adding rounded values can produce a total slightly different from 100%.
Which Speaking task has the largest average contribution?
Describe Image has the largest published average contribution to Speaking at 31%. That is not a reason to skip the other Speaking tasks.
Can I ignore lower-weight tasks?
No. They still contribute and may expose important language weaknesses. Our study priorities help allocate practice time, not remove tasks from your preparation.
Are all responses marked only by a computer?
No. Automated scoring is central to PTE, but Pearson also uses human expert review for specified traits in selected tasks before scores are finalised.
Can an ApeUni practice score guarantee my PTE result?
No. Use practice results to find patterns and review mistakes. A third-party practice score is not an official Pearson result or a guarantee.
What PTE score do I need?
It depends on the organisation, course, registration or visa pathway. Check the current official requirement, including each skill; do not treat an IELTS comparison table as an acceptance rule.
Official sources and review notes
Factual reference checked against Pearson’s published material on 30 September 2026. Study priorities and practice suggestions are Master English guidance, not Pearson endorsements. Check Pearson again before your test if arrangements change.