The Essentials of PTE Exam Pattern: Preparing for The Best

Written by Isha Jain  »  Updated on: June 24th, 2025

The Essentials of PTE Exam Pattern: Preparing for The Best

The Pearson Test of English (PTE) is a very popular language exam. In other words, it is used to assess the English speaking ability of non resident speakers. So, students looking to seek higher studies from global colleges must score well in PTE. It helps them showcase their command of English. Further, the paper has three sections through which students' ability to communicate in English is evaluated. So, in this article, you will learn about key details of the PTE exam pattern. In other words, it will help you start your practice journey effectively.

Types of PTE exam

PTE exam is a vital tool to assess the command of a person in the English language. The test is taken into two main types, PTE Academic and PTE General. Above all, around 3500 colleges around the globe accept scores for PTE. This makes the test a crucial part of the study abroad journey. Further, let's have a brief look at both types of exams.

PTE Academic

PTE Academic is for students planning to pursue their higher studies at global colleges. In addition to this, the test helps to assess the student's command of English in scholarly cases. It evaluates students' skills like reading, listening and speaking in English. Moreover, the three sections in PTE academic include:

  • Speaking and Writing: 54-67 minutes
  • Reading: 29-30 minutes
  • Listening: 43 minutes

PTE General

PTE general is quite similar to the academic test. Above all, this type of PTE helps to assess the ability of a person to use English in the day to day situations. Furthermore, the general test is mainly crucial for people searching for jobs in the global market. The format of the PTE general exam includes-

  • Written Paper: Multiple sections assessing listening, reading and writing skills.
  • Spoken Interview: A personal interview to assess speaking skills

These are the two main PTE exams, and colleges around the globe accept the scores for entry purposes. However, it is vital to know that PTE academic is the type of exam which helps students to get entry into their desired colleges. So, let’s look at the format of PTE academic in detail for better practice.

Format Used in PTE Academic Test

Students planning for the academic test must learn about the PTE exam pattern. It helps in improving the effectiveness of the practice phase. The exam has around 52 to 74 across the three sections. Moreover, these questions help to assess the reading, listening, speaking & writing skills of students. So, let's have a closer look at the format of the PTE academic test.

Speaking and Writing

This section of the test assesses the candidate's speaking and writing skills. Additionally, this section includes seven types of questions, excluding a personal intro. Above all, the section lasts around 54 to 67 minutes, being the longest section of the test.


Types of Questions Total seven types of Question
• Read Aloud
• Repeat Sentence
• Describe Image
• Re-tell Lecture
• Answer Short Question
• Summarize Written Text
• Write Essay
Number of Questions 28 – 36 Questions
Total Duration 54 - 67 minutes

Reading

The next section of the PTE exam pattern is the reading section. This part lasts for around half an hour with five types of questions. Above all, this part of the test aims to assess the student's ability to understand written instructions given in English.


Types of Questions Total five types of Question
• Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks
• Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer
• Re-order Paragraphs
• Fill in the Blanks
• Multiple Choice, Single Answer
Number of Questions 13 - 18 Questions
Duration 29 - 30 Minutes

Listening

The third section of the PTE exam is the listening section, which evaluates the student’s ability to understand spoken English. Above all, this section focuses on assessing students’ knowledge of various accents. Lastly, the section includes eight types of questions and it lasts for 30 to 43 minutes.

Types of Questions Total eight types of Question
• 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
Number of Questions 12 - 20 Questions
Total Duration 30 - 43 minutes

This is the complete PTE exam pattern that you must learn thoroughly if you are preparing to study abroad. In other words, it will help you get entry in to your chosen college. Further, to know some vital facts about the acceptance, purpose and validity of PTE, scroll down and read the next section.

PTE Acceptance, Purpose and Validity

Some of the crucial facts you must know about PTE are-

  • Scores of PTE tests are helpful for learners, working people and immigrants.
  • The use of PTE tests has grown rapidly. However, its scores are majorly useful for scholarly purposes. In other words, various colleges around the world accept the results of the PTE.
  • Results of the PTE test are also helpful for visa and immigration purposes. Countries such as Australia and New Zealand etc. accept the results of PTE for Visa applications.
  • The grades scored by people are valid for two years from the date of the test.

Conclusion

To sum up, the PTE test is a vital part of students’ scholarly journey who are planning their higher studies abroad. Above all, the scores of PTE help the colleges to evaluate the students' command of English. The test is growing rapidly around the world and is popular in different parts. However, if you are facing doubts in PTE preparation, you can solve it for free. It includes seeking expert advice from the mentors at Gradding.com. Also, they have a special PTE mock test that can help you ace your practice journey.


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