The Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic is a globally recognized English proficiency test.
In 2022, Pearson delivered 827,000 PTE tests worldwide, marking a 90% increase from the previous year. Further, in the first half of 2023, PTE Academic volumes grew by 76%, with a particularly strong increase in India.
If you’re preparing for the PTE exam in 2024, you might have come across rumors of changes in the exam pattern. In fact, many students are confused about whether anything has changed/what has changed.
To help you out, we’ve done all the groundwork and collected information about the PTE exam pattern for 2024.
Let’s start with the most basic question.
What is the PTE Exam?
The Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic, administered by the Pearson PLC Group, is a language proficiency exam for students planning to study in English-speaking countries.
This exam is a key prerequisite for those applying to universities in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
It’s designed to thoroughly assess your skills in speaking, writing, reading, and listening, which are all vital for succeeding in graduate-level studies.
No matter what higher-education program you’re considering—whether an MS (Master of Science) program or an MBBS program—the PTE exam pattern is the same.
For 2024, the format of the PTE exam remains unchanged, continuing with its three-part structure:
- Speaking and Writing
- Reading
- Listening
The first part will take 54-67 minutes to complete, while the second and third parts take 30 minutes each.
Now, let us understand the PTE exam pattern in detail.
Also Read: How To Prepare For PTE in 2024 (Complete Strategy)
PTE Exam Pattern in 2024 (Section-wise)
This section explains the PTE exam pattern in 2024. We will also outline the different tasks within each section and the allotted time for each. This information is vital for students to prepare well and plan how much time they want to spend on a single question so that they don’t miss out on answering all questions within the allocated time frame.
| Section | Task | Time Allotted | Description |
| Speaking and Writing | Personal introduction | 55 seconds (25s prompt, 30s answer) | Introduce yourself briefly. |
| Read aloud | 30-40 seconds preparation | Read a text of 60 words aloud. | |
| Repeat sentence | 15 seconds total | Repeat a sentence after hearing it. | |
| Describe image | 25 seconds | Analyze and describe a given image. | |
| Re-tell lecture | 90 seconds prompt, 40 seconds answer | Listen to a lecture and then retell it in your own words. | |
| Answer short question | 20 seconds total | Answer a short question based on a prompt. | |
| Summarize written text | 10 minutes | Summarize a 300-word text. | |
| Essay | 20 minutes | Write an essay based on a 2-3 sentence prompt. | |
| Reading | Multiple-choice, single answer | Varies based on text length | Answer a single-answer question based on a 300-word text. |
| Multiple choice, multiple answers | Varies based on text length | Answer multiple questions based on a 300-word text. | |
| Re-order paragraphs | Varies based on text length | Arrange paragraphs into a coherent order. | |
| Reading: Fill in the blanks | Varies based on text length | Fill in the blanks in an 80-word text. | |
| Reading and Writing: Fill in the blanks | Varies based on text length | Fill in the blanks in a 300-word text. | |
| Listening | Summarize spoken text | 60-90 seconds to summarize, 10 minutes to write | Listen to a text and summarize it. |
| Multiple-choice, multiple-answer | 40-90 seconds prompt | Choose multiple correct answers after listening to a prompt. | |
| Fill in the blanks | 30-60 seconds | Fill in the blanks in a transcript as you listen to the audio. | |
| Highlight correct summary | 30-90 seconds | Select the summary that best fits the spoken text. | |
| Multiple-choice, single answer | 30-60 seconds | Choose the correct answer after listening to a prompt. | |
| Select missing word | 20-70 seconds | Identify the missing word in a recording. | |
| Highlight incorrect words | 15-50 seconds | Identify errors in a written transcript as you listen to the recording. | |
| Write from dictation | 3-5 seconds per phrase | Write down what you hear as accurately as possible. |
Also Read: All Important Dates for PTE in 2024
Recent changes in the pattern
Pearson is always looking for new and in-depth ways to improve the paper pattern of the PTE exam examinations. However, in 2024, the PTE exam pattern remained the same as 2023.
Meanwhile, other modifications, such as removing optional breaks in the test and redesigning scorecard reports, have been implemented to streamline the overall test-taking experience. However, these do not influence the syllabus or the pattern of the exam.
Also Read: PTE Exam Syllabus (Section-wise) in 2024: Latest & Updated
Just like there have been a lot of rumors and misinformation about the PTE exam pattern for 2024, students are likely to feel a lot of confusion when they search for universities. This confusion arises from contradictory information. Because the university search process has so many stages and levels of analysis, having access to accurate information and advice can be a game-changer.
That’s why we have created SelectRight. It eliminates all the biases of the traditional university search process, which often depends on misinformation and opinions. Instead, it provides a completely data-based solution.
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With SelectRight, you can make informed decisions about your higher education without the hassle of sorting through conflicting information.
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Next, let’s understand how you can prepare for your PTE exam in a way that you can maximize your score.
Also Read: Difference between PTE and IELTS
How do I prepare for the PTE exam?
To achieve a good score in the PTE Academic exam, students need to prepare well. Here are five expert tips to help you succeed:
Step 1: Understand the structure of the PTE exam
The first step is to understand the PTE exam. Familiarize yourself with its structure by learning about different question types. Then, attempt enough practice questions of each type so you can get better at answering them quickly.
Step 2: Expand your knowledge
Expand your vocabulary to polish your language comprehension skills. Listen to English podcasts, watch documentaries, and read diverse materials like newspapers and academic blogs. These activities will expose you to a range of words and sentence styles you can expect to encounter in the exam.
Step 3: Know how to structure your responses
It can be tempting for students to rely solely on memorized templates in order to structure responses to open-ended questions. It is much better to use structured thinking frameworks. For example, one framework students can use is IDEA (Identify, Describe, Explain, Analyze) for tasks like ‘Describe Image.’ This helps ensure that your responses are coherent and logically organized, without having to depend on a template that may not be suited for the answer.
Step 4: Create personalized and thoughtful responses
For tasks such as writing an essay, articulate your thoughts in your own words. There is a structured method to do this better, like using frameworks such as PIE (Point, Illustrate, Explain) to structure your thoughts clearly and critically.
Step 5: Practice consistently
You can practice from official PTE resources like scored practice tests, which simulate real test conditions.
Also Read: Understanding Your PTE Score: Result, How to Check, Validity & More
FAQs
How long is my PTE score valid?
Your PTE score is valid for two years from the test date and can be sent to universities at no cost.
What PTE score is required for university admissions?
The pattern of PTE exam marks varies by university. A score above 75 is generally good and accepted by top universities worldwide.
Can I use my PTE score for immigration?
The PTE exam scores are accepted for visa purposes in the UK and New Zealand.
What are the total marks possible on the PTE exam?
The PTE exam’s total marks range from 10 to 90.
How does the PTE verbal exam pattern assess candidates?
The PTE verbal exam pattern is structured to assess your pronunciation, fluency, and ability to understand and speak in spoken English.
Has the PTE exam pattern changed recently?
No, there have been no changes since the PTE exam pattern was reduced to a two-hour test format to enhance efficiency.
What is a typical paper pattern for the PTE exam?
The paper pattern of the PTE exam includes segments on speaking & writing, reading, and listening, each with specific tasks.
Is there a specific PTE exam pattern for computer science students?
No, the PTE exam pattern for computer science students is the same as for all other fields.
What should MS students know about the PTE exam pattern?
The PTE exam pattern for MS students ensures they can effectively communicate in a technical academic environment.
