How should I prepare for PTE Academic?

Pearson publishes how many questions of each type appear and which skills each one scores (Score Guide), but not exact weights. The order below is our reading of those two facts, not an official weighting.

Six weeks suits a big jump or a first test; four is typical; three works only if your English is already near your target. For three weeks, do weeks 1–2 together, then 3–4, then 5–6. Practise every day, and record and replay your speaking.

Spoken answers are marked first on content, then on pronunciation and oral fluency, each from 0 to 5 (Score Guide). In Repeat Sentence, content errors are replacements, omissions and insertions; hesitations do not count against content, but they do affect fluency. Start speaking right after the tone. Pearson's Answer Short Question tips warn that if you wait more than three seconds, or stop for three seconds, the recording closes (Pearson).

Speak at normal conversational volume. You cannot re-record, and unnatural pauses or unclear words can lower your score (Handbook). Our Read Aloud scoring criteria and Repeat Sentence scoring criteria guides go deeper.

Write Essay needs 200–300 words in 20 minutes; under 120 words scores zero for form, and so does an off-topic essay for content. Summarize Written Text is one sentence of no more than 75 words. Summarize Spoken Text is 50–70 words. In Write from Dictation each correctly spelled word earns a point, so spelling practice pays directly. Use British or American spelling, but stay consistent.

Our PTE essay samples show full answers you can study for structure.

The Score Guide says responses with significant pre-prepared or memorised material are classed as irrelevant, which means zero for content and no points for the response. Since August 2025, content in seven question types (Describe Image, Retell Lecture, Respond to a Situation, Summarize Group Discussion, Summarize Written Text, Write Essay and Summarize Spoken Text) is also checked by a human (Pearson). Learn useful structures, but describe what is actually on screen or in the audio.

Pearson's Scored Practice Test is a two-hour practice test in the same format, scored by the same engine, with a full Score Report. There are three versions with different questions (Pearson). Take one when your mock scores are near your target; more in PTE Scored Practice Test.

When you are ready, see how to book PTE and the PTE test day rules. Our PTE score chart and PTE to IELTS converter help you translate a target from another test.