Written byFizza Butool ZaidiIELTS teacher for 10+ years, PTE for 5Updated 30 October 2026
Tone or no tone, task by task
The recording status box counts down until the microphone opens. Pearson's Academic and Core format pages describe each task as follows.
| Task | Preparation before the microphone opens | Short tone? |
|---|---|---|
| Read Aloud | 30–40 seconds | Yes |
| Repeat Sentence (Academic) | None; opens when the audio ends | Yes, a short tone |
| Repeat Sentence (Core) | None; opens when the audio ends | No |
| Describe Image | 25 seconds | Yes |
| Retell Lecture (Academic) | 10 seconds after the audio | Yes |
| Respond to a Situation (Academic) | 10 seconds after the audio | Yes |
| Respond to a Situation (Core) | 20 seconds after the audio | Yes |
| Answer Short Question | None; opens when the audio ends | No |
Why starting early costs marks
Pearson's wording is direct: 'Do not start speaking before the microphone opens because your voice will not be recorded' (Pearson). In Read Aloud, content is scored by counting the correct words, and omissions count as errors, so lost opening words are lost marks. In Describe Image and Respond to a Situation, a missing opening means less content in the time.
Starting late is a risk too. Pearson's three-second rule closes the recording if you wait more than three seconds to begin.
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What to do instead
Watch the status box rather than guessing. Use the countdown to plan your first sentence, start right after the tone, and on Answer Short Question and Core Repeat Sentence start as soon as the status shows 'Recording'.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a beep in PTE Answer Short Question?+
No. Pearson says there is no short tone: the microphone opens when the question ends and you answer immediately.
Is there a tone in PTE Repeat Sentence?+
In PTE Academic there is a short tone. The PTE Core page says there is no short tone.
Can I speak during the preparation countdown?+
You can, but nothing is recorded until the microphone opens.
How do I know the microphone is open?+
The recording status box changes to 'Recording', and a progress bar shows the time left.
Keep reading
Related
- What happens if you stop speaking for 3 seconds
- PTE Read Aloud scoring
- PTE Repeat Sentence scoring
- PTE Read Aloud practice
- All 3112 guides
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