The PTE Academic 2026 pattern has 22 task types across three timed parts; Speaking & Writing, Reading, and Listening in about two hours. The original 20 tasks were joined by two new ones on 7 August 2025: Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation. Every skill is scored 10–90, with results in roughly 48 hours.
What is the PTE 2026 exam pattern at a glance?
PTE Academic is one continuous, computer-based test of about two hours, split into three parts: Part 1 Speaking & Writing, Part 2 Reading, and Part 3 Listening. Across these you complete 22 task types. Many tasks are integrated they test two skills at once, such as listening and writing together.
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| Part | Skills | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Speaking & Writing | Read Aloud, Describe Image, Essay + 2 new 2025 tasks |
| Part 2 | Reading | Fill in the Blanks, Re-order Paragraphs, Multiple Choice |
| Part 3 | Listening | Summarize Spoken Text, Write from Dictation, and more |
What are the Speaking & Writing tasks?
Part 1 covers your spoken and written English, including the two tasks added in 2025. Speaking tasks include Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Re-tell Lecture, Answer Short Question and the two new 2025 tasks; Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation. Writing tasks are Summarize Written Text and Write Essay.
| Task | Skill | New in 2025? |
|---|---|---|
| Read Aloud | Speaking | — |
| Repeat Sentence | Speaking | — |
| Describe Image | Speaking | — |
| Re-tell Lecture | Speaking | — |
| Answer Short Question | Listening + Speaking | — |
| Summarize Group Discussion | Speaking | New |
| Respond to a Situation | Speaking | New |
| Summarize Written Text | Reading + Writing | — |
| Write Essay | Writing | — |
For task-by-task strategy, see our deep-dive guides on Describe Image and the rest of the speaking and writing tasks linked across the site.
What are the Reading tasks?
Part 2 tests reading with five task types: Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks, Multiple Choice (choose multiple answers), Re-order Paragraphs, Reading Fill in the Blanks (drag and drop), and Multiple Choice (choose single answer). One of them Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks also feeds your Writing score.
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| Task | What you do |
|---|---|
| R&W Fill in the Blanks | Pick the right word for each gap (also scores Writing) |
| Multiple Choice (multiple) | Choose all correct answers about a text |
| Re-order Paragraphs | Drag text boxes into the correct order |
| Reading Fill in the Blanks | Drag words into the gaps in a passage |
| Multiple Choice (single) | Choose the one correct answer |
Reading is high-leverage because several tasks are quick to master. See our PTE Reading strategy hub for worked examples.
What are the Listening tasks?
Part 3 has eight listening task types: Summarize Spoken Text, Multiple Choice (multiple), Fill in the Blanks, Highlight Correct Summary, Multiple Choice (single), Select Missing Word, Highlight Incorrect Words, and Write from Dictation. Several integrate listening with writing, so they reward accurate spelling and note-taking.
| Task | Skills tested |
|---|---|
| Summarize Spoken Text | Listening + Writing |
| Multiple Choice (multiple) | Listening |
| Fill in the Blanks | Listening + Writing |
| Highlight Correct Summary | Listening + Reading |
| Multiple Choice (single) | Listening |
| Select Missing Word | Listening |
| Highlight Incorrect Words | Listening + Reading |
| Write from Dictation | Listening + Writing |
How is each task scored and weighted?
PTE uses integrated scoring: many tasks contribute to more than one skill, so a single answer can affect several scores. Everything is AI-scored on the 10–90 Global Scale of English, reported overall and per skill, with results usually within 48 hours. High-yield, integrated tasks (like Write from Dictation) influence multiple skills at once.
Because of this overlap, the smartest prep targets tasks that move several scores together. According to Language Academy, founded by 14× PTE 90 scorer Varun Dhawan, mastering a handful of integrated tasks is the fastest route to a balanced, high overall score.
Get the free 2026 syllabus cheat sheet
Want all 22 task types on one page? Our free PTE 2026 syllabus and question-type cheat sheet lists every task by section, what it tests, and which skills it feeds ideal to print or keep on your phone while you study.
Frequently asked questions
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How many question types are in PTE 2026?
22 task types the original 20 plus two added on 7 August 2025: Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation.
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How long is the PTE exam?
About two hours, in three parts: Speaking & Writing, Reading and Listening.
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What are the two new PTE tasks in 2025?
Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation both are speaking tasks in Part 1, added on 7 August 2025.
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How is PTE scored?
On the 10–90 Global Scale of English, reported overall and per skill. Many tasks are integrated, contributing to more than one skill, and results usually arrive within 48 hours.
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What are the three sections of PTE?
Speaking & Writing, Reading, and Listening completed in one continuous computer-based test.
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Which PTE tasks score more than one skill?
Integrated tasks such as Write from Dictation, Summarize Spoken Text and Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks feed multiple skill scores at once.
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