The PTE is the Pearson Test of English and is available in three versions- the PTE Academic, the PTE General and the PTE Young Learner's test.
The duration of the PTE test is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes and comprises 3 major sections:
- Speaking and Writing
- Reading
- Listening
Let us look briefly at the PTE exam syllabus for each section and what type of question formats you'll have to attempt under these sections.
Contents
- PTE exam syllabus 2022
- PTE exam pattern 2022
- PTE writing and speaking sections syllabus
- PTE writing and speaking questions format
- PTE reading section syllabus
- PTE reading questions format
- PTE listening section syllabus
- PTE listening questions format
- FAQs: PTE exam syllabus and exam pattern 2022
PTE exam syllabus 2022
The entire PTE exam syllabus is designed in a way that'll help you showcase your capability to study in an international environment in English.
Performing well in the PTE test will improve your chances of admission to your chosen university and visa approval.
Moreover, the syllabus has been revised a little, and the duration of the exam has been shortened. Let us look at the revised syllabus of each section.
PTE exam pattern 2022
The PTE syllabus and the PTE exam pattern go hand-in-hand. The PTE pattern constitutes the PTE syllabus. Let us look at the question format of each section in detail.
PTE writing and speaking section syllabus
The PTE speaking and writing section is the longest in the PTE exam. This section tests the accuracy and the fluency of your communicative English language and your strong command of grammar and vocabulary. Your focus on preparing for this section should be on:
- Personal introduction
- Reading a mini text aloud
- Repeating a sentence
- Describing an image
- Reciting a lecture
- Answer short question
- Providing a text summary
- Essay writing
PTE writing and speaking questions format
Duration: 54-67 minutes
The questions in the PTE writing and speaking section are divided into 6 segments.
The time allotted to attempt questions in each segment of the section is mentioned below:
| Segment | No.of questions in the segment | Approximate time to answer |
|---|---|---|
| Personal introduction | 1 | 55 seconds: 25 seconds for prompt; 30 seconds to record |
| Read aloud | 6-7 | 30-40 seconds: Read aloud a text of 60 words |
| Repeat sentence | 10-12 | 15 seconds: 3-9 seconds for prompt prior; the 15 seconds is for recording |
| Describe image | 3-4 | 25 seconds: To observe the image and prepare the prompt |
| Recite lecture | 1-2 | 90 seconds: This is the prompt length; then you’ll have 10 seconds to prepare and 40 seconds to answer |
| Answering short questions | 5-6 | 20 seconds: 3-9 seconds for prompt; 10 seconds to answer |
| Summarisation of written text | 1-2 | 10 minutes to summarise a given content within 300 words |
| Essay writing | 1-2 |
PTE reading section syllabus
The PTE reading section is to assess your understanding of a given text. You'll have to attempt questions such as:
- Read, write & fill in the blanks
- Multiple choice questions (single answer should be chosen)
- Reordering paragraphs
- Multiple choice question (multiple answers have to be chosen)
PTE reading questions format
Duration: 29-30 minutes
The questions in the PTE's reading section are segmented into 5 parts. Here's a brief on each segment and the duration you can spend attempting each segment.
| Segment | No. of questions in the segment | Task |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple choice, choose single answer | 1-2 | Read a 300-word text |
| Multiple choice, choose multiple answers | 1-2 | Read a 300-word text |
| Reordering paragraphs | 2-3 | Read a 150-word text |
| Read, write and fill in the blanks | 5-6 | Read a 300-word text |
PTE listening section syllabus
The PTE listening section is to test your ability to understand spoken English. You'll have to attempt 8 types of questions:
- Summarising a spoken text
- Multiple choice, single answer choosing
- Multiple choice, multiple answers choosing
- Fill in the blanks
- Select missing word
- Highlight incorrect words or phrases
- Select the correct summary
- Write the dictated text
PTE listening questions format
Duration: 30-43 minutes
There are 8 segments in the PTE's listening section. The number of questions under each segment with the estimated length to complete each segment is as follows:
| Segment | No.of questions in the segment | Approximate time to answer |
|---|---|---|
| Summarise spoken text | 1-2 | 60-90 seconds to skim and proofread the text; 10 minutes for writing the final draft |
| Multiple choice questions, multiple answers | 1-2 | 40-90 seconds |
| Fill in the blanks | 2-3 | 30-60 seconds |
| Multiple choice questions, choosing a single answer | 1-2 | 30-60 seconds |
| Selecting the missing word | 1-2 | 20-70 seconds |
| Highlight incorrect words or phrases | 2-3 | 15-50 seconds |
| Point out the correct summary | 1-2 | 30-90 seconds |
| Write the dictated text | 3-4 | 3-5 seconds |
FAQs: PTE exam syllabus and exam pattern 2022
What are the sections in the PTE exam?
There are 3 major sections in the PTE test - speaking and writing, reading, and listening.
Which part of the PTE exam is difficult?
The difficulty level of the PTE test depends on your preparation. Have a holistic approach to every section of the exam and prepare using the PTE preparation books.
How many times can I take the PTE Academic test?
You can take the PTE Academic test multiple times. You can book your retake only after receiving your score from the previous one.
What is the average score on the PTE Academic exam?
The average score for the PTE Academic exam is 57-64. It is stated based on the optimum range the universities set as a good score in the PTE test.
How long does it take to cover the PTE Academic test syllabus and prepare for the exam?
It may take a minimum of two months to prepare for the PTE Academic test.
With the syllabus known, it's time to kickstart your PTE preparations. Connect with Edvoy today for complete guidance on acing your English assessment tests and enrol in the university of your choice!
