The PTE is a standard computer-based exam taken by international students and institutions. It determines an individual's level of fluency in the English language. The PTE exam syllabus is developed to assess the English fluency of a non-native speaker.
PTE is accepted as proof of English proficiency in over 3000 educational institutions in countries like the UK, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and others.
PTE syllabus determines the level of fluency by measuring your fundamental skills in the English language: reading, writing, listening and speaking.
Table of Contents
PTE exam syllabus
The PTE syllabus is simple to understand, and it is easy to crack the exam with the required practice.
| PTE Section | Syllabus | No. of questions & duration |
|---|---|---|
| PTE speaking & writing |
| Total questions - 28 to 36 Duration - 54-67 mins. |
| PTE reading |
| Total questions - 13 to 18 Duration - 29-30 mins. |
| PTE listening |
| Total questions - 12 to 20 Duration - 30-43 mins. |
Here's a walkthrough of the PTE exam syllabus for PTE Academic and PTE General in detail. But before diving into the test syllabus, let's take a look at the types of PTE exams.
Based on the purpose, convenience, and migration requirements, the PTE consists of four primary types:
- PTE Academic
- PTE Core (specifically for Canadian migration)
- PTE Academic Online
- PTE Home (for UK family/settlement visas)
Types of PTE
| PTE exam type | Description |
|---|---|
| PTE Academic | The PTE Academic exam is designed for international students to test their knowledge of the English language. The exam duration is approximately 2 hours and the PTE syllabus consists of three sections.
These sections are curated with questions and tasks that analyse your level of proficiency in the English language. Also, it is important to note that while there is a standard range of questions for each section (e.g., 6–7 for Read Aloud), the exact number can vary slightly between test sessions. |
| PTE General | The PTE General test is designed to reward achievement in English language learning. The exam helps to provide a reliable and accurate measure of language ability and the ability to communicate in real-life situations. Authorities do not recognise this exam for immigration purposes. PTE General is suitable for individuals seeking to exhibit their language proficiency for academic or professional purposes. The PTE exam syllabus for General assessment consists of two sections: Written and Spoken sections. You can check out the PTE General syllabus pdf to understand and learn more about the flow of the assessment. |
| PTE Academic Online | PTE Academic Online follows the same syllabus as the Academic version. PTE Home is a different, shorter test (Speaking & Listening only) used specifically for UK family and settlement visas. You should also check if the educational institution you are applying for accepts PTE Academic Online. |
PTE Academic
PTE Academic has three sections: Speaking and Writing, Reading and Listening. There is no fixed number of questions for each section, but you can prepare with the help of the question types and format.
Note on 2026 Scoring: PTE now uses a Hybrid Scoring System. While AI handles the majority of the grading, Human Reviewers now monitor tasks like Describe Image, Re-tell Lecture, and Respond to a Situation. This update is designed to reward natural, spontaneous English and downgrade the use of memorized "cheat" templates.
PTE exam syllabus for Speaking and Writing section
No. of questions: 28 to 36
Duration: 54-67 minutes
| Segment | No. of questions in the segment | Approximate time to answer |
|---|---|---|
| Personal introduction | 1 | 55 seconds: 25 seconds for the 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; 15 seconds for recording. |
| Describe image | 3-4 | 25 seconds to study the image; 40 seconds to record your response. |
| Re-tell 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 the prompt; 10 seconds to answer. |
| Summarisation of written text | 1-2 | 10 minutes: Summarize the text in one single sentence of 5 to 75 words. |
| Essay writing | 1-2 | 20 minutes: Write a 200-300 word essay on a given topic. |
| Summarize Group Discussion | 1-2 | (New 2026) Listen to a 3-minute academic discussion; 10s to prepare; up to 2 mins to summarize. |
| Respond to a Situation | 1-2 | (New 2026) Listen to a 60-word scenario; 10s to prepare; 40s to speak. |
PTE exam syllabus for Reading section
No. of questions: 13 to 18
Duration: 29-30 minutes
| Segment | No. of questions in the segment | Task |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple choice: Choose single answer | 1-2 | Read a 300-word text and choose one response relevant to the question. |
| Multiple choice: Choose multiple answers | 1-2 | Read a 300-word text and choose more than one response relevant to the question. |
| Reordering paragraphs | 2-3 | Read a 150-word text and arrange the paragraphs in the right order. |
| Read, write and fill in the blanks | 5-6 | Read a 300-word text and drag the words to fill the gaps. |
| Fill in the blanks | 4-5 | Read an 80-word text and drag the words to fill the gaps. |
PTE exam syllabus for Listening section
No. of questions: 12 to 20
Duration: 30-43 minutes
| 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 50-70 word summary. |
| Multiple choice questions, multiple answers | 1-2 | 40-90 seconds to listen to audio and choose more than one response relevant to the question. |
| Fill in the blanks | 2-3 | 30-60 seconds to listen to a recording and fill in the gaps in the transcript. |
| Multiple choice questions, choosing a single answer | 1-2 | 30-60 seconds to listen to the audio and choose one response relevant to the question. |
| Selecting the missing word | 1-2 | 20-70 seconds to listen to the audio and choose the missing word to complete the recording. |
| Highlight incorrect words or phrases | 2-3 | 15-50 seconds to listen to a recording and identify the words that differ in the transcript and audio. |
| Point out the correct summary | 1-2 | 30-90 seconds to listen and choose the summary that best suits the recording. |
| Write the dictated text | 3-4 | 3-5 seconds to listen and type out the sentence. |
PTE General
PTE syllabus for the General version is different from PTE Academic as the exam determines your English fluency level and the ability to utilise the skills in realistic situations. There are six levels in the PTE General exam, and each level denotes your fluency in English.
PTE General test consists of two sections: A written test and a spoken interview.
PTE General Sections
Skills assessed
| Factor | Written section | Spoken interview |
|---|---|---|
| Total marks | 75 | 25 |
| Reading, writing and listening | Speaking | |
| Duration | Varies with each level | Varies with each level |
| No. of tasks | 9 | 3 4 for Levels 2 to 5 |
PTE Core Syllabus 2026 (For Canada Migration)
If you are applying for Canadian PR or work permits, the PTE Core syllabus focuses on real-world English. Unlike the Academic version, it replaces academic tasks with practical ones.
| Section | Key Tasks & Syllabus Updates |
| Speaking | Includes Respond to a Situation (Social/Workplace scenarios). |
| Writing | Email Writing: Replace the Essay. Write a 100-word email in 9 minutes. |
| Reading | Focuses on workplace notices, social advertisements, and emails. |
| Listening | Summarize Spoken Text: Shorter word count (20–30 words) compared to Academic. |
PTE exam syllabus: Best ways to prepare
The PTE exam syllabus might look complicated and difficult, but with the required practice, you can ace the exam with excellent scores. Check out some of the best preparation tips for the PTE syllabus.
- Start preparing at least two months before the exam
- Set your target score and prepare accordingly
- Make use of study guides and books
- PTE tools will ease the studying process
- Work on practice tests regularly
- Learn about the question types and try solving them
- Keep track of the mistakes you make and start working on them
Frequently Answered Questions
What are the subjects in PTE exam?
The PTE exam syllabus determines an individual's level of proficiency in the English language. The assessment consists of three sections to analyse fluency in the language, namely, Speaking and Writing, Reading, and Listening.
How long does it take to cover the PTE Academic test syllabus and prepare for the exam?
Preparing for the PTE Academic test may take at least two months. Here are some tips you can follow to prepare effectively:
- Start preparing at least two months before the exam
- Determine your target score and focus on your preparation to obtain the score
- Ease the preparation process with the help of study guides and PTE tools
- Practice tests can help with your pace and develop your language skills
What is the syllabus for the PTE Academic test?
PTE Academic test has three sections: Speaking and Writing, Reading and Listening. The exam sections are designed to analyse an individual's level of proficiency in the English language.
Which countries accept PTE?
The UK, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Germany are some of the countries that accept PTE exams as proof of English proficiency.
Which English is used in PTE?
You can attend the exam in either UK or US English. PTE is an internationally recognised exam conducted to determine a person's fluency in the English language. So the exam does not restrict you from using a specific region's spelling or pronunciation.
