Are you gearing up for the PTE Academic test this year? If so, then you must be familiar with the PTE exam pattern 2026 to score well. The 2026 exam pattern is not the same as there were some major exam format and scoring changes from 7th August 2025. And walking in unprepared could cost you valuable points. So, before you start your PTE exam preparation, understand PTE exam syllabus 2026.
PTE Exam Pattern 2026 Explained:
For those new to this, PTE Academic has become a go-to choice for international students heading to universities in Australia, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, etc. It’s also what many immigration departments ask for when processing visa applications. Unlike traditional English proficiency tests, PTE is a completely computer-delivered exam.
| Test Duration | Approx. 2 Hours 15 Minutes |
| Sections | 4 – Speaking, Writing, Reading & Listening |
| No. Of Tasks | 22 (Divided into 4 sections) |
| Mode of Exam | Computer Delivered with AI-driven Scoring |
| Score Range | 10-90 |
An AI system scores everything—your speaking, writing, reading, listening. No human examiner means no subjective judgment calls. The other major draw? Speed. Most people get their scores back within two days. When you’re racing against university application deadlines, that matters more than you’d think.
The exam breaks down into three parts:
- Speaking & Writing takes up the first 76-84 minutes. Yes, they’re combined into one section, which makes sense since you often use both skills together in real academic situations.
- Reading comes next at 29-30 minutes. This section moves faster than people expect, so time management becomes crucial here.
- Listening wraps things up in 30-43 minutes. By this point in the test, fatigue can set in, so staying focused matters.
Practice With Latest PTE Academic Exam Pattern
What is Different in PTE Exam Pattern 2026?
Pearson didn’t overhaul everything, but they made some strategic additions worth knowing about.
Time Duration:
- The test is 15 minutes longer now. Before you groan, understand why—they’ve introduced two completely new speaking tasks that actually test practical skills you’d need in university or professional settings.
Two new Question Types:
- Summarize Group Discussion
- Respond to a Situation
Updated Scoring Distribution:
- Scoring for skills assessed is changed in many task check here.
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Breaking Down Each Section of the PTE Exam Format 2026
Speaking & Writing (76-84 minutes):
- Read Aloud: In this task, you have to read aloud the text shown on screen.
- Repeat Sentence: In this task, you have to listen to the audio recording and then repeat it as it is.
- Describe Image: You will see an image on the screen, and you have to describe it correctly in your own words.
- Re-tell Lecture: In this task, you have to summarize what you hear in the audio.
- Summarize Group Discussion: In this task, you will hear a conversation of three people, and the audio ends, you have to summarize the discussion in your own words.
- Respond to a Situation: In this task, you will hear a situation, and once the audio ends, you have to give your response to that situation.
Check your Speaking Prep Level with AI Scoring
- Answer Short Question: In this task, you will hear the question, and you have to respond to that question in one word or sentence.
- Summarize Written Text: In this task, you will be given a passage, and you have to write the summary in a single sentence as a response.
- Write Essay: In this task, you have to write a 200-300-word essay in response to the given prompt.
Reading (29-30 minutes)
- Fill in the Blanks Dropdown: Choose the correct words from the drop-downs to complete the text so that each sentence is grammatically and contextually correct.
- Multiple Choice Multiple Answer: In this task, read the passage and select all the correct answers from the given options.
- Re-order Paragraphs: Reorder the text by dragging the boxes into the correct sequence.
- Fill in the Blanks Drag & Drop: Drag and drop words into the blanks to complete the text. Not all words will be used.
- Multiple Choice Single Answer: Read the passage and select the one correct answer based on the information given in the text.
Listening (30-43 minutes)
- Summaries Spoken Text: Listen to the audio and write a short summary of 50–70 words within 10 minutes.
- Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers: Listen to the recording and select all correct answers (more than one option may be correct).
- Fill in the Blanks –Type In: Listen to the audio and fill in the missing words in the transcript.
- Highlight Correct Summary: Listen to the recording (plays once) and choose the single summary that best matches its content.
- Multiple Choice, Single Answer: Listen to the recording (plays once) and select the one correct answer from the choices.
- Select Missing Word: Listen to the recording (plays once) and select the correct option to complete the sentence, replacing the beep.
- Highlight Incorrect Words: Listen to the audio and identify the words in the transcript that differ from what is spoken.
- Write from Dictation: Listen to the sentence (plays once) and type it exactly as you hear it.
PTE Exam Syllabus 2026:
- Real-Life Contexts: Candidates interact with authentic materials like lectures, essays, graphs, and charts.
- Integrated Skills: Most tasks evaluate multiple skills together—speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
- Grammar and Vocabulary: Assessed naturally within tasks rather than in isolated sections.
- Academic Focus: Content is designed around university-level reading, writing, and comprehension.
- Practical Application: Ideal for study, work, and migration requirements worldwide.
Preparation Strategies That Actually Work
- Practice Question by Question: Write essays, speak into your microphone, and try drag-and-drop tasks. Many get tripped up by the interface, so familiarize yourself with the format. Prepare thoroughly using PTE exam practice platform by Gurully
- Do Timed Practice: Time is everything; every practice session needs a timer running. So while preparing, practice in timed conditions.
- Evaluate Your Responses- Record yourself doing those new speaking tasks. Listen back and catch issues you missed.
- Practice With PTE Mock Test: Take at least three full mock tests. You need stamina for concentrating over two hours straight. You can also take a section-wise test on Gurully.
- Review mistakes properly: Figure out why you got something wrong, not just what you got wrong.
In addition, you can boost your PTE Academic preparation on Gurully. Our platform offers full-length mock tests with precise AI scoring to help you track and improve your performance. You’ll also find section-wise tests and free question-by-question practice to strengthen every skill. Use the updated PTE practice platform and take a confident step toward achieving your target score.
FAQ:
Is PTE test easier than IELTS?
Is PTE valid for 2 or 3 years?
Is PTE valid for PR in Australia?
How much is 8.5 in PTE?
Is 79 PTE easy to score?
