PTE Academic Syllabus Breakdown: Section-by-Section Guide

The PTE Syllabus is designed to evaluate your real-life English communication skills through integrated tasks that combine Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening. Unlike traditional tests, PTE uses a computer-based format and AI scoring to assess pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and academic writing all within a 2-hour exam. Understanding the complete  Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic syllabus enables you to identify the exact task types, scoring weightage, and skill requirements in each section, allowing you to prepare strategically, focus on high-impact questions, and boost your overall score with confidence.

PTE Academic Syllabus Overview

PTE Speaking & Writing Syllabus (54–67 mins)

This is the longest and most important section because it tests two major communication skills together: how well you speak and how clearly you write in academic English. Many tasks here also contribute marks to the Reading and Listening sections, so mastering them can dramatically boost your overall score.

Tasks Covered

1. Personal Introduction (Not scored but sent to universities)
2. Read Aloud – Read a sentence on screen clearly
3. Repeat Sentence – Listen and repeat exactly
4. Describe Image – Explain charts, graphs, or pictures
5. Re-tell Lecture – Listen to a lecture and summarise it verbally
6. Answer Short Question – Reply to simple audio questions
7. Summarise Written Text – Write a one-sentence summary in 5–75 words
8. Write Essay (200–300 words) – Formal essay on a given topic

What Skills Are Tested?

• Pronunciation & Oral Fluency
• Grammar & Sentence Formation
• Vocabulary & Word Choice
• Content Structure & Flow
• Coherence & Organisation (especially in essays)
• Spelling & Punctuation (writing tasks)

Tips to Score High

• Speak naturally, don’t pause or correct yourself too much
• Use simple but correct grammar
• Follow templates for Describe Image, Re-tell Lecture, Essay
• Record your voice and practice fluency
• For writing, plan before typing and proofread after

PTE Reading Syllabus (29–30 mins)

The Reading section checks how well you understand, analyse, and organise written information. It is completely computer-based and requires both logic and grammar awareness.

Tasks Covered

1. Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks (highest weightage)
2. Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
3. Re-order Paragraphs
4. Fill in the Blanks (Drag & Drop)
5. Multiple Choice, Single Answer

Skills Tested

• Grammar (tenses, collocations, sentence structure)
• Vocabulary & word usage
• Logical sequencing of ideas
• Reading comprehension
• Skimming & scanning for key details

Time Management Tips

• Spend more time on high-scoring tasks (Fill in the Blanks)
• Don’t waste time on MCQ Multiple Answers (negative marking risk)
• Practice re-ordering paragraphs with logic connectors
• Improve vocabulary through collocation lists
• Read faster using skimming techniques

PTE Listening Syllabus (30–43 mins)

This section evaluates how well you understand spoken English in academic and real-life contexts. Audio is played only once, so focus and note-taking are extremely important.

Tasks Covered

1. Summarise Spoken Text
2. Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
3. Fill in the Blanks (Audio)
4. Highlight Correct Summary
5. Multiple Choice, Single Answer
6. Select Missing Word
7. Highlight Incorrect Words
8. Write from Dictation (highest weightage)

Skills Tested

• Accurate note-taking
• Understanding different accents (Australian, British, American)
• Listening for key ideas, tone, and details
• Spelling and grammar (in Write from Dictation)
• Identifying correct vs incorrect words

Scoring Impact

Some listening tasks carry more weight than others. Focus on:

• Write from Dictation (VERY high weightage)
• Fill in the Blanks (Audio)
• Summarise Spoken Text

Must Read:

• PTE Academic Exam Fee
• PTE Academic Test Dates

Section-wise Approximate Weightage

1. Speaking & Writing is the most heavily weighted section.
2. Listening and reading both rely heavily on integrated scoring.
3. Many Listening scores also depend on your Writing & Reading skills.

Which Exam Should You Prepare For? 

What is Integrated scoring?

Integrated scoring in the PTE Academic Exam Pattern means that one task can give you marks in more than one section at the same time, instead of being scored separately like IELTS or TOEFL. For example, Read Aloud tests Speaking, but also gives marks to Reading. Repeat Sentence improves Speaking and Listening together. Summarise Written Text boosts Writing and Reading. Write from Dictation is the most powerful task because it affects Listening, Writing, and even Spelling.

This is why PTE is unique; its tasks are designed to reflect real-life communication, where you often read, listen, speak, and write together. The benefit? Focus on high-weight integrated tasks, such as Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Fill in the Blanks, and Write from Dictation. You can improve multiple section scores at once and boost your overall score much faster with smart preparation instead of practising every task equally.

Further Reading:

• How is the PTE Score Calculated?
• PTE Score Calculation

Latest Changes in PTE Academic Syllabus

Pearson has made several updates to the PTE Academic exam to make it faster, more efficient, and more aligned with real-life communication. The core syllabus (skills tested) has NOT changed, but the format, time, and scoring system have been optimised. Here are the most important updates you must know:

1. Exam Duration Reduced (From 3 Hours → 2 Hours)

• The test is now shorter by almost 1 hour.
• No major task was removed; only the number of questions was reduced.
• Better time management and less mental fatigue.

Good news: A shorter test with the same score validity and acceptance worldwide.

2. Fewer Questions Per Section

To remove repetitive, low-value questions, Pearson reduced the number of items:

• Speaking & Writing: 39–41 → 28–36 questions
• Reading: 15–20 → 13–15 questions
• Listening: 17–25 → 12–20 questions

Benefit: More focus on high-quality questions that truly test skills.

3. AI Scoring Engine Updated

Pearson improved the AI scoring system to be:

• More accurate in pronunciation assessment
• Better at recognising natural fluency (not robotic speech)
• Stricter with spelling and grammar mistakes
• Fair across accents (Indian, Asian, African, etc.)

Result: More reliable and unbiased scores.

4. Better Test Interface (User-Friendly Experience)

• Cleaner layout and design
• Clear timer visibility
• Consistent audio volume
• Easier navigation between questions
• Fewer distractions on screen

It feels more professional and easier to use, especially for first-time test takers.

High-Scoring Tips

1. Repeat Sentence – Boosts both Speaking & Listening; very high weightage and partial credit friendly.
2. Read Aloud – The first task, which heavily impacts Speaking and Reading, sets the tone for your score.
3. Write from Dictation – Highest-scoring task in the exam; improves Listening, Writing & Spelling.
4. Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks (RW-FIB) – Most important Reading task; tests grammar & collocations.
5. Summarise Written Text – Powerful Writing task that also boosts Reading; structure and grammar focused.

How to Prepare for PTE Academic?

Understanding the syllabus is only half the battle; smart preparation based on the syllabus is what gets you a high score. Here’s a strategic approach every student should follow:

Section-wise Preparation Strategy

• Speaking & Writing: Practice templates for Describe Image, Re-tell Lecture, Essay, and Summaries; improve fluency and grammar together.
• Reading: Focus on Fill in the Blanks and Re-order Paragraphs; build vocabulary and collocation knowledge.
• Listening: Practice Write from Dictation, Summarise Spoken Text, and audio FIBs; improve note-taking and spelling.

 Suggested Study Plan (4–6 Weeks)

Vocabulary & Grammar Focus

• Learn collocations (make a decision, take responsibility, highly recommended)
• Revise tenses, articles, subject-verb agreement
• Use academic linking words (however, therefore, moreover)
• Improve spelling and capitalisation (very important in scoring)

Daily Practice Routine (High-Scorers Follow This)

 20 min – Read Aloud & Repeat Sentence
 20 min – Write from Dictation & Listening FIBs
 20 min – Fill in the Blanks (Reading & Writing)
 20 min – Summarise tasks / Essay writing
 20 min – Mock test or practice under a time limit

Highest Priority Tasks (Maximum Marks – MUST Master)

• Write from Dictation – Highest weight, boosts Listening + Writing + Spelling
• Repeat Sentence – Big impact on Speaking + Listening
• Read Aloud – Major marks for Speaking + Reading
• Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks (RW-FIB) – Key task for Reading + Writing
• Listening Fill in the Blanks (Audio FIB) – Strong Listening + Writing booster
• Summarise Written Text / Summarise Spoken Text – Improves Writing + Reading/Listening

 Medium Priority Tasks (Good to Practice with Templates)

• Re-order Paragraphs – Logic-based, supports Reading score
• Describe Image & Re-tell Lecture – Speaking structure tasks (use templates)
• Essay – Writing structure, grammar, vocabulary
• Highlight Incorrect Words – Easy marks in Listening

Low Priority Tasks (Low Marks, Practice Last)

• Answer Short Question
• Select Missing Word
• MCQ (Single/Multiple Answer) in Reading & Listening
• Highlight Correct Summary

Best Resources for PTE Academic Syllabus 

PTE Academic vs IELTS vs TOEFL

Many students also consider IELTS or TOEFL. This comparison table helps you understand where PTE stands and why its syllabus feels different.

Conclusion

The PTE Academic syllabus is not just a list of tasks it is a smart, skill-based framework designed to test how well you can communicate in real-life academic and professional situations. By clearly understanding the PTE Academic syllabus, its structure, section-wise weightage, and integrated scoring system, you can prepare strategically instead of wasting time on low-value tasks. When you focus on high-scoring areas like Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Write from Dictation, and Fill in the Blanks, you boost multiple skills at once and accelerate your score improvement.