All Question Types with Answers - Pearson Test of English Academic

There are 20 question types on the Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic. In this article, we will cover each one. I will also provide answers where possible.

The PTE Academic is divided into 3 sections. The sections, and the questions in each section, will always appear in the same order.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Speaking and Writing

1. Read Aloud
2. Repeat Sentence
3. Describe Image
4. Re-tell Lecture
5. Answer Short Question
6. Summarize Written Text
7. Essay

Part 2: Reading

8. Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks
9. Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
10. Re-order Paragraphs
11. Fill in the Blanks
12. Multiple Choice, Single Answer

Part 3: Listening

13. Summarize Spoken Text
14. Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
15. Fill in the Blanks
16. Highlight Correct Summary
17. Multiple Choice, Single Answer
18. Select Missing Word
19. Highlight Incorrect Words
20. Write from Dictation

Part 1: Speaking and Writing

1. Read Aloud

This question type appears 6 to 7 times. It counts toward your Reading and Speaking scores.

You will be given a paragraph of text, and you need to read it aloud. You will have 30 to 40 seconds to read the paragraph and rehearse your answers, and then 30 seconds to record your answer. You can only record yourself one time, which is true of all speaking questions on the test.

2. Repeat Sentence

This question type appears 10 to 12 times, and it counts toward your Listening and Speaking scores.

You will listen to a recording of a sentence. You then have to record yourself repeating that sentence. The audio will play automatically, and you can only listen to it once. You can also only record yourself once.

3. Describe Image

This question type appears 3 to 4 times, and it counts toward your Speaking score.

You will be given an image. You have 25 seconds to study the image and then 40 seconds to describe it orally.

Answer

This picture contains a bar graph showing the percentage of people who smoke cigarettes by age. The trend line is negative, meaning younger people are more likely to smoke than older people. For instance, a little over 30% of people between the ages of 18 and 24 smoke while only around 8% of people over 65 do so.

4. Re-tell Lecture

This question type appears 1 or 2 times, and it counts toward your Listening and Speaking scores.

You will be given a lecture that is 60 to 90 seconds long along with an image to help you determine what the lecture is about. You need to listen to the lecture and take notes. Then, you will have 10 seconds to prepare your answer, followed by 40 seconds to summarize the lecture.

5. Answer Short Question

This question appears 5 to 6 times, and it counts toward your Listening and Speaking scores.

You will listen to a question, and you need to answer it orally with one word or a few words. You may also see an image at the same time that the audio of the question plays.

6. Summarize Written Text

This question type appears once or twice, and it counts toward your Reading and Writing scores.

You will be given a text that will be a maximum of 300 words. You will have 10 minutes to read the text and provide a one-sentence summary that is no more than 75 words.

7. Essay

This question type appears once or twice, and it counts toward your Writing score.

You will be a given a prompt that is 2 or 3 sentences long. You will have 20 minutes to write an essay that is between 200 and 300 words long.

Answer

I believe that responsibility lies with both consumers and producers. Everyone is responsible for being a steward of our environment. This means that whatever is within our capabilities to do to help our planet, we should do.

Consumers should opt for products with minimal packaging when they have the option. This not only reduces waste, but it also signals to producers what consumers want. In this way, consumers can “vote with their dollars” and compel producers to change their practices.

Producers should also aim to reduce the packaging in their products. This is not only good for the environment, but it is also likely better for their profits as well. Generally speaking, less packaging means fewer costs.

A demonstrative example is the evolution of Amazon’s packaging. Until a few years ago, Amazon used a lot of packaging on the items they delivered to customers. Customers complained and demanded that Amazon change their ways. Amazon was happy to do so, because this meant that they could save money. The result is that now Amazon will put multiple items into one box.

Just as consumers can influence producers, producers can also influence consumers. By giving consumers low-packaging options, consumers can learn about the environmental benefit of this practice and change their own preferences. That, in turn, can lead consumers to demand low-packaging options from other producers. This feedback loop between consumers and producers is another reason that both parties are responsible in this situation. Holding just one party responsible prevents this powerful virtuous cycle.

Part 2: Reading

8. Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks

This question type appears 5 to 6 times, and it counts toward your Reading and Writing scores.

You will be given a text that has several words missing. The text will be a maximum of 300 words. You have to select the correct words from the 4 options provided for each blank.

Answer: Challenges

9. Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers

This question type appears once or twice, and it counts toward your Reading score.

You will be given a text that is a maximum of 300 words. You need to read the text and then select all the correct responses from the 5 to 7 options provided.

Answer:

1. Dominik Szoboszlai scored the opening goal by volleying the ball across the face of the goal.
2. Mohammed Salah scored the closing goal, taking advantage of a corner that was poorly defended by Aston Villa.

10. Re-order Paragraphs

This question type appears 2 to 3 times, and it counts toward your Reading score.

You will be given several portions of text. You have to put them into the correct order. The total length of the text is a maximum of 150 words.

Answer

1. d
2. a
3. b
4. c
5. e

11. Fill in the Blanks

This question type appears 4 to 5 times, and it counts toward your Reading score.

You will be given a text with missing words and a set of words. You have fill in the missing words.

Answer:

1. companies
2. theory
3. reality
4. enforceability
5. researchers

12. Multiple Choice, Single Answer

This question types appears once or twice, and it counts toward your Reading score.

You will be given a text that is a maximum of 300 words. You need to select the correct response. This question is similar to the Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers question type except in this question type, only 1 option is correct.

Answer:

They foster awe, shifting perspective to reduce work stressors, and enhancing resilience, and productivity.

Part 3: Listening

13. Summarize Spoken Text

This question appears once or twice, and it counts toward your Listening and Writing scores.

You will have to listen to part of a lecture or interview and take notes. Then, you need to write a summary that is between 50 and 70 words.

14. Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers

This question type appears once or twice, and it counts toward your Listening score.

You will listen to a prompt that is between 40 and 90 seconds long. Then, you will need to select all the correct responses from the options provided.

15. Fill in the Blanks

This question type appears 2 to 3 times, and it counts toward your Listening and Writing scores.

You will be shown a text that has words missing. You will listen to a recording in which the text is read aloud, including the missing words. Using the recording, you have to type in the missing words.

16. Highlight Correct Summary

This question type appears once or twice, and it counts toward your Listening and Reading scores.

You will listen to a text that will be between 30 and 90 seconds long. Then, you need to select the paragraph that best summarizes the text.

17. Multiple Choice, Single Answer

This question type appears once or twice on the test, and it counts toward your Listening score.

You will listen to a text that will be between 30 and 90 seconds. Then, you need to select the single correct answer from the options provided.

18. Select Missing Word

This question type appears once or twice, and it counts toward your Listening score.

You will listen to a text is between 20 and 70 seconds long. A part of the text will be missing, replaced with a "beep" sound. You need to select the missing word or words from the options provided.

19. Highlight Incorrect Words

This question type appears 2 or 3 times, and it counts toward your Listening and Reading scores.

You will be given a text, but some words will be incorrect. You will listen to the text being read aloud. You need to click the words in the text that do not match what you hear.

20. Write from Dictation

This question type appears 3 to 4 times, and it counts toward your Listening and Writing scores.

You will listen to a sentence read aloud. You need to transcribe what you hear.