PTE Time Management

PTE Speaking

5 tasks in 27 – 43 minutes

There are 77 – 93 minutes to complete the Speaking and Writing sections. Since the

writing PTE section is either 50 or 60 minutes long and the speaking section is between
27 and 43 minutes long, the PTE time management for these sections will vary as they
are dependent on the number of tasks offered on each test.

Answer Short Question

Answer Short Question is quite straight forward. You have 10 seconds to respond to
the question asked – just try to understand the question and answer before the timer
runs out – usually you will have a one- or two-word response. 

Repeat Sentence
Repeat Sentence PTE section is quite easy for many test-takers if the sentence is up to
about 10 words. After this everyone (even native speakers) have difficulty repeating a
sentence perfectly, even ones that are 12 to 15 words – especially when several words
have multiple syllables. Again, you have ten seconds to respond/repeat. If you can’t
repeat the entire sentence as it is spoken, the trick here is to speak with an even
tempo and respond with any words or phrases you remember. Generally, always say
something from what you heard because if you don’t respond, this will lower your overall
score. 

Describe Image and Retell Lecture

For Describe Image and Retell Lecture you must speak with an even tempo and with
fluency and try to finish before 40 seconds scoring a 90. For Describe Image PTE
section you have 25 seconds to prepare, which is loads of time to sort out and prepare
to speak 5 sentences. The method, when practiced often enough, will become easy to
remember and increase your fluency.

Likewise, Retell Lecture method will help you add fluency and accuracy to your speech,
especially if you use noun clauses to complete your sentences. Since you only have
time to write 5 or 6 keywords during the recording, and you have to begin speaking in
only 10 seconds after the recording, memorizing the method and how to use it properly
makes a 90 in this task obtainable for all.

Read Aloud
Finally, Read Aloud asks the test-taker to finish reading a paragraph in 40 seconds,
and then speak while being recorded.

Again, speak clearly with an even tempo. In the 40 seconds given before you read, test-
takers should skim the entire task, reading every word in their mind, and stopping only
to speak out loud the words that they may have difficulty with. Then be ready for the
recording to start.

Remember that the next task in the speaking PTE section will start immediately after the
clock records 40 seconds. If you choose to wait the remaining few seconds after
completing the task, don’t speak or breathe heavily into the microphone as the
microphone is active and recording until the 40 second mark. 

Task Time to prepare Time given Notes Possible # of tasks

Repeat Sentence 10 seconds 10 seconds 10 – 12

Describe Image 25 seconds 40 seconds 6 or 7

Retell Lecture 10 seconds (after lecture) 40 seconds 3 or 4

Read Aloud 40 seconds 40 seconds 6 or 7

Answer Short Question 10 seconds 10 seconds 10 – 12

In PTE Speaking each of the tasks is individually timed, meaning that you do not need
to worry. You just need to follow the instructions and watch the clock. Below are the
times are given for each of the tasks including preparation time and speaking time.

Again, make sure you start answering within 3 seconds or you the task will move on.

PTE Writing

Follow the instructions on-screen. No need to take notes.

2 tasks in 50 – 60 minutes

In PTE Writing each of the tasks is individually timed, meaning that you do not need to
worry. You just need to follow the instructions and watch the clock. Below are the times
are given for each of the tasks.

Keep in mind that time DOES NOT carry over meaning that if you finish two minutes
before the clock that two minutes DOES NOT carry over the next task.

Summarize Written Text

Summarize Written Text: You have ten minutes to summarize a text of approximately
300 words. Scan over the text to gain a superficial understanding. Then take notes of
the topic sentences and support ideas. You need 3 -4 main ideas to use in your
summary sentence. This should take approximately 5 minutes. From this point, you will
have 5 minutes to write a single sentence of 30 to 40 words. Ensure there are no
spellings or typing errors!
Write Essay
Write Essay: Write Essay PTE section has to be done in 20 minutes, so the 13
sentence E2 language outline has to be memorized. The introduction of 3 sentences
should take the longest because it is the most important organizational feature – 5 to 7
minutes. The 2 X 4-line body paragraphs should take no more that 4 minutes each, and
the conclusion should be no more than 3 minutes to write. The final 2 or 3 minutes
should allow you to read through your essay and check for any spelling, sentence
structure, word choice, grammar, or punctuation errors.

Task Possible number of tasks Total time either 50 or 60 minutes

Summarize Written Text 1 or 2 or 3 10 minutes each

Write Essay 1 or 2 20 minutes each

PTE Reading

In both the Reading and Listening sections you can ‘push the time’ or click to go on to

the next task of the section immediately upon completion of the task you have just
completed. This will save you critical time!

We have done some mathematics and timed 100s of students taking these questions to
live and have formulated ‘recommended time management’ for PTE Reading.

Test-takers tend to waste time in Multiple Choice Multiple Answer while looking for
the second or possible third answer – just choose one answer if that is the best you can
do. The Reading Section is 32 – 40 minutes in length while the Listening Section is 45 –
57 minutes.

Reading
5 tasks in 32 – 40 minutes

Task Suggested time for each task Possible # of tasks Total time 40 mins

Multiple Choice Multiple Answer 2 mins. 20 sec. 2 or 3 7 minutes 

Multiple Choice Single Answer 1 min. 30 sec. 2 or 3 4 minutes 30 sec.

Reading Writing Fill in the Blanks 2 mins. 20 secs. 5 or 6 14 minutes

Fill in the Blanks 1 min. 50 sec. 4 or 5 9 minutes 

Reorder Paragraph 1 min. 50 sec. 2 or 3 5 minutes. 30 sec.

PTE Listening
In PTE Listening the first task — Summarize Spoken Text — is individually timed for ten
minutes. You can consider this task ‘separate’ to the other six listening tasks.

For the other 7 tasks, you must manage your own time making sure that you move
efficiently yet accurately through them. Don’t waste time in PTE Listening because it is
vitally important that you make it to the final task which is called Write from Dictation.

I have seen many candidates get low writing and listening scores because they did not
move quickly enough through PTE Listening and as such missed some of the Write
from Dictation questions.

Don’t spend times looking for the answers

In PTE Listening you will get the answers during the audio or immediately after the
audio. Therefore, you really should not spend time ‘looking’ at the answers. If you
listened carefully and took notes then you can match your notes (and your memory) to
the correct answer option in just a few seconds.

Take Select Missing Word, for example. In this task, you will hear short audio of about
30 seconds. The final word or words is missing and you must select from a list of
around 5 options which word is missing.

You should select ‘immediately’. If you missed it, you missed it; don’t waste times
looking at those five answer options because the audio can only be played once and is
not coming back.

This means that you should only spend about 30 seconds after the audio has finished
before you move on to the next question because all you do is match your notes to the
correct answer option. Reading through the answer options should only take you about
30 seconds.

Remember, the audio is not coming back; you can’t replay it. If you don’t know the
answer guess and move on; don’t waste precious time.

Listening 
8 tasks in 45 – 57 minutes

Task PTE Timed Suggested time to complete the Possible # of Total time 50
Event task after the recording tasks minutes

Summarize Spoken 10 minutes Click forward if you finish early 2 or 3 30 minutes

Text

Multiple Choice – 30 seconds 2 or 3  1 minute 30sec.

Multiple Answer

Fill in the Blanks – 60 seconds 2 or 3  3 minutes

Highlight Correct – 30 seconds 2 or 3 1 minute 30
Summary sec.

Multiple Choice Single – 30 seconds 2 or 3 1 minute 30

Answer sec.

Select Missing Word – 30 seconds 2 or 3 1 minute 30

sec.

Highlight Incorrect – 30 seconds 2 or 3 1 minute 30

words sec.

Write from Dictation – 45 seconds 3 or 4 3 minutes

So, what’s next?

Remember that time management is essential in achieving your goal score. Learn the
timings, and once you have mastered the methods, practice under timed conditions.