PTE Speaking Format 2026: All 8 Question Types in Order (What to Expect)
PTE Speaking Format 2026: All 8 Question Types in Order (What to Expect)
Quick Answer: The PTE Speaking section runs in this exact order: microphone check → Personal Introduction (unscored) → Read Aloud → Repeat Sentence → Describe Image → Retell Lecture → Answer Short Question → Summarize Group Discussion → Respond to a Situation. Knowing this order in advance removes a huge amount of exam-day anxiety.
One of the biggest advantages you can give yourself before walking into the PTE exam is simply knowing what’s coming next. Students who walk in blind waste mental energy figuring out the format instead of focusing on their answers. This guide walks you through the entire PTE Speaking section, task by task, in the exact order you’ll see them.
Alex from Dream English Education breaks down the full format in this short video:
The PTE Speaking Section, Step by Step
1. Microphone Check
Before the timed section begins, you’ll see a microphone testing screen. Speak a couple of times at both a loud and a quiet volume to confirm the audio sounds consistent. If anything seems off, raise your hand and ask the test administrator for help before you continue – you can’t fix this once the real section starts.
2. Personal Introduction (Not Scored)
You’ll be asked to introduce yourself for around 30 seconds. This recording is not scored – it exists purely so the AI has a voice sample to calibrate against for the rest of the test. Don’t waste energy stressing over it, but do use it as a chance to warm up your voice.
3. Read Aloud
You get 35-40 seconds to prepare a short text, then you read it back to the computer. The goal is to read fluently from start to finish – no added words, no skipped words, and no lost flow. Since August 2025, Read Aloud only contributes to your Speaking score (it no longer feeds into Reading).
Read our full guide: PTE Speaking: Read Aloud Tips and Tricks 2026
4. Repeat Sentence
You’ll hear 10-12 sentences, each played only once. After a 2-second pause, recording starts automatically and you repeat the sentence exactly as you heard it. This is one of the most efficient tasks in the whole exam because it scores in both your Speaking and Listening sections.
Read our full guide: PTE Speaking Repeat Sentence Tips and Scoring Guide 2026
5. Describe Image
Arguably the single most important question in the entire exam – Describe Image is worth 15% of your Overall score. You get 25 seconds to prepare, then up to 40 seconds to describe what you see, speaking fluently the whole time. Rigid, memorised templates are increasingly detected and penalised by the human assessors added in August 2025, so flexible, natural-sounding language matters more than ever.
Read our full guide: PTE Describe Image 2026: Score High with Flexible Templates
6. Retell Lecture
You’ll hear roughly a minute of audio, take notes for 10 seconds, then retell what was said back to the computer for up to 40 seconds. Like Describe Image, this task now penalises rigid templates – vary your sentence starters and use natural, flexible phrasing.
Read our full guide: PTE Retell Lecture Tips and Tricks 2026
7. Answer Short Question
The easiest task in the section. You’ll be asked five or six very simple questions, each requiring a one or two word answer. Respond immediately – if you’re unsure, give your best guess and move straight on. There’s no time to overthink these.
8. Summarize Group Discussion (New)
Added in August 2025, this task plays a longer audio (up to 2-4 minutes) of three speakers discussing a topic. You take notes throughout, then retell what the discussion was about for up to two minutes. Think of it as Retell Lecture “on steroids” – it’s the second most important Speaking question and also feeds into your Listening score.
Read our full guide: PTE Summarize Group Discussion: NEW Speaking Task 2026
9. Respond to a Situation (New)
Also added in August 2025. You’re given a short one or two sentence scenario – for example, a classmate forgot their notebook and you need to leave them a message – and you respond naturally for up to 40 seconds after a 10 second prep window. This task only contributes to your Speaking score.
Read our full guide: PTE Respond to a Situation: NEW Speaking Task 2026
The One Thing That Matters Most: Oral Fluency
Across every single task above, oral fluency is what separates a good Speaking score from a great one. Keep speaking continuously – even if you trip over a word, forget a detail, or a sentence doesn’t come out perfectly, don’t stop. Momentary imperfection matters far less than a broken, hesitant delivery. Focus on fluency and continuity over perfection.
If your fluency itself is the bottleneck, read: How to Improve Fluency in PTE Speaking
What order do PTE Speaking questions come in?
Microphone check, then Personal Introduction (unscored), Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Retell Lecture, Answer Short Question, Summarize Group Discussion, and finally Respond to a Situation.
Is the Personal Introduction scored in PTE?
No. The Personal Introduction is not scored. It only gives the AI a voice sample to calibrate against for the rest of your Speaking responses.
Which PTE Speaking task is worth the most marks?
Describe Image is the single highest-weighted Speaking question, worth 15% of your Overall PTE score and 31% of your Speaking score.
What are the two newest PTE Speaking tasks?
Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation were both added to the PTE exam in August 2025.
What matters most across all PTE Speaking tasks?
Oral fluency. Keep speaking continuously even if you make a small mistake – a smooth, continuous delivery scores far better than a hesitant, broken one.
Start Practising the Right Order Today
Now that you know exactly what’s coming and in what order, the fastest way to improve is targeted practice on each task type – especially Describe Image and the two newest tasks, Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation.
Access our full library of PTE Speaking practice materials and real-time scoring at platform.dreamenglish.com.au/pte-practice, or book a live coaching session with our team – available in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and online worldwide.
Text us on WhatsApp: +61 423 058 115
Alex, Director, Dream English Education
Trusted by 5,000+ students | 700+ five-star reviews | 15M+ social views
