(Announcing) New Trial Question Types For PTE Academic Exam

From December 11, 2023, to January 31, 2024, Pearson will trial one or two brand-new question types in their PTE Academic UKVI or PTE Academic tests.

These trial questions will be tested in the Speaking section to see how they work for future inclusion in the real examination.

Similarly to other existing questions in the section, the two new types also evaluate your speaking skills. While they will not affect your PTE score, it’s recommended that you answer them at your best. Your effort is a great contribution to Pearson’s research.

If you want to explore more about these two new question types and their answer templates, this post by PTE Magic will help you.

Let’s take a look.

An Overview Of The Two Trial Question Types

1. Respond To A Situation

In this question type, you will be provided with a daily situation in an academic context. The prompt comes in both text and audio form. So, if you can’t catch up with what the speaker says, you can read the prompt instead.

After listening to the prompt, you will have 10 seconds for preparation. During this period, you can brainstorm what to say to respond to the situation. 

A beep sound means that the system starts recording. You will be given 40 seconds to provide your spoken response in the microphone. It’s best to address the situation as completely as possible. 

2. Summarize Group Discussion

In this part, there will be three people discussing a certain topic. After listening to the discussion, you have 10 seconds to prepare and organize the information you heard. 

After a beep sound, the microphone will open, and you have 2 minutes to summarize the discussion of the three people. The discussion will not be displayed in text like in the Respond To A Situation task. Therefore, remember to listen carefully to every detail for a better summary.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why Is Pearson Trialing These Two New Question Types In The PTE Test?

These two new question types are PTE’s attempt to reflect the English proficiency of test-takers better. Pearson is trialing them to see how candidates respond to them, thereby updating the test accordingly.

2. Which PTE Tests Can You Encounter New Question Types?

Only those taking PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI at an official test center will encounter the two new question types. The trial period is from December 11, 2023, to January 31, 2024.

3. Will I Receive Scores From These Questions?

No, your overall score will not be affected by these questions. It means that they will not be scored. Your responses are for research purposes.

4. Do I Have To Prepare For The New Questions?

While preparation for these two question types is not necessary, it’s best to grasp what they are about and how to answer them. These questions are not scored, but your well-prepared answers will give Pearson more realistic data to update their test.

5. Is It Possible To Skip Them?

Pearson recommends viewing them as real questions and completing them at your best. They will not hurt your total score, so you can answer them naturally and confidently. The better your responses, the better PTE can reflect your English level.

6. Are These Questions Marked In The Test?

For the most natural answers possible, PTE will not flag these questions during the test. Some test-takers might not notice them because they are similar to other question types. You don’t need to worry about them. Just give responses the same way as you do with others to ensure the test flow.

7. Is The PTE examination Changing?

No, the two new question types are merely a trial to support Pearson’s research on the PTE test.

Last updated on 04/12/2023