PTE General Exam: Test Format & How to Book

03 March 2026

Notice: The PTE General test is no longer available. This post is for informational purposes only.

If you’re considering the PTE exam, you’ll come across the two most common PTE exam types: PTE General and PTE Academic.

While everyone knows that PTE Academic is the perfect choice for studying and immigrating to English-speaking countries, PTE General can help you with real-world skills for specific purposes.

What exactly is PTE General, and how does it differ from PTE Academic? In today’s post, PTE Magic will give you the answer.

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Key Takeaways

PTE General is a six-level assessment system designed to assess and accredit general English communication and vocabulary skills.
Six levels in the PTE General test are set based on the CEFR levels.
You can register for the PTE General exam online using the Edexcel Online (EOL) system.

What is the PTE general exam?

pte general

PTE General is a six-level assessment system designed to assess and accredit general English communication and vocabulary skills.

These tests are offered in partnership with Edexcel Limited, the leading awarding authority for academic and vocational credentials in the United Kingdom.

PTE General is recognized by many countries and universities worldwide. It serves as proof of the standard of English required for educational or work abroad purposes.

However, it is mostly accepted by non-English-speaking European countries.

Here is a list of nations that accept the PTE General for work or higher education purposes:

Albania
Colombia
Czech Republic
Ecuador
Greece
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Mexico
Poland
Spain
Switzerland
UK
Ukraine
Estonia

You can also take PTE General for travel or personal purposes. It can help you determine your current English level and where to improve to further your language development.

What is the test format?

Six levels in the PTE General test are set based on the CEFR levels.

Level	Time Duration	Explanation
Level A1	1 hour 15 minutes	It is suitable for beginners and assesses writing and speaking skills.
Level 1	1 hour 35 minutes	It is suitable for beginners and assesses writing and speaking skills.
Level 2	1 hour 35 minutes	It is suitable for intermediate candidates and assesses writing and speaking skills.
Level 3	2 hours	It is suitable for intermediate candidates and assesses writing and speaking skills.
Level 4	2 hours 30 minutes	It is suitable for higher education candidates and assesses writing and speaking skills.
Level 5	2 hours 55 minutes	It is suitable for higher education candidates and assesses writing and speaking skills.

Each level has two sections: a spoken interview and a written paper. Both sections have a maximum of 100 points.

The spoken interview consists of three sections at levels A1 and 1 and four at levels 2?5. It assesses your speaking skills.

Spoken interview
Task types	Level
Describe picture	Levels A1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Roleplay
Discussion	Levels 2, 3, 4, 5
Total: 25 points

The written test consists of nine sections at all levels and assesses your listening, reading, and writing.

Written test
Skills Tested	Task types	Score
Listening	3-option graphical multiple choice	10
Listening	Text, note completion	10
Listening and writing	Dictation	5
Reading	Gap-fill 3?option multiple choice	5
Reading	3-option multiple choice	10
Reading	Open-ended question	8
Reading	Text, note completion	7
Writing	Write correspondence	10
Writing	Write text	10
Total: 75 points

Note: All sections have different time durations at each level. You can check the PTE General test format in detail here.

How can you book the PTE General test?

You can register for the PTE General exam online using the Edexcel Online (EOL) system.

From EOL, you will need to:

Select which level you want to sit for
Fill in your information for that level.

What are the main differences between PTE academic and PTE general tests?

Here is the comparison table between PTE General and PTE Academic:

Points of differences	PTE General	PTE Academic
Purpose	Study and work mostly in non-English speaking European countries	Study, work, and immigration in English-speaking countries.
Conducted by	Pearson Language Tests in partnership with Edexcel Limited	Pearson Language Tests
Exam dates	February, May, June, October, November, and December	Every month depending on the test center
Registration	Online via Edexcel Online system	Online via the Pearson official website
Exam forms	Not-computerized test	Fully computerized test
Exam format	It has a set of six levels (A1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Each level includes two sections: a spoken interview and a written paper	It has one level only with three sections: Reading, Speaking & Writing, and Listening
Duration	1.5 to 3 hours	3 hours
Score Validity	Lifetime	2 years

Conclusion

We have put together all the information about PTE General and how it differs from PTE Academic. You can now choose the exam that best suits your preference and goals.

Whatever exam you choose, having strong English skills will always give you confidence.

Ready to study for the PTE exam? Our 100% real updated practice test bank will help you. Contact us now!