PTE Academic test format: three parts, 22 question types

The three parts and their timing

Pearson’s Score Guide says the shortest and longest times for each part don’t add up to the total, because each version of the test is balanced for length, and nobody gets every part at its maximum. Its glossary puts the whole test at a maximum of 2 hours 15 minutes.

How long is the PTE exam on the day?

Pearson describes it as about 2 hours of test time. Add the check-in: you have to arrive at least 30 minutes before your start time to sign in, show your passport and have your photo, signature and palm vein scan taken.

Once you start, the clock keeps running. You can ask for a break, but it comes out of your test time, and you can’t go back to earlier questions.

What changed in the PTE test format in 2025?

Every PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI test taken after 7 August 2025 has two new question types in Part 1: Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation. Both are spoken. The original 20 question types stayed, so there are slightly more questions overall, but Pearson says the test is still about two hours and the time for each question hasn’t changed.

Pearson also added human review to the scoring of some tasks, though never for pronunciation or fluency. PTE Core and PTE Home didn’t change, and scores from before August 2025 are still valid.

All 22 question types

Pearson doesn’t publish a syllabus as such. Its format pages and Score Guide list every question type, and the Score Guide gives how many of each you can expect.