PTE Academic study notes · 2026 edition

The complete PTE study guide

Every question type, written up the way a top scorer would take notes: templates, scoring rules, worked examples and a 4-week plan for targets of 65, 79 and 90.

How to read this guide

  1. Pick your weakest section
  2. Learn its template & scoring
  3. Drill it on real-style questions
  4. Take a full mock every week

Pick a chapter

Each chapter breaks down every question type with templates, examples, common mistakes and a preparation plan.

  1. Speaking — Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Re-tell Lecture, Answer Short Question. (5 tasks · ~30% weight)
  2. Writing — Summarize Written Text, Write Essay. (2 tasks · ~20% weight)
  3. Reading — Fill in the Blanks (RW & R), Multiple Choice (single & multiple), Re-order Paragraphs. (5 tasks · ~25% weight)
  4. Listening — Summarize Spoken Text, Multiple Choice, Fill in Blanks, Highlight, Select Missing Word, Write from Dictation. (8 tasks · ~25% weight)

Three rules we'd write on the cover

Master fewer tasks deeply

Repeat Sentence and Write from Dictation alone account for outsized score impact. Drilling those two well beats spreading time across all 20.

Practise on PTE-style mics and timing

Real exam pressure is half the test. Free PTEAce mock tests use the same headset setup, timer behaviour and 3-second silence cut-off.

Templates are scaffolds, not scripts

Pearson's 2026 model flags identical, memorised openings. Use templates to think clearly under pressure — then phrase naturally.

Close the notebook. Open a question.

Templates only help if you practise them. Free section practice with AI scoring, and your first full mock test is on us.