PTE Academic · Speaking task

PTE Academic Describe Image

Describe Image is a PTE Academic speaking task. An image appears on screen, most often a graph, table or chart; you have 25 seconds to study it, then a short tone plays and you have 40 seconds to describe it in your own words. You record once. A test has 5 or 6 Describe Image items.

Each answer is scored on Content (0–6), Pronunciation (0–5) and Oral fluency (0–5) and counts toward Speaking. Content is scored by AI and reviewed by a human expert, and memorized or templated answers can score 0 for Content, which means no points for the item.

Last reviewed against the official sources listed below.

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Describe Image at a glance

PTE Academic Describe Image, tests taken from 7 August 2025
DetailDescribe Image
Items in the test5–6
What you doDescribe an image on screen in detail
Kind of imagePearson's tips say it will most likely be a graph, table or pie chart
Preparation time25 seconds to study the image
Time to answer40 seconds
Start of recordingA short tone, then the microphone opens. Anything said before it is not recorded.
AttemptsOne recording
3-second ruleRecording stops if you do not start within 3 seconds, or if you stop for 3 seconds while speaking
Scored onContent 0–6, Pronunciation 0–5, Oral fluency 0–5
Counts towardSpeaking
Human reviewContent is scored by AI and reviewed by a human expert; if they disagree, a second human decides
  • You can use the erasable noteboard booklet during the 25 seconds to note the key ideas.

Sources: Pearson: PTE Academic test format, Speaking & Writing · Pearson: PTE Academic Test Taker Score Guide (PDF) · Pearson: PTE Academic Test Tips, Speaking (PDF, January 2026)

How Describe Image is scored

Content is scored first. If there is no response, or the response is irrelevant, Content is 0 and the item earns no points; Pearson classes answers that contain pre-prepared or memorized material as irrelevant. If Content is above 0, Pronunciation and Oral fluency are scored too.

For Content, Pearson looks at how fully and accurately you describe the image, whether you explain the relationships between its features, the range of expressions you use, and whether a listener could build a mental picture of the image from your answer.

Pearson's Describe Image Content levels (0–6), summarized in our words
ContentWhat a typical response does
6Describes the image fully and accurately, expands on the relationships between features, varied and precise language; a listener could picture the whole image
5Describes the main features accurately and names some relationships without much detail; varied language; minor details missing
4Some accurate simple descriptions and basic relationships, but may not cover all the main features; enough language for basic description, with some repetition
3Mainly superficial descriptions with minor inaccuracies; narrow, repetitive language; a listener could picture parts but not the whole
2Minimal, superficial description with some inaccuracies; limited vocabulary
1Disconnected elements or a list of points from the image without description
0Relevant but too limited for a higher score (and Content 0 means no points for the item)
  • Pronunciation and Oral fluency are AI-scored only, on the same 0–5 levels as the other speaking tasks.
  • Pearson does not publish how Describe Image scores are weighted into the 10–90 Speaking score.

Sources: Pearson: PTE Academic Test Taker Score Guide (PDF) · Pearson: PTE Academic test format, Speaking & Writing

How to approach Describe Image

Pearson's own tips give two ways to organize an answer: introduction, main points, other details and conclusion; or introduction, key features, and the most significant feature with a conclusion. Both fit in 40 seconds.

  1. 1

    Name the image and its topic

    Say what kind of image it is (a bar chart, a table, a pie chart) and what it shows, with units and the time period if there is one.

  2. 2

    Find the main trend in the 25 seconds

    Ask what the image is mainly showing. Note the highest and lowest values and any big change, rather than every label.

  3. 3

    Give two or three key features with numbers

    Use exact figures from the image ("257", not "around 250") and compare them: which is highest, which changed most.

  4. 4

    End with a conclusion

    Say what the image shows overall: the most significant feature, or what the comparison means. Describe only what you can see; Pearson's tips say not to add your own opinion.

  5. 5

    Speak for most of the 40 seconds

    Pearson's tips suggest 30–40 seconds: in 20 seconds or less you are unlikely to cover the key features.

  6. 6

    Vary your language

    Pearson's lower-scored samples repeat the same words. Use different verbs and nouns for rises, falls and comparisons.

Common mistakes

  • A memorized template ("The image is of a beautiful graph and shows various information")

    Pearson's tips use this exact kind of sentence as an example of what to avoid: memorized content can score 0 for Content, and then the whole item scores 0.

  • Trying to mention every label

    40 seconds is not enough. Pick the key features and the most significant one.

  • Vague numbers

    Say the figures you can see. A wrong figure counts as an inaccuracy.

  • Listing points without linking them

    "It shows 2017, it shows 2018..." is Pearson's example of a Content 1 response. Compare and connect.

  • Adding opinions or guesses

    Describe what the image shows. Conclusions should come from the data.

  • Stopping early to think

    A three-second pause ends the recording. Keep a short plan in your notes so you always know the next point.

Worked example

An image we made up, given here as a table because this page has no chart, and a 40-second answer built the way Pearson's tips suggest.

Our original example, not a real test item

Bike-share trips in one city

The image: a bar chart

Title: Bike-share trips per month in Riverton, in thousands, January to June.

January 12 · February 14 · March 25 · April 38 · May 52 · June 49

Notes in the 25 seconds

bar chart · trips/month · thousands · Jan–Jun

low Jan 12 → peak May 52 · big jump Mar–Apr

June slight fall 49

overall: >4× rise, spring

Model answer (about 40 seconds)

"The bar chart shows the number of bike-share trips taken each month in Riverton from January to June, in thousands. Use was lowest in January, at 12,000 trips, and rose only slightly in February. From March the number climbed steeply, reaching 38,000 in April and peaking at 52,000 in May, more than four times the January figure. In June it fell slightly, to 49,000. Overall, the chart shows that bike-share use grew strongly through the spring and stayed high at the start of summer."

Why it works

  • It names the image type, the topic, the unit and the period in the first sentence.
  • It gives exact figures and compares them (lowest, peak, "more than four times"), which is what the higher Content levels describe.
  • It varies the language for change: rose slightly, climbed steeply, peaking, fell slightly.
  • It ends with a conclusion drawn from the data, not an opinion.

Free PTE Academic Describe Image practice videos

New practice questions on YouTube every day: answer out loud before the timer ends, then compare with a model answer. Realistic practice written to the official format, never real test content.

Playlists

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Practise Describe Image on the official timing

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Describe Image questions

How many Describe Image questions are in PTE Academic?

Pearson's Score Guide gives 5–6 Describe Image items per test.

How long do I get for Describe Image?

25 seconds to study the image and prepare, then 40 seconds to speak after a short tone.

How is Describe Image scored?

On Content (0–6), Pronunciation (0–5) and Oral fluency (0–5), toward your Speaking score. Content is scored by AI and reviewed by a human expert. If Content is 0, Pronunciation and Oral fluency are not scored and the item earns no points.

Can I use a template for Describe Image?

Pearson classes answers with pre-prepared or memorized material as irrelevant, which means Content 0 and no points. A plan you follow in your own words (topic, key features, conclusion) is fine; a memorized script is not.

What kind of images come up?

Pearson's tips say the image will most likely be a graph, table or pie chart. Say which kind it is in your first sentence.

Should I speak for the full 40 seconds?

Pearson's tips suggest speaking for 30–40 seconds, because a shorter answer is unlikely to cover the key features. Finish before the progress bar reaches the end.

Sources

Every timing, count and scoring fact on this page comes from these official pages. Last reviewed . Test owners change their tests: check the official pages before you book.