PTE Academic · New in 2025

PTE Respond to a Situation

Respond to a Situation is one of two speaking tasks Pearson added to PTE Academic for tests taken from 7 August 2025. You read and hear a description of an everyday situation of up to 60 words. When the audio ends you have 10 seconds to think, then up to 40 seconds to speak, saying what you would say in that situation. A test has 2–3 of these items.

Your 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. PTE Core has its own version, with 20 seconds to think and an Appropriacy score instead of Content.

Last reviewed against the official sources listed below.

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Respond to a Situation at a glance

Respond to a Situation in PTE Academic and PTE Core, as of October 2026
DetailPTE AcademicPTE Core
Items in the test2–32–4
PromptA situation of up to 60 words, shown on screen and played as audioThe same, about an everyday situation
Preparation time10 seconds after the audio ends20 seconds after the audio ends
Time to speak40 seconds40 seconds
Start of recordingA short tone, then the microphone opensA short tone, then the microphone opens
AttemptsThe audio plays once; one recordingThe audio plays once; one recording
NotesYou can take notes on the erasable whiteboard while the audio playsSame
Scored onContent 0–6, Pronunciation 0–5, Oral fluency 0–5Appropriacy 0–3, Pronunciation 0–5, Fluency 0–5
Counts towardSpeakingSpeaking
Human reviewContent is reviewed by a human expert as well as AINot stated in the PTE Core Score Guide
  • 3-second rule: Pearson's format page lists it for Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Retell Lecture and Answer Short Question, and does not say whether it applies to Respond to a Situation. Start promptly and keep talking either way.

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

What the Content score rewards (PTE Academic)

Content asks whether you deal with the situation effectively and communicate clearly with expressions that suit it. Pearson's Score Guide describes each level; here is a summary in our words.

PTE Academic Respond to a Situation Content levels, summarized from Pearson's Score Guide
ContentWhat a typical response looks like
6Deals with the situation effectively: achieves the main communication goal with full consideration of the context. Fluent, flexible and precise, situationally appropriate and fully developed, going beyond the prompt's own language.
5Deals with the situation adequately, with only minor omissions or misinterpretations. Clear and accurate, with a variety of suitable expressions.
4Partly achieves the goal, with some omissions or misinterpretations. Adequate expression with some limitations.
3Achieves only the most basic part of the goal. Functional but limited; may repeat the prompt's language without reformulating it.
2Some relevant content, but the goal is not achieved; may lean heavily on the prompt's language.
1Relevant but does not achieve the goal, or a minimal, appropriate answer with no elaboration or support.
0Relevant to the prompt but too limited to score higher. Pre-prepared or memorized material is classed as irrelevant and scores 0, and a response with 0 for Content gets no further points.

Sources: Pearson: PTE Academic Test Taker Score Guide (PDF)

PTE Core: Appropriacy instead of Content

PTE Core's Respond to a Situation gives you 20 seconds to prepare and is scored on Appropriacy (0–3), Pronunciation (0–5) and Fluency (0–5). At the top level, Appropriacy describes saying what the situation needs clearly and politely, in a formal or informal register that suits the situation and the person, with an appropriate level of detail. At 0 the response contains only a few short, isolated, mainly pre-packaged phrases that may not relate to the situation.

The approach below works for both versions: the register and detail Appropriacy asks for are also part of what PTE Academic's Content score describes.

Taking PTE Core for Canada? See PTE Core Speaking practice

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

How to approach Respond to a Situation

These steps follow the Content descriptors and Pearson's own do and don't list for this task.

  1. 1

    While you read and listen, note the essentials

    Who you are talking to, what you need to achieve (apologize, ask, explain, persuade) and every fixed detail: names, days, times, numbers. Pearson's example of a Content error is saying "Saturday" when the prompt says "by the end of this week".

  2. 2

    Use the 10 seconds to choose the tone

    A professor, a manager, a friend and a stranger need different language. Decide how formal to be and how firm the request is.

  3. 3

    Speak to the person, in the first person

    Open as you would in real life ("Hi Mia", "Excuse me") and talk to them directly. Pearson's tips say to use "I", not "he" or "she", and not to summarize the situation.

  4. 4

    Cover every key point, in your own words

    Include everything the prompt says you need to communicate, without changing any detail, and rephrase rather than read the prompt back.

  5. 5

    Develop it naturally

    Add the reason, the specific request or the next step the situation calls for, as a real speaker would. Pearson's tips warn against commenting on whether the situation is reasonable or suggesting how it could be changed.

  6. 6

    Keep talking to the end

    Pearson suggests speaking for the whole 40 seconds if you can, and carrying on through small mistakes instead of correcting yourself.

Common mistakes

  • Summarizing the situation ("This situation is about a student who…")

    Pearson calls this a misunderstanding of the task. Speak in the situation, to the person.

  • Changing a detail

    A wrong day, time or name is a misinterpretation. Note the details while the audio plays.

  • Copying the prompt with "you" changed to "I"

    Pearson scores this very low for Content. Reformulate in your own words.

  • A memorized all-purpose answer

    Pre-prepared material is classed as irrelevant: Content 0 and no further points.

  • The wrong level of politeness

    Pearson's tips note that an over-polite "Can you…?" can be too weak for an important request. Match the formality and firmness to the person and what you need.

  • Stopping after one sentence

    A bare appropriate reply with no elaboration is described at Content 1. Develop the response.

Worked examples

Two situations we wrote in the published format, one in a university setting and one in everyday life (the PTE Core style), each with a model answer.

Our original example, not a real test item

Missing a study group meeting (PTE Academic style)

Situation

You are in a study group that meets every Wednesday evening in the library. This week your manager has asked you to work an extra shift at your part-time job, so you will miss the meeting. You promised to bring the summary notes for chapter four. What would you say to the group leader, Mia?

Model answer

"Hi Mia, it's Alex. I'm really sorry, but I won't be able to make it to the study group this Wednesday. My manager has asked me to cover an extra shift at work, and I couldn't turn it down. I know I promised to bring the summary notes for chapter four, so I'll email them to you by Tuesday night and you can share them with everyone at the library. If anything isn't clear, just message me and I'll explain. Thanks for understanding, and see you next week."

Why it works

  • Every key point is covered: who is speaking, the apology, the reason (the extra shift), and the chapter four notes.
  • It speaks to Mia directly in the first person and rephrases the prompt rather than reading it back.
  • The register is friendly but responsible, which suits a classmate who is relying on you.
  • About 90 words: room to finish within 40 seconds at a natural pace.

Our original example, not a real test item

Changing a restaurant booking (PTE Core style)

Situation

You booked a table for eight people at a restaurant for your manager's farewell dinner this Friday at 7 pm. Two colleagues have just told you they cannot come, and your manager would like to start at 6:30 instead. You call the restaurant. What would you say to the staff member who answers?

Model answer

"Good afternoon. I have a booking under the name Rivera for this Friday at 7 pm, a table for eight. I'd like to make two changes, if possible. First, there will be six of us instead of eight, because two people can no longer come. Second, could we start a little earlier, at 6:30 instead of 7? It's a farewell dinner for my manager, so we'd really appreciate keeping a table together. Could you let me know if that works? Thank you very much."

Why it works

  • Both changes (six people, 6:30) are stated clearly and the original details (Friday, 7 pm, eight people) are kept accurate.
  • Polite, formal phone language suits a business you are calling ("I'd like to", "could we", "Could you let me know").
  • The reason for the call is given briefly, at the level of detail the situation needs, which is what PTE Core's Appropriacy describes.

Free PTE Academic Respond to a Situation 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 Respond to a Situation with feedback

Create a free account for a 2-minute Quick score and one full PTE Academic speaking mock, with every speaking task on the official timings, including Respond to a Situation (a pause does not stop the recording on this task), and estimated Content, Pronunciation and Oral fluency scores for every answer. No credit card needed.

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Respond to a Situation questions

How long do I have to prepare for Respond to a Situation?

In PTE Academic you have 10 seconds after the audio ends to think, then 40 seconds to speak. In PTE Core you have 20 seconds to prepare and 40 seconds to speak.

How many Respond to a Situation questions are in the test?

Pearson's PTE Academic Score Guide gives 2–3 items per test. The PTE Core Score Guide gives 2–4.

How is Respond to a Situation scored?

In PTE Academic it is scored on Content (0–6), Pronunciation (0–5) and Oral fluency (0–5), and it counts toward Speaking. Content is scored by AI and reviewed by a human expert. In PTE Core it is scored on Appropriacy (0–3), Pronunciation and Fluency.

Should I describe the situation or speak in it?

Speak in it. Pearson's tips say to talk to the person directly in the first person, and its sample answer that only summarizes the situation is given as one that would score very low for Content.

Can I use a template for Respond to a Situation?

No. Pearson classes pre-prepared or memorized material as irrelevant, which scores 0 for Content and no further points. Learn how good answers are built, then answer each situation in your own words.

Does the 3-second rule apply to Respond to a Situation?

Pearson does not say. Its format page lists the rule for Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Retell Lecture and Answer Short Question only. Start speaking soon after the tone and keep going, which is good practice either way.

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.