PTE Academic — Answer Short Question (ASQ)

PTE Academic — Answer Short Question (ASQ)

PTE Speaking Answer Short Question Task

The Answer Short Question (ASQ) task is a short speaking activity in the PTE exam. It tests your ability to understand a simple spoken question and give a short, correct answer.

📊 Exam Basics & Scoring

• Number of Questions: You will typically see 5 to 6 Answer Short Question items in the exam. Some older sources mention 10–12, but the current official Pearson score guide states 5–6.
• How It Is Scored: Your response is marked as Correct (1 point) or Incorrect (0 points). There is no partial credit.
• Skills Assessed: Although you speak the answer, this task primarily contributes to your Listening score. Your Oral Fluency and Pronunciation are not directly scored here, so a small hesitation or accent does not hurt you as long as the correct word is understood.
• Timing: You hear a short question (about 3–9 seconds), then have 10 seconds to record your one-word or short-phrase answer.

💡 Useful Tips for Answer Short Question

1. Answer in One or a Few Words

There is no bonus for longer answers. If the question is "What do bees produce?", saying just "Honey" is perfect. Saying "Bees produce honey" is still correct but wastes time.

2. Don't Wait for a Beep

The audio plays automatically, and the microphone opens immediately after. There is no short tone to signal the start of recording. Start speaking the moment you see the status box change to "Recording".

3. Avoid Long Pauses

If you pause for more than 3 seconds, the recording may stop automatically, and you will lose your chance to answer. Even if you are unsure, saying a likely answer immediately is better than freezing.

4. Catch the Core Noun

Instead of mentally replaying the entire sentence, listen for the category the question is asking about (e.g., a job, a body part, a number, a place). Once you identify the category, the answer is usually a common, high-frequency word like library, dentist, triangle, or February.

5. Move On Quickly

After you finish speaking, the status changes to "Completed." Click "Next" immediately rather than waiting for the timer to run down.

In PTE Academic, the task is officially called Answer Short Question (ASQ). It is part of the Speaking section. You hear a short question and give a one-word or a few-word answer. The questions generally test everyday knowledge, vocabulary, and basic concepts.

 Answer Short Question Examples

Question	Answer
What do you call a person who writes books?	Author
What instrument is used to measure temperature?	Thermometer
What gas do plants absorb from the air?	Carbon dioxide
Which planet is known as the Red Planet?	Mars
What is the opposite of "maximum"?	Minimum
What do we call a piece of land completely surrounded by water?	Island
How many days are in a leap year?	366
In which direction does the sun come up?	East

100 PTE "Answer Short Question" Practice Questions

Formatted as multiple-choice questions with 4 options each. The correct answers, along with short reasons, are listed at the end.

Note: In the real PTE exam, Answer Short Question (ASQ) is not multiple-choice — you must speak a one-word or few-word answer. These MCQs are designed to help you learn and recall the correct short answers quickly.

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📝 Practice Questions (1–100)

1. What do you call a person who writes books?
A) Editor B) Author C) Publisher D) Reader

2. What instrument is used to measure temperature?
A) Barometer B) Thermometer C) Altimeter D) Hygrometer

3. What gas do plants absorb from the air?
A) Oxygen B) Nitrogen C) Carbon dioxide D) Hydrogen

4. Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
A) Venus B) Jupiter C) Mars D) Saturn

5. What is the opposite of "maximum"?
A) Minimum B) Medium C) Moderate D) Average

6. What do we call a piece of land surrounded by water?
A) Peninsula B) Island C) Bay D) Cape

7. How many days are in a leap year?
A) 365 B) 366 C) 364 D) 367

8. In which direction does the sun rise?
A) West B) North C) East D) South

9. What do you call a baby dog?
A) Kitten B) Puppy C) Calf D) Cub

10. What is the capital of France?
A) Lyon B) Marseille C) Paris D) Nice

11. What do you call a person who flies an aircraft?
A) Sailor B) Pilot C) Driver D) Captain

12. How many sides does a triangle have?
A) 2 B) 3 C) 4 D) 5

13. What is frozen water called?
A) Steam B) Ice C) Vapor D) Fog

14. What do bees produce?
A) Milk B) Silk C) Honey D) Wax only

15. What is the largest ocean on Earth?
A) Atlantic B) Indian C) Arctic D) Pacific

16. What do you call a doctor who treats animals?
A) Dentist B) Veterinarian C) Cardiologist D) Pharmacist

17. What is the opposite of "ancient"?
A) Old B) Modern C) Historic D) Past

18. How many months have 31 days?
A) 5 B) 6 C) 7 D) 8

19. What do you call a place where books are kept?
A) Museum B) Library C) Gallery D) Archive

20. What is the boiling point of water in Celsius?
A) 50°C B) 90°C C) 100°C D) 120°C

21. What do you call a person who studies stars?
A) Astrologer B) Astronomer C) Geologist D) Biologist

22. What is the main source of energy for Earth?
A) Moon B) Sun C) Wind D) Coal

23. What do you call a group of wolves?
A) Herd B) Pack C) Flock D) Swarm

24. Which season comes after winter?
A) Summer B) Autumn C) Spring D) Monsoon

25. What do you call a person who cannot see?
A) Deaf B) Blind C) Dumb D) Lame

26. What is the chemical symbol for water?
A) CO2 B) H2O C) O2 D) NaCl

27. What do you call the study of living things?
A) Physics B) Chemistry C) Biology D) Geology

28. How many continents are there?
A) 5 B) 6 C) 7 D) 8

29. What do you call a young sheep?
A) Calf B) Lamb C) Foal D) Kid

30. What is the opposite of "import"?
A) Export B) Transport C) Report D) Support

31. What do you call a person who repairs shoes?
A) Tailor B) Cobbler C) Blacksmith D) Carpenter

32. What is the hardest natural substance?
A) Gold B) Iron C) Diamond D) Silver

33. What do you call a story about a person's life?
A) Novel B) Biography C) Fiction D) Diary

34. How many minutes are in an hour?
A) 30 B) 45 C) 60 D) 90

35. What do you call a place where money is kept?
A) Library B) Bank C) Museum D) School

36. What is the largest mammal?
A) Elephant B) Blue whale C) Giraffe D) Hippo

37. What do you call a person who teaches?
A) Student B) Teacher C) Lawyer D) Nurse

38. What is the opposite of "rough"?
A) Hard B) Smooth C) Sharp D) Thick

39. What do you call water falling from clouds?
A) Snow B) Rain C) Hail D) Dew

40. Which organ pumps blood?
A) Lung B) Liver C) Heart D) Kidney

41. What do you call a person who sells flowers?
A) Florist B) Gardener C) Botanist D) Farmer

42. What is the capital of Japan?
A) Osaka B) Kyoto C) Tokyo D) Nagoya

43. What do you call a baby cat?
A) Puppy B) Kitten C) Cub D) Calf

44. What is the opposite of "buy"?
A) Sell B) Pay C) Spend D) Keep

45. What do you call a shape with four equal sides?
A) Rectangle B) Square C) Triangle D) Circle

46. What do you call a person who designs buildings?
A) Builder B) Architect C) Engineer D) Painter

47. What is the frozen form of carbon dioxide called?
A) Dry ice B) Snow C) Frost D) Hail

48. How many hours are in a day?
A) 12 B) 18 C) 24 D) 36

49. What do you call a person who studies the weather?
A) Meteorologist B) Geologist C) Astronomer D) Biologist

50. What is the opposite of "victory"?
A) Win B) Defeat C) Draw D) Score

51. What do you call a vehicle that flies?
A) Ship B) Train C) Airplane D) Bus

52. What do you call the sound a dog makes?
A) Meow B) Bark C) Moo D) Roar

53. What is the largest desert in the world?
A) Gobi B) Sahara C) Kalahari D) Antarctic

54. What do you call a person who cuts hair?
A) Barber B) Tailor C) Chef D) Porter

55. What is the opposite of "empty"?
A) Full B) Open C) Clear D) Wide

56. What do you call a group of flowers?
A) Bunch B) Herd C) Pack D) Flock

57. What is the primary language spoken in Brazil?
A) Spanish B) Portuguese C) French D) English

58. What do you call a person who fights fires?
A) Policeman B) Firefighter C) Soldier D) Guard

59. What is the opposite of "increase"?
A) Grow B) Rise C) Decrease D) Expand

60. What do you call the study of numbers?
A) Biology B) Mathematics C) History D) Geography

61. What do you call a baby cow?
A) Lamb B) Calf C) Foal D) Kid

62. What is the capital of Australia?
A) Sydney B) Melbourne C) Canberra D) Perth

63. What do you call a person who writes music?
A) Singer B) Composer C) Dancer D) Painter

64. What is the opposite of "wet"?
A) Damp B) Dry C) Humid D) Moist

65. What do you call a place where planes land?
A) Port B) Station C) Airport D) Terminal

66. What is the largest bird?
A) Eagle B) Ostrich C) Penguin D) Swan

67. What do you call a person who studies history?
A) Historian B) Scientist C) Economist D) Journalist

68. What do you call frozen rain?
A) Snow B) Hail C) Dew D) Mist

69. What is the opposite of "borrow"?
A) Lend B) Take C) Keep D) Save

70. What do you call a person who serves food?
A) Chef B) Waiter C) Baker D) Butcher

71. What is the smallest prime number?
A) 0 B) 1 C) 2 D) 3

72. What do you call a person who paints pictures?
A) Artist B) Sculptor C) Writer D) Actor

73. What is the opposite of "dangerous"?
A) Risky B) Safe C) Harmful D) Deadly

74. What do you call a group of fish?
A) Herd B) School C) Flock D) Pack

75. What is the capital of Canada?
A) Toronto B) Vancouver C) Ottawa D) Montreal

76. What do you call a person who studies the mind?
A) Psychologist B) Physicist C) Pharmacist D) Podiatrist

77. What is the opposite of "arrive"?
A) Come B) Depart C) Reach D) Enter

78. What do you call the organ used for breathing?
A) Heart B) Lung C) Liver D) Stomach

79. What do you call a person who builds houses?
A) Architect B) Builder C) Engineer D) Designer

80. What is the longest river in the world?
A) Amazon B) Nile C) Yangtze D) Mississippi

81. What do you call a person who takes photographs?
A) Painter B) Photographer C) Director D) Editor

82. What is the opposite of "noisy"?
A) Loud B) Quiet C) Busy D) Wild

83. What do you call a baby horse?
A) Calf B) Foal C) Lamb D) Cub

84. What do you call a place where you borrow books?
A) Bookstore B) Library C) Museum D) Office

85. What is the chemical symbol for gold?
A) Ag B) Au C) Gd D) Go

86. What do you call a person who represents others in court?
A) Judge B) Lawyer C) Jury D) Clerk

87. What is the opposite of "always"?
A) Often B) Sometimes C) Never D) Usually

88. What do you call a person who studies plants?
A) Zoologist B) Botanist C) Ecologist D) Geneticist

89. What do you call a vehicle used on water?
A) Car B) Boat C) Plane D) Train

90. What is the capital of Italy?
A) Milan B) Venice C) Rome D) Naples

91. What do you call a person who makes bread?
A) Chef B) Baker C) Butcher D) Grocer

92. What is the opposite of "begin"?
A) Start B) End C) Open D) Continue

93. What do you call a group of lions?
A) Pack B) Pride C) Herd D) Flock

94. What do you call a person who studies stars and planets?
A) Astrologer B) Astronomer C) Geologist D) Meteorologist

95. What is the main gas humans breathe in?
A) Carbon dioxide B) Oxygen C) Nitrogen D) Helium

96. What do you call a person who drives a bus?
A) Pilot B) Driver C) Captain D) Conductor

97. What is the opposite of "guilty"?
A) Innocent B) Criminal C) Blameful D) Faulty

98. What do you call a person who makes clothes?
A) Cobbler B) Tailor C) Weaver D) Barber

99. What is the largest planet in our solar system?
A) Earth B) Saturn C) Jupiter D) Neptune

100. What do you call a person who studies the human body?
A) Anatomist B) Astronomer C) Economist D) Linguist

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✅ Answer Key with Short Reasons

#	Answer	Short Reason
1	B	A person who writes books is an author.
2	B	Temperature is measured with a thermometer.
3	C	Plants absorb carbon dioxide for photosynthesis.
4	C	Mars appears red due to iron oxide.
5	A	Opposite of maximum is minimum.
6	B	Land surrounded by water is an island.
7	B	Leap year has 366 days.
8	C	Sun rises in the east.
9	B	Baby dog = puppy.
10	C	Capital of France = Paris.
11	B	Aircraft operator = pilot.
12	B	Triangle has 3 sides.
13	B	Frozen water = ice.
14	C	Bees produce honey.
15	D	Pacific is the largest ocean.
16	B	Animal doctor = veterinarian.
17	B	Opposite of ancient = modern.
18	C	7 months have 31 days.
19	B	Books are kept in a library.
20	C	Water boils at 100°C.
21	B	Star scientist = astronomer.
22	B	Sun is Earth's main energy source.
23	B	Group of wolves = pack.
24	C	Spring follows winter.
25	B	Cannot see = blind.
26	B	Water = H₂O.
27	C	Study of life = biology.
28	C	There are 7 continents.
29	B	Young sheep = lamb.
30	A	Opposite of import = export.
31	B	Shoe repairer = cobbler.
32	C	Diamond is the hardest natural substance.
33	B	A life story = biography.
34	C	There are 60 minutes in an hour.
35	B	Money is kept in a bank.
36	B	Blue whale is the largest mammal.
37	B	One who teaches = teacher.
38	B	Opposite of rough = smooth.
39	B	Water from clouds = rain.
40	C	Heart pumps blood.
41	A	Flower seller = florist.
42	C	Capital of Japan = Tokyo.
43	B	Baby cat = kitten.
44	A	Opposite of buy = sell.
45	B	Four equal sides = square.
46	B	Building designer = architect.
47	A	Frozen CO₂ = dry ice.
48	C	There are 24 hours in a day.
49	A	Weather scientist = meteorologist.
50	B	Opposite of victory = defeat.
51	C	Flying vehicle = airplane.
52	B	Dog sound = bark.
53	D	Antarctica is the world's largest desert.
54	A	Hair cutter = barber.
55	A	Opposite of empty = full.
56	A	Group of flowers = bunch.
57	B	Brazil's official language is Portuguese.
58	B	Firefighter fights fires.
59	C	Opposite of increase = decrease.
60	B	Study of numbers = mathematics.
61	B	Baby cow = calf.
62	C	Capital of Australia = Canberra.
63	B	Music writer = composer.
64	B	Opposite of wet = dry.
65	C	Planes land at an airport.
66	B	Largest living bird = ostrich.
67	A	History expert = historian.
68	B	Frozen rain = hail.
69	A	Opposite of borrow = lend.
70	B	Food server = waiter.
71	C	Smallest prime number = 2.
72	A	Picture painter = artist.
73	B	Opposite of dangerous = safe.
74	B	Group of fish = school.
75	C	Capital of Canada = Ottawa.
76	A	Mind scientist = psychologist.
77	B	Opposite of arrive = depart.
78	B	Breathing organ = lung.
79	B	House builder = builder.
80	B	Nile is traditionally listed as the longest river.
81	B	Photo taker = photographer.
82	B	Opposite of noisy = quiet.
83	B	Baby horse = foal.
84	B	Books can be borrowed from a library.
85	B	Gold = Au.
86	B	Court representative = lawyer.
87	C	Opposite of always = never.
88	B	Plant scientist = botanist.
89	B	Water vehicle = boat.
90	C	Capital of Italy = Rome.
91	B	Bread maker = baker.
92	B	Opposite of begin = end.
93	B	Group of lions = pride.
94	B	Star and planet scientist = astronomer.
95	B	Humans breathe in oxygen.
96	B	Bus operator = driver.
97	A	Opposite of guilty = innocent.
98	B	Clothes maker = tailor.
99	C	Jupiter is the largest planet.
100	A	Anatomist studies the structure of the human body.