PTE Listening

PTE Listening

PTE Listening section typically lasts 30–43 minutes and contains 8 question types. The total number of questions is not fixed, but there are usually 15–22 questions in total. Each recording is played only once.

Overview of the 8 Question Types, Question Counts, and Timing

Below are the question counts and estimated answering times for each question type, based on recent exam trends:

Question Type	Number of Questions	Recording Length / Answering Time	Core Tip
1.Summarize Spoken Text	2–3 questions	Recording 60–90 seconds; writing time approx. 10 minutes	Listen for the "topic, cause, impact, solution" structure, and write strictly in 50–70 words
2.Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer	1–2 questions	Recording 40–90 seconds	Wrong selections deduct points, so only choose options you are certain about; when uncertain, prioritize not selecting
3.Fill in the Blanks (Type In)	2–3 questions	Recording 30–60 seconds	Spelling errors earn no points. Read the text before the recording starts to predict the part of speech
4.Highlight Correct Summary	1–2 questions	Recording 30–90 seconds	Focus on listening for the main idea; eliminate options that are too absolute or only cover details
5.Multiple Choice, Single Answer	1–2 questions	Recording 30–90 seconds	Usually ask about the speaker's attitude or main point; watch for transitional words like "but, however"
6.Select Missing Word	1–2 questions	Recording 20–70 seconds	Focus on the logical flow at the end of the recording and predict the direction of the content
7.Highlight Incorrect Words	2–3 questions	Recording 15–50 seconds	Wrong selections deduct points. Keep your eyes on the text and move with the recording; don't dwell on uncertain words
8.Write from Dictation	3–4 questions	Recording 3–5 seconds per sentence	High score value. Pay attention to spelling, singular/plural, and articles; it's fine to write a short sentence if you can't catch the full one