PTE Describe Image: say what a child would notice first (a simple method for any image)
You have about 25 seconds to look and about 40 seconds to speak. You cannot describe everything. So do not try.
When a child looks at a chart, they point and say: “That one is the biggest!” They do not read every label. They see the main thing first.
That is exactly what Describe Image needs. The biggest thing, the smallest thing, what changed, and one simple ending.
Why long answers score badly
Many students try to read out every number. They stop, start again, say “um”, go back to fix a word. The computer hears all of that. A smooth, simple answer usually does better than a long, broken one.
A pie chart of how a family spends its money each month.
Your 4 lines for any image
- The biggest part is... (or: the main thing in the picture is...)
- After that comes...
- The smallest is...
- So overall... (one sentence that sums it up)
For a line graph, swap in change: “It started at... rose steadily... and ended at...”. For a map or picture: “In the middle there is... on the left... on the right...”.
Use your 25 seconds well
Do not try to plan sentences. Just find three things: the biggest, the smallest, and the overall message. Point at them in your head. Then speak.
A line graph of visitors to a museum over a year.
Practise today
- Find any chart online. Give yourself 25 seconds to look.
- Speak your 4 lines, recording yourself.
- Listen back: any long stops? Any going back? Do it again.
- Do 5 images a day for a week.
Want to practise this properly? My interactive e-book Think Like the Scorer walks you through it step by step. You answer, it checks you, and it shows you why. Reading tips is not the same as using them.
Exam rules change. Always check with the exam provider and the organisation you are applying to.
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