PTE Describe Image: why templates stopped working and what to say instead
For years people learned one Describe Image template and used it for every picture. Since late 2024, a human expert also reviews the content of your answer before the score is confirmed. A template that says nothing about the image is now a risk.
In Describe Image you see a graph, chart, map or picture. You get 25 seconds to look at it and 40 seconds to speak. Your answer is scored on content, pronunciation and oral fluency. Pronunciation and fluency are scored by computer, and a human expert also reviews your content. Content means you describe what is actually in the image.
Look at two answers
The chart above.
A frame to fill, not a script to recite
- First sentence: what the image shows, in your own words.
- Second: the biggest change or the highest value, with a number.
- Third: one comparison or a second feature.
- Last: a one line conclusion about this image.
- Start within 3 seconds of the tone and keep a steady pace. Never go back to correct a word.
Exam rules change. Always check with the exam provider and the organisation you are applying to.
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