PTE Respond to a Situation: how to answer the newer speaking task
This task arrived in August 2025, and many students still treat it like Describe Image. It is not. It is a short conversation with a purpose.
You read and hear a short everyday situation, for example asking a manager for time off or complaining about an order. You get 10 seconds to think, then you speak for up to 40 seconds as if you were talking to that person. It is scored on content, pronunciation and oral fluency. Content here means answering the situation fully and in a suitable tone.
Look at the tone
Situation: You ordered a laptop online. It arrived with a cracked screen. Call the shop.
Cover every part of the situation
Situation: Your friend invited you to dinner on Saturday, but you have to work. Call your friend.
A shape for any situation
- Greet the person and say who you are, if it fits.
- Say why you are calling in one sentence.
- Give one or two details: when, what, how many.
- Ask for what you need, or suggest a next step.
- Close politely. Keep a calm, steady pace for the whole answer.
- PTE Academic Speaking and Writing format, Pearson
- PTE changes 2025, Pearson
- A guide to the Respond to a Situation task, Pearson
Exam rules change. Always check with the exam provider and the organisation you are applying to.
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