If you're planning to take the PTE Academic exam in or after August 2025, it's crucial to understand the changes that will be made to reflect real-life English usage. These updates are designed to move away from simply testing memorization and instead focus on how effectively you can use English in real-world situations. This updated approach allows the exam to assess practical communication skills, ensuring that your ability to interact naturally in English is the key focus. Let’s break down the changes so you can approach the exam with confidence.

Step 1: Understand What’s New

The PTE exam has been revamped to better measure your ability to use English in real-life situations. Rather than testing your ability to memorize answers, the updated format is centered on your practical communication skills. This means you will be evaluated on how you use English in everyday contexts.

Two new speaking tasks have been added:

1. Respond to a Situation – In this task, you will hear a brief scenario and need to respond in a way that feels natural and appropriate. Whether it’s providing advice, politely refusing a request, or suggesting an alternative, your response should be clear and contextually relevant.
   
   

2. Summarize a Group Discussion – You’ll listen to a conversation among a group of people and then give a quick spoken summary of what was discussed. This task assesses both your listening and speaking skills, so it’s important to capture the key points in a concise and accurate manner.
   
   

These new tasks simulate real-life conversations, allowing you to demonstrate your ability to respond appropriately in different situations.

Step 2: Know the Technical Updates

In addition to content changes, the test interface has been upgraded to make the overall experience smoother. These technical updates are designed to reduce distractions and keep you focused during the exam. Here are some key changes:

• A beep in the "Repeat Sentence" task will let you know when it’s your turn to speak, making it easier to stay on track.
  
  

• A circular progress bar shows you how much time is left, helping you manage your pace more effectively.
  
  

• You can now adjust the font size, making the text easier to read, which can be especially helpful if you have vision difficulties.
  
  

• A visible audio waveform helps you monitor your voice, ensuring that your responses are being recorded clearly.
  
  

• The double mic check will confirm that your microphone is working properly, so you won’t have to worry about technical issues.
  
  

• The keyboard check has been removed, simplifying the process and saving time at the start of the exam.
  
  

These updates aim to make the test more user-friendly and less stressful, so you can focus on answering the questions instead of dealing with technical issues.

Step 3: Be Ready for a Slightly Longer Test

With the addition of the new tasks, the total exam time has been extended to 2 hours and 15 minutes, which is about 15 minutes longer than before. While this extra time may seem minimal, it’s important to be aware of it and manage your time effectively during the exam. Practice under timed conditions to get used to the pacing, so you don’t feel rushed when the exam day arrives.

Step 4: Human Scoring Is Back for Some Tasks

An important change is the return of human scoring for several tasks. Seven tasks will now be scored by human examiners instead of relying solely on AI. These tasks are:

• Describe Image
  
  

• Retell Lecture
  
  

• Respond to a Situation
  
  

• Summarize Group Discussion
  
  

• Summarize Written Text
  
  

• Write Essay
  
  

• Summarize Spoken Text
  
  

Human scoring means that your responses will be evaluated more holistically. This makes it even more important to respond naturally and clearly, as human examiners can better assess the nuances of your language use. Avoid memorized answers or robotic responses—focus on speaking naturally and confidently.

Step 5: Practice the Right Way

To do well in the updated PTE exam, it’s essential to practice in ways that reflect the new format. Here are some practical tips to help you prepare:

• Practice responding to real-world situations, such as giving advice, disagreeing politely, or explaining something clearly. These tasks reflect what you’ll encounter in the exam and will help you build confidence.
  
  

• Summarize podcasts, videos, or articles to improve your ability to quickly identify key points and express them clearly. This will help with the new group discussion summary task.
  
  

• Focus on fluency and natural expression. Avoid memorizing responses or using rigid templates. The goal is to sound like you’re having a conversation, not reading from a script.
  
  

By practicing these tasks, you’ll be more prepared for the challenges the new format presents and feel confident when taking the exam.

Final Tip

Although the updated PTE exam format may feel different from what you expected, it actually provides a great opportunity to showcase your real-world communication skills. The shift toward real-life English usage means you’ll be assessed based on your ability to naturally express yourself in everyday situations. By practicing regularly and getting comfortable with the new tasks, you’ll be ready to take on the exam and perform your best.

Source: New PTE Academic August Update