From 7th August 2025, the PTE Academic Speaking section will include two new tasks designed to test your real-world communication skills. If you're preparing for the test, it's important to understand the PTE Academic New Questions Format 2025—a major update that reflects how English is actually used in everyday and academic life.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through what’s changing, why it matters, and how you can prepare in a way that feels natural and manageable.

🎯 Why This Change Is Happening

Pearson’s goal is to make the Speaking section more practical and realistic. Rather than testing how well you memorize phrases, the new tasks check:

• How you respond to real-life situations
  
  

• Whether you can summarize group conversations
  
  

• How clearly, naturally, and fluently you speak
  
  

These changes make the test more balanced, useful, and a better reflection of how you’ll actually use English abroad—whether in a classroom or at work.

🔍 What’s New in the Speaking Section?

Here are the two new speaking tasks:

1. Summarize Group Discussion
   
   

2. Respond to a Situation
   
   

These tasks will help show your ability to listen, understand, and speak effectively—just like you would in real conversations.

🧠 Task 1: Summarize Group Discussion

What to Expect:

• You’ll hear a 2–3 minute conversation involving 3–4 people.
  
  

• You’ll have 10 seconds to prepare.
  
  

• Then you’ll speak for 2 minutes, summarizing the discussion.
  
  

How to Prepare:

• Focus on identifying who said what.
  
  

• Take quick notes with keywords or phrases.
  
  

• Mention different viewpoints and agreements.
  
  

• Do not include your own opinions—just report the facts.
  
  

• Keep your tone neutral and your structure organized.
  
  

Useful Phrases:

• “The group discussion focused on…”
  
  

• “One speaker stated that…”
  
  

• “Another disagreed, mentioning…”
  
  

• “In conclusion, the group presented various opinions on the issue.”
  
  

🎤 Task 2: Respond to a Situation

What to Expect:

• You’ll listen to a 20–30 second real-life scenario.
  
  

• You’ll be given a role in the situation (like a student, employee, etc.).
  
  

• You get 10 seconds to think.
  
  

• Then you have 40 seconds to respond.
  
  

How to Prepare:

• Pretend you are truly in that role.
  
  

• Stay polite and professional in your response.
  
  

• Provide one helpful and realistic solution.
  
  

• Speak clearly and confidently.
  
  

Useful Phrases:

• “Thanks for bringing this to my attention.”
  
  

• “I’ll look into it right away.”
  
  

• “I’ll make sure this issue is handled promptly.”
  
  

📚 Tips to Prepare Confidently

1. Practice Active Listening:

• Watch videos of group conversations or panel discussions.
  
  

• Try to identify the opinions of each speaker.
  
  

• Summarize them out loud in your own words.
  
  

2. Simulate Real-Life Situations:

• Practice role-playing everyday situations (e.g., solving a problem or helping someone).
  
  

• Use a timer to give yourself 10 seconds to plan and 40 seconds to speak.
  
  

• Focus on being clear, calm, and polite.
  
  

3. Use Simple, Clear Language:

• Learn easy transition phrases like:
  
  

• “While one speaker believed…”
  
  

• “Another speaker added…”
  
  

• “To summarize…”
  
  

• “Let me take care of that for you.”
  
  

4. Improve Fluency with Daily Habits:

• Read aloud every day—start with articles or even social media posts.
  
  

• Record your voice and listen to how you sound.
  
  

• Repeat after native speakers in videos (this is called shadowing).
  
  

✅ What to Keep in Mind on Test Day

• Stay relaxed when the audio starts—just focus on listening.
  
  

• Take simple notes using keywords or short symbols.
  
  

• Start speaking confidently, even if you’re unsure—don’t freeze.
  
  

• Maintain a steady speaking pace and finish your response clearly.
  
  

• Don’t panic if you miss a detail—summarize what you did catch.
  
  

❌ Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Don’t use memorized scripts—they sound unnatural.
  
  

• Don’t speak too quickly or too slowly—keep a steady pace.
  
  

• Avoid giving personal opinions during summaries.
  
  

• Don’t ignore the role or context of the scenario.
  
  

• Don’t worry if you didn’t catch everything—focus on delivering a clear response.
  
  

💬 Helpful Practice Phrases

For Task 1 – Summarizing a Discussion:

• “There were several views on the topic…”
  
  

• “One person pointed out that…”
  
  

• “Others seemed to agree on…”
  
  

For Task 2 – Responding to a Situation:

• “Let me assist with that.”
  
  

• “Thanks for letting me know.”
  
  

• “I’ll make sure this is resolved soon.”
  
  

🎯 Final Thoughts

The PTE Academic New Questions Format 2025 is all about showing your real English communication skills—not your ability to memorize. These new tasks are more practical, and with regular practice, you’ll be able to handle them with ease.

Remember, your voice matters. The goal is to speak clearly, naturally, and with confidence. Practice a little each day, and by test day, you’ll be ready to succeed.

Source: Angel EduNext