PTE Academic key terms

A PTE writing task in which you read a short passage and condense its main idea into one sentence of a set word limit, usually between five and seventy-five words.

A PTE writing task that asks you to produce a structured argument of roughly 200 to 300 words on a given topic within a fixed time, usually twenty minutes.

A speaking task where you read a short printed text aloud into a microphone, and your pronunciation, fluency, and oral reading are scored automatically.

A speaking task in which you hear one sentence once and must reproduce it exactly, testing both listening comprehension and short-term verbal memory.

A speaking task in which you look at a chart, graph, map, or picture and speak about it for about forty seconds, organizing key features logically.

A speaking task where you listen to a short academic talk and then summarize its content aloud in your own words for about forty seconds.

A speaking task in which you hear a brief general-knowledge question and reply with a single word or short phrase, testing quick comprehension and vocabulary.

The smooth, natural flow of speech with few pauses, hesitations, or false starts, which automated scoring measures as part of speaking performance.

How clearly and accurately you produce individual sounds, word stress, and sentence rhythm, judged by a scoring engine rather than a human rater.

The combined speed, rhythm, and continuity of spoken delivery; in this exam it is scored separately from pronunciation and content accuracy.

The emphasis placed on one syllable within a word, which can change meaning and strongly affects how clearly a listener understands your pronunciation.

The rise and fall of the voice pitch across a sentence, used to signal questions, lists, emphasis, and the boundaries between ideas when speaking.

To restate information in different words while keeping the original meaning, a skill used across writing and speaking tasks to show comprehension without copying.

The central point a passage or talk is making, as distinct from supporting details; identifying it is essential for summary and retell tasks.

A fact, example, or reason that explains or strengthens the main idea of a text, often used as evidence in summaries and essays.

The sentence, usually first in a paragraph, that states the paragraph's central point and signals what the rest of the paragraph will discuss.

The way sentences and paragraphs are linked smoothly using reference words, repetition, and connectors so a text reads as one connected whole.

The overall logical organization of a text, so that ideas follow a clear, sensible order and the reader can easily follow the argument.

A linking word or phrase such as however, therefore, or in addition that shows the relationship between two ideas and guides the reader.

The minimum or maximum number of words allowed for a written task; exceeding or falling short can reduce your score or invalidate part of your response.

A word with a similar meaning to another word, useful for paraphrasing and for recognizing when a reading passage and a question express the same idea differently.

A natural word pairing that fluent speakers commonly use together, such as heavy rain or make a decision, tested in vocabulary and reading tasks.

A hint inside a sentence or paragraph, such as a definition or contrast, that helps you work out the meaning of an unfamiliar word.

A conclusion you draw from evidence in a text even though it is not stated directly, required for many reading comprehension questions.

Reading a passage quickly to grasp its general topic and structure without focusing on every word, useful for managing time on reading tasks.

Moving your eyes quickly over a text to locate specific information such as a name, date, or number rather than reading for overall meaning.

A reading or listening question format offering several answer options, from which you select the single best answer or all correct answers as instructed.

An incorrect answer option written to look tempting, often by repeating words from the passage while misrepresenting the actual meaning.

A reading task in which several jumbled sentences must be arranged into a logical sequence using linking words, pronouns, and the flow of ideas.

A reading or listening task where words are removed from a text and you supply or select the missing items from a list or word bank.

Writing brief, organized notes while listening to a lecture so you can recall key points and structure when you retell or summarize the content.

A listening and writing task in which you hear a short talk and then write a summary of its key points within a set word limit.

A listening and writing task where you hear a sentence and type it accurately, testing spelling, grammar, and careful listening to every word.

The ability to understand spoken language, including main ideas, details, and the speaker's purpose, which underlies every listening task in the exam.

A listening task in which you hear a recording and choose which of several written summaries best matches what the speaker actually said.

Spoken or written phrases such as firstly, on the other hand, or to conclude that signal how ideas are organized and help listeners follow a talk.

A memorized sentence structure with gaps you fill with content, often used to organize speaking responses so delivery stays fluent under time pressure.