PTE Academic · Guides · October 24, 2026 · 7 min read
How to prepare for PTE in 2026: a study plan, mock tests and the truth about templates
To prepare for PTE Academic, start with a mock test to find your level on the 10–90 scale, learn how each of the 22 task types works and is scored, then spend most of your time on the tasks that feed two skills at once, such as Repeat Sentence, Write from Dictation and Read Aloud. Practise in exam timing with a microphone, check your progress with a mock every week or two, and book the test when your mock skill scores sit above your target. Most of this can be done at home.
Step 1: Know your target and your starting point
Two numbers shape your plan:
- Your target. Read the exact requirement from your university or visa. Is it an overall score, a minimum in each skill, or both? Australian visas, for example, set a separate minimum for each skill (see PTE score for Australia).
- Your starting point. Take a full mock test before you study anything. The result does not need to be good; it needs to be honest. It tells you which skill is furthest from the target.
The gap between the two decides how long you need. A few points in one skill can close in weeks of focused practice; a large gap across all four is a matter of months, because it means building general English, not just test technique.
Step 2: Learn the pattern before you practise
PTE punishes surprises. Before serious practice, know these facts about the test:
- It takes about two hours in three parts: Speaking & Writing, Reading, Listening.
- In spoken tasks the microphone opens after a tone and closes after 3 seconds of silence. A long pause ends your answer.
- Many tasks are integrated: one answer counts towards two skills.
- Some tasks have negative marking (Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers and Highlight Incorrect Words), and some give credit for each correct word or blank.
- Writing tasks have strict word limits: Summarize Written Text is one sentence of 5–75 words, Summarize Spoken Text 50–70 words, Write Essay 200–300 words.
The full table of tasks, timing and question ranges is in the PTE exam pattern.
Step 3: Spend your time where the points are
Not all tasks are equal. Prioritize tasks that are frequent, feed two skills, or both:
| Task | Why it matters | How to practise |
|---|---|---|
| Repeat Sentence (10–12 in the test) | the most frequent task; counts for Speaking and Listening | a short daily set, repeating whole sentences at natural speed |
| Read Aloud (6–7) | Speaking and Reading; fluency and pronunciation are scored | read new texts aloud with 30–40 seconds’ preparation, record and listen back |
| Write from Dictation (3–4) | every correct word counts for Listening and Writing | short daily sets; check spelling word by word |
| Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks (5–6) | Reading and Writing; partial credit per blank | read widely and note which words go together |
| Summarize Spoken Text and Fill in the Blanks (Listening) | Listening and Writing | note-taking while listening, then exact spelling |
Then cover the rest so nothing on the day is new, including the two newer speaking tasks, Respond to a Situation and Summarize Group Discussion.
Here is the scale of a typical item. A practice task from Nomto for Write from Dictation plays one short sentence:
Please hand in all essays at the front desk.
You hear it once and type it. Every correct word earns credit, so a strong answer writes down every word in the right form, including small words like “in”, “all” and “the”, and checks spelling before moving on. Ten seconds of checking here is worth more than ten minutes of reading tips.
Step 4: Practise in exam conditions
Practising without the timer and microphone builds the wrong habits. Make your practice look like the test:
- Use a headset with a microphone and speak at the volume you would use in a quiet room. Do not shout, do not whisper.
- Answer with the timer running. If you need 20 seconds to start speaking in Describe Image, the microphone will have closed.
- Do not stop to correct yourself. In spoken tasks, a small slip that you carry on through usually costs less than a long hesitation.
- Record and listen back to a few answers each day. You will hear pauses and swallowed word endings that you did not notice while speaking.
- Type your writing answers and count the words. Know what 70 words and 250 words look like on screen.
Step 5: Use mock tests to steer, not to score
A mock test is a measuring tool. Take one at the start, then one every week or two, and after each one ask: which skill moved, which did not, and which task types cost the most? Then change next week’s practice accordingly.
Mock scores, including ours, are estimates. Only Pearson’s own scoring gives an official result. Look for steady movement across several mocks rather than one high score.
Templates: what helps and what does not
Search for “PTE templates 2026” and you will find long memorized answers for Describe Image, Re-tell Lecture and the essay. The honest picture:
- A memorized template with no content about the actual task earns little. Content is a scored trait in every spoken and written task, and since 2025 Pearson also has some answers reviewed by human experts. A generic paragraph that could fit any picture says nothing about this picture.
- A minimal frame is useful. Two or three opening phrases can stop you freezing in the first seconds, for example “This chart shows…” and “Overall, the main point is…”. After that, talk about what you actually see or heard: the main trend, the biggest and smallest values, a comparison, a conclusion.
- Speed tricks backfire. Speaking very fast to sound fluent, or filling time with words that mean nothing, hurts both content and pronunciation.
Each task guide, such as Describe Image and Re-tell Lecture, shows what to say on substance.
A four-week plan for preparing at home
This plan assumes about 1–2 hours a day and that you are within reach of your target. If your gap is large, repeat weeks 2–3 before moving on.
| Week | Focus | Mock |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | learn all 22 task types in exam timing; daily Repeat Sentence, Read Aloud and Write from Dictation | full mock at the start |
| 2 | your weakest skill from the mock; speaking routine (record, listen, repeat) | section mock for that skill |
| 3 | writing: Summarize Written Text, Write Essay, Summarize Spoken Text within the word limits; reading Fill in the Blanks | full mock at the end |
| 4 | mixed practice in exam order; fix the task types that still lose points; rest the day before | final full mock early in the week |
Book the test when your recent mocks are consistently above your target in each skill that has a minimum, and leave time for a second attempt before your deadline. Fees and booking are covered in the PTE exam fee guide.
Common questions
How can I prepare for PTE at home? Almost entirely. You need a quiet room, a headset with a microphone and practice that runs in exam timing. Take mock tests at home. For the real test, check which version your university or visa accepts: Australia’s Home Affairs, for example, does not accept PTE taken fully online at home.
Can I prepare for PTE in 2 days? You can learn the format in two days, and that alone prevents losing points to surprises. You cannot raise your English level in two days. If your test is that close, learn the pattern, do one mock to get used to the timing, and sleep well.
Is PTE harder than IELTS? Neither is objectively harder; they are different formats. PTE is all on a computer with short, timed tasks; IELTS includes a live speaking interview. See PTE vs IELTS.
Do PTE templates work in 2026? A short opening frame helps you start. A memorized answer without task-specific content earns little, because content is scored and some answers are reviewed by human experts.
Where can I take a free PTE mock test online with a score? Several sites offer mocks, with scores of varying reliability. Any unofficial score is an estimate; use it to track your progress, not to predict your exact result.
Start with a mock
The Nomto trainer is built for this plan. All 22 task types run in exam timing; spoken tasks have the tone and the microphone that closes after 3 seconds of silence; spoken and written answers get trait feedback (content, oral fluency and pronunciation; or content, form, grammar and vocabulary) and an approximate estimate on the 10–90 scale; Reading and Listening are marked by key with partial credit and negative marking as on the test. Take a full or section mock test, see your report on the four skills, and start with the task that is costing you most, for example Repeat Sentence or Write from Dictation.
PTE Academic™ is a trademark of Pearson. Nomto is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Pearson.