PTE 2025 Speaking Update Revealed: What’s New and How to Prepare Confidently
From 7th August 2025, the Speaking section of the PTE Academic exam is being updated with two brand-new tasks. If you're planning to take the test, it’s important to understand the PTE Academic New Questions Format 2025. These updates are designed to reflect how people actually use English in everyday life—so your ability to listen, think fast, and respond naturally matters more than ever.
This blog will walk you through what’s changing, why it matters, and how to prepare confidently.
🎯 Why Pearson Changed the Speaking Section
The goal is to make the exam more realistic and practical. These new tasks help test:
How you respond to real-life situations
Your ability to understand and summarize conversations
Whether you can speak clearly, fluently, and naturally
It’s not about memorizing answers anymore—it’s about showing how you use English in real-world settings.
🔍 What Are the New Tasks?
There are two new speaking tasks in the updated format:
Summarize Group Discussion
Respond to a Situation
Both are designed to test your real communication skills and are evaluated using a mix of AI and human reviewers for fairness.
🧠 Task 1: Summarize Group Discussion
What happens:
You will listen to a 2–3 minute conversation between 3–4 people.
You get 10 seconds to prepare.
You then have 2 minutes to speak and summarize what you heard.
How to approach it:
Focus on who said what—note key words or short phrases.
Highlight different viewpoints or areas where people agreed.
Don’t add your own opinion—just report what was said.
Use a neutral, clear, and organized tone.
Useful phrases to begin your answer:
“The discussion focused on…”
“One speaker mentioned that…”
“Another disagreed, saying…”
“In summary, the group expressed a range of opinions.”
🎤 Task 2: Respond to a Situation
What happens:
You’ll hear a short scenario (20–30 seconds) describing a real-life problem.
The prompt will tell you your role (e.g., teacher, co-worker, student).
You get 10 seconds to prepare.
You then have 40 seconds to speak and respond to the situation.
How to approach it:
Speak as if you’re actually in the situation.
Stay polite, clear, and focused on solving the issue.
Offer one clear solution, not multiple vague ones.
Keep your tone friendly and professional.
Useful phrases to use:
“Thanks for bringing this to my attention…”
“I’ll take care of that right away…”
“I’ll follow up and make sure it’s resolved.”
📚 How to Prepare for the New Speaking Tasks
1. Practice Listening to Discussions
Watch YouTube videos or podcasts with multiple speakers.
Take notes on each speaker’s point of view.
Summarize what you heard out loud to build fluency.
2. Simulate Real-Life Situations
Practice responding to scenarios like handling a complaint or giving help.
Set a timer: 10 seconds to plan, 40 seconds to speak.
Focus on being calm, polite, and solution-oriented.
3. Use Clear and Simple Structures
Helpful phrases include:
“While one speaker believed…”
“On the other hand…”
“To conclude…”
“Let me help you with that.”
“Thanks for your patience.”
4. Build Fluency and Clarity Daily
Read news articles or book passages out loud.
Record yourself and listen to your pronunciation and pace.
Shadow native speakers (repeat after them while listening).
✅ Test Day Tips
Stay calm when the audio starts—don’t panic.
Use symbols, arrows, or short words for quick notes.
Speak confidently, even if your answer isn’t perfect.
Maintain a steady pace and clear voice.
Always finish your answer with a complete sentence.
❌ What to Avoid
Don’t memorize answers—they sound robotic and unnatural.
Avoid rushing or speaking too slowly.
Don’t add your own opinion during the summary task.
Don’t ignore your assigned role in the scenario task.
If you miss something in the audio, focus on what you did understand.
💬 Practice Phrases to Build Confidence
For Summarizing Discussions:
“There were a variety of opinions on the topic.”
“One participant shared that…”
“Others expressed agreement with…”
For Responding to Situations:
“Let me look into that for you.”
“I’ll handle this as soon as possible.”
“Thank you for informing me.”
🎯 Final Thoughts
The PTE Academic New Questions Format 2025 is all about testing your real ability to use English—not how well you memorize scripts. These new tasks may seem different, but with the right practice, they can become your strength.
Focus on improving how you listen, think, and speak. The more you practice in realistic situations, the more confident and fluent you’ll become.
Source: Angel EduNext