By Thanh Tran, PTE and IELTS coach
Updated
PTE Core is Pearson's English test for moving to Canada. It tests everyday English for work and life, and Canada reads each skill score as a CLB level.
Key facts
- Question types
- 19
- Questions in one test
- 52 to 67
- Scores
- 10 to 90, overall and for each skill
- Results
- Usually within 2 days
- Valid for
- 2 years
- Accepted for
- Permanent residence, citizenship and work permits after study in Canada
On this page
Test format
You take the three parts one after the other, on a computer at a test centre. Once you move on from a question, you can't go back to it.
- Speaking and writing, 50 to 65 minutes: you speak into a microphone, then write a summary and emails. It has 7 question types.
- Reading, 27 to 37 minutes: you fill gaps, choose answers and put paragraphs in order. It has 5 question types.
- Listening, 22 to 37 minutes: you hear each recording once, then answer questions or type what you heard. It has 7 question types.
Part 1: Speaking and writing
This part takes 50 to 65 minutes. It starts with a short personal introduction, which isn't scored.
Write Email is only in PTE Core. You write 80 to 120 words in 9 minutes.
Part 1: Speaking and writing, from Pearson's PTE Core Score Guide, reviewed October 2026
Read Aloud
- In one test
- 6 to 7
- Counts for
- Reading and speaking
Repeat Sentence
- In one test
- 10 to 12
- Counts for
- Listening and speaking
Describe Image
- In one test
- 3 to 4
- Counts for
- Speaking
Respond to a Situation
- In one test
- 2 to 4
- Counts for
- Speaking
Answer Short Question
- In one test
- 5 to 6
- Counts for
- Listening and speaking
Summarize Written Text
- In one test
- 1 to 2
- Counts for
- Reading and writing
Write Email
- In one test
- 2 to 3
- Counts for
- Writing
| Question type | In one test | Counts for |
|---|---|---|
| Read Aloud | 6 to 7 | Reading and speaking |
| Repeat Sentence | 10 to 12 | Listening and speaking |
| Describe Image | 3 to 4 | Speaking |
| Respond to a Situation | 2 to 4 | Speaking |
| Answer Short Question | 5 to 6 | Listening and speaking |
| Summarize Written Text | 1 to 2 | Reading and writing |
| Write Email | 2 to 3 | Writing |
- PTE Core Respond to a Situation
20 seconds to plan, 40 to speak.
- PTE Core Summarize Written Text
25 to 50 words in 10 minutes.
- PTE Core Write Email
How it's scored, and how to write the email.
Part 2: Reading
This part takes 27 to 37 minutes. There's one clock for the whole part, so you choose how long to spend on each question.
Part 2: Reading, from Pearson's PTE Core Score Guide, reviewed October 2026
Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks
- In one test
- 5 to 6
- Counts for
- Reading and writing
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
- In one test
- 1 to 2
- Counts for
- Reading
Re-order Paragraphs
- In one test
- 2 to 3
- Counts for
- Reading
Reading: Fill in the Blanks
- In one test
- 4 to 5
- Counts for
- Reading
Multiple Choice, Single Answer
- In one test
- 1 to 2
- Counts for
- Reading
| Question type | In one test | Counts for |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks | 5 to 6 | Reading and writing |
| Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers | 1 to 2 | Reading |
| Re-order Paragraphs | 2 to 3 | Reading |
| Reading: Fill in the Blanks | 4 to 5 | Reading |
| Multiple Choice, Single Answer | 1 to 2 | Reading |
Part 3: Listening
This part takes 22 to 37 minutes. Every recording plays once.
Part 3: Listening, from Pearson's PTE Core Score Guide, reviewed October 2026
Summarize Spoken Text
- In one test
- 1 to 2
- Counts for
- Listening and writing
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
- In one test
- 1 to 2
- Counts for
- Listening
Listening: Fill in the Blanks
- In one test
- 2 to 3
- Counts for
- Listening and writing
Multiple Choice, Single Answer
- In one test
- 1 to 2
- Counts for
- Listening
Select Missing Word
- In one test
- 1 to 2
- Counts for
- Listening
Highlight Incorrect Words
- In one test
- 1 to 2
- Counts for
- Listening and reading
Write from Dictation
- In one test
- 3 to 4
- Counts for
- Listening and writing
| Question type | In one test | Counts for |
|---|---|---|
| Summarize Spoken Text | 1 to 2 | Listening and writing |
| Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers | 1 to 2 | Listening |
| Listening: Fill in the Blanks | 2 to 3 | Listening and writing |
| Multiple Choice, Single Answer | 1 to 2 | Listening |
| Select Missing Word | 1 to 2 | Listening |
| Highlight Incorrect Words | 1 to 2 | Listening and reading |
| Write from Dictation | 3 to 4 | Listening and writing |
- PTE Core Summarize Spoken Text
20 to 30 words in 8 minutes.
How PTE Core is scored
A computer scores every answer. You get a score from 10 to 90 overall, and a score for each skill: listening, reading, speaking and writing.
Some questions are marked right or wrong, and others give part marks. In speaking, your pronunciation and fluency are scored as well as what you say.
Many question types count for two skills. Read Aloud counts for reading and speaking, and Write from Dictation counts for listening and writing.
How Canada reads your scores
IRCC, Canada's immigration department, reads each skill score as a CLB level. It doesn't use your overall score.
Federal Skilled Worker needs CLB 7 in all four skills. On PTE Core, that's listening 60, reading 60, speaking 68 and writing 69.
- PTE Core scores for Canada
The full CLB chart, and the level each program needs.
PTE Core and PTE Academic
PTE Core and PTE Academic are different tests. PTE Core uses everyday English and has Write Email. PTE Academic uses English from study, and has an essay and lectures.
Some question types have the same name in both tests but different rules. So practise the version for your test.
- PTE Core vs PTE Academic
Who each test is for, and how the two differ.
Try a full PTE Core test
Your first mock test is free. You get a score and a CLB level for each skill.
