PTE Core speaking practice

To reach CLB 7 in speaking, you need 68. Five question types count toward your speaking score.

By Thanh Tran, PTE and IELTS coach
Updated October 2026

PTE Core speaking

The score you need for each CLB level

PTE Core speaking scores for each CLB level
CLB level	Speaking score
CLB 10	89 to 90
CLB 9	84 to 88
CLB 8	76 to 83
CLB 7Federal Skilled Worker	68 to 75
CLB 6	59 to 67
CLB 5	51 to 58
CLB 4	42 to 50

From Pearson's PTE Core to CLB table.

What to know about PTE Core speaking

All five speaking question types are in the first part of the test.

How you sound counts. Most answers are marked on pronunciation and fluency.

For the same CLB level, speaking usually needs a higher score than listening or reading.

Question types that count for speaking

In the speaking and writing part

This part takes 50 to 65 minutes.

RARead Aloud6 to 7 in a testAlso counts for reading
RSRepeat Sentence10 to 12 in a testAlso counts for listening
DIDescribe Image3 to 4 in a test
RTSRespond to a Situation2 to 4 in a testPTE Core version
ASQAnswer Short Question5 to 6 in a testAlso counts for listening

How to practise speaking

Know your target
Find the CLB level your program needs. For CLB 7, that's 68 in speaking.
Start with Read Aloud and Repeat Sentence
They come first in the test, and each one counts for two skills.
Keep a steady pace
Long pauses and restarts lower your fluency score. Keep going after a small mistake.
Take a full mock test
It shows your score and CLB level for every skill, so you know where you stand.

Your first mock test is free. See the PTE Core mock test.

常见问题

What PTE Core speaking score is CLB 7?

You need 68 or higher. For CLB 8 you need 76, and for CLB 9, 84. CLB 7 in all four skills means listening 60, reading 60, speaking 68 and writing 69.

Which question types count for speaking?

Five: Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Respond to a Situation and Answer Short Question.

How is PTE Core speaking scored?

A computer scores every answer. Most speaking questions are marked on content, pronunciation and fluency. Respond to a Situation is marked on appropriacy instead: how well your words fit the situation and the person.