PTE Describe Image practice and structure
Study an image for 25 seconds, then describe it for 40 seconds. It's worth about 15 per cent of your overall score, more than any other question type.
By Thanh Tran, PTE and IELTS coach
Updated
Part 1 of 3: Speaking and writing
Preparation time. Recording starts when it ends.
Look at the chart below. In 25 seconds, please speak into the microphone and describe in detail what the chart is showing. You will have 40 seconds to give your response.
Hours a week spent on each activity, by age
- Work
- Study
- Screens
Recorded Answer
Current Status : Beginning in 18 seconds
Key facts
Time to study the image
Time to speak
The image
Recording
In each test
Skills scored
Questions to practise
What it is worth
15%of your overall score
- Speaking
- 31% of the skill score
How it's scored
Pearson marks content first, and if content scores zero, the whole answer scores zero.
Our engine marks all three traits on Pearson's scales, and lists the features of the image you covered and the ones you missed.
Your first speaking score is free.
Speaking, Describe Image
Question 4 of 10
11 / 16
- Content
- 4 / 6
- Pronunciation
- 4 / 5
- Oral fluency
- 3 / 5
How fully and accurately you describe the image, and how its parts relate
How easily most listeners understand your speech
A smooth, natural pace without hesitations or restarts
An answer that described the main trend but missed some features, so content scored 4 of 6.
How to answer
Pearson tells you not to use memorised responses or templated sentences, because they can score zero for content.
Its own sample answers follow an order instead: what the image is, the main points, other details and a conclusion, all in your own words.
With Pro, our engine will rewrite your answer to get full marks, in about 40 seconds of speech.
In the 25 seconds, find the main trend or the biggest difference, and pick two or three numbers to use.
Start with what the image is and what it shows, including its type, such as a bar chart or a map.
Describe the main feature first, with exact numbers from the image.
Add one or two details that compare parts of the image or show a change.
End with a conclusion that comes from the image, not your own opinion.
Example answer for a bar chart of weekly hours by age group
This bar chart shows how many hours a week three age groups spend on work, study and screens. The clearest feature is screen time, which is highest for people aged 18 to 25, at 30 hours a week, and lowest for people over 60, at 12 hours. Study time follows the same pattern, falling from 20 hours for the youngest group to almost none for the oldest. Work is highest in the middle group, at 38 hours. Overall, the chart suggests that the way people spend their week changes a lot with age.
Common mistakes
A memorised answer
Listing parts one by one
Wrong or vague numbers
Stopping too soon
Speak for 30 to 40 seconds. If you stop for three seconds, the microphone closes.Going back to fix words
常见问题
How many marks is Describe Image in PTE?
Are templates allowed in PTE Describe Image?
How many Describe Image questions are in the PTE exam?
How long should you speak in Describe Image?
Should I give my opinion in Describe Image?
Is Describe Image scored by a computer or a human?
拿到你需要的分数
