PTE Respond to a Situation template

What to say in each of the 8 kinds of situation, from asking for help to saying sorry or saying no.

By Thanh Tran, PTE and IELTS coach
Updated October 2026

Page 2 of the Respond to a Situation template PDF

Page 4 of the Respond to a Situation template PDF

The first page of the Respond to a Situation template PDF

What does it ask you to do?

The cheat sheet has a page for each of the 8 kinds of situation. Find yours here, then turn to its page.

Ask for help
Get help: something is broken, lost or not working
Page 4
Ask for a change
Get more time, a new time, or permission
Page 5
Apologise and put it right
Say sorry for being late or breaking a promise
Page 6
Raise a problem
Get a problem fixed or a habit changed
Page 7
Give advice
Help a friend with a problem or a choice
Page 8
Suggest another plan
Change a group's plan to one that suits everyone
Page 9
Say no, and offer something else
Turn down a request without letting them down
Page 10
Offer or invite
Offer to help, volunteer, or invite someone
Page 11

Also in the PDFWho you're talking toWays to ask, soft to strongDon't be too politeSaying sorrySaying no kindlyLinking wordsShort forms

How to use it

Read the situation and ask two things: who am I talking to, and what do I need?
Find what it asks you to do in the table below. Pick one option for each sentence while you prepare.
Talk to the person, not about them. Use “I” and “you”, and start the way you would in real life.
Cover every point in the situation. Fill every blue gap from it, and keep its details the same.
Speak for 30 to 40 seconds. If you stop for 3 seconds, the recording ends.

The ask for help template

Page 4 of the cheat sheet, as it prints. Pick one option for each sentence and fill the blue gaps.

Blue: take it from the situation.Bold: a linking phrase.

Ask for help

Page 4

Greet them
- Staff you don't knowExcuse me, could you help me with the photocopier?
- Someone you knowHi Mr Norris, have you got a minute?
Say the problem
- Something brokenI'm trying to copy a document, but the machine isn't working.
- Something lostI think I've lost the book I borrowed last week.
The detail
- What you seeThere's a light flashing next to the copy button.
- What happenedI left it on a desk this morning, and when I came back it was gone.
Ask for help
- Fix itCould you have a look at it for me?
- Tell you what to doWhat do I need to do to replace it?
What you tried
- You triedI've tried pressing the button again, but nothing changed.
- It's urgentI need the copy for a class at two, so it's quite urgent.
Close
- Thank themThanks a lot. I'll wait here.
- Another wayIf it can't be fixed today, is there another copier I could use?

What you say

Excuse me, could you help me with the photocopier?
I'm trying to copy a document, but the machine isn't working.
There's a light flashing next to the photocopy button, and nothing comes out.
Could you have a look at it, or tell me what the light means?
I've tried pressing the button again, but nothing changed, and I need the copy for a class this afternoon.
Thanks a lot. If it can't be fixed today, is there another copier I could use?

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常见问题

Are templates allowed in PTE Respond to a Situation?

Pearson tells you not to use memorised answers or templated sentences, and an answer learned by heart can score 0 for content. The cheat sheet gives you sentence plans with gaps, and you fill every gap from the situation. Learn the shape, not the sentences, and every answer you give is about the question in front of you.

Should I talk to the person or about them?

Talk to them. Use “I” and “you”, and start the way you would in real life, such as “Hi Sam” to a friend or “Excuse me, Professor Lee” to a teacher.

How polite should I be?

Match the request. A friend gets “Can you…?”, not “Would you be so kind as to…?”. When you need something, “I need it fixed today” is the right strength.

How long should I speak in Respond to a Situation?

30 to 40 seconds. If you stop for 3 seconds, the recording ends.

Is the PDF free?

Yes. Enter your email and it downloads at once. Your email also opens a free Leap Exam account, where you can practise with real exam questions and get a score for your answers. Every free PDF on this site is open to that account.