Effective PTE Time Management Tips | Every Task Explained!

Managing your time is critical for achieving the PTE test result you need! Jay will explain how to increase your PTE time management for the PTE Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening sections. 

In this blog article, I will tell you the basics of PTE time management. Indeed, it is one of the main skills that you need.

In short, you need to move ‘efficiently’ yet ‘accurately’ through the tasks. Some of the tasks are individually timed, in which case you don’t need to worry.

For example, in Describe Image, you have 40 seconds and that’s that. No time management needed. But while doing the Listening section and the Reading section you will need to know how long to spend on each task before clicking NEXT, because it is up to you to click NEXT.

PTE Time Management

PTE Speaking

In PTE Speaking each of the tasks is individually timed, meaning that you do not need to worry. You just need to follow the instructions and watch the clock. Below are the times are given for each of the tasks including preparation time and speaking time.

1. Read Aloud

• Prepare for between 30-40 seconds
• Read aloud for between 30-40 seconds

The length of the paragraph determines the length of time you get.

2. Repeat Sentence

• Listen to the sentence
• Repeat the sentence

The sentence will be between 3-5 seconds in length and you should repeat it back in the same length of time. Keep in mind that if you pause for longer than 3 seconds your answer will be void.

3. Describe Image

• Prepare for 25 seconds
• Describe the image for 40 seconds

We recommend speaking up to about 35 seconds. Keep in mind that you do not want to keep speaking at the 40-second mark or the timer will chop your final sentence in half (which may decrease your grammar score!)

4. Retell Lecture

• Listen to the lecture ~90 seconds
• Prepare for 10 seconds
• Retell the lecture for 40 seconds

5. Answer Short Question

• Listen to the question for 3-5 seconds
• Answer the question in 1-2 seconds

Again, make sure you start answering within 3 seconds or you the task will move on.

PTE Time Management

PTE Writing

In PTE Writing each of the tasks is individually timed, meaning that you do not need to worry. You just need to follow the instructions and watch the clock. Below are the times are given for each of the tasks.

Keep in mind that time DOES NOT carry over meaning that if you finish two minutes before the clock that two minutes DOES NOT carry over the next task.

1. Summarize Written Text

• 10 minutes to read, prepare, write and edit

Use all of the time because saved time DOES NOT carry over to the other tasks.

2. Write Essay

• 20 minutes to prepare, write and edit

Use all of the time because saved time DOES NOT carry over to the other tasks.

PTE Time Management

PTE Reading

In PTE Reading you are set a ‘total’ time of between 32-41 minutes. During this time you will receive 15-20 questions. I have done some mathematics and also timed 100s of students taking these questions to live and have formulated ‘recommended time management’ for PTE Reading.

Put simply, to get through all of the reading questions you should spend the following amount of time:

1. Multiple choice, single answer: ~ 2 minutes.
2. Multiple choice, multiple answers: ~3 minutes
3. Reorder paragraphs: ~ 1 min 30 seconds
4. Fill in the Blanks: ~ 1 minute
5. Reading and Writing, fill in the blanks: ~ 3 minutes

PTE Time Management

PTE Listening

In PTE Listening the first task — Summarize Spoken Text — is individually timed for ten minutes. You can consider this task ‘separate’ to the other six listening tasks.

For the other 7 tasks, you must manage your own time making sure that you move efficiently yet accurately through them. Don’t waste time in PTE Listening because it is vitally important that you make it to the final task which is called Write from Dictation.

I have seen many candidates get low writing and listening scores because they did not move quickly enough through PTE Listening and as such missed some of the Write from Dictation questions.

In PTE Listening you will get the answers during the audio or immediately after the audio. Therefore, you really should not spend time ‘looking’ at the answers. If you listened carefully and took notes then you can match your notes (and your memory) to the correct answer option in just a few seconds.

Take Select Missing Word, for example. In this task, you will hear short audio of about 30 seconds. The final word or words is missing and you must select from a list of around 5 options which word is missing.

You should select ‘immediately’. If you missed it, you missed it; don’t waste time looking at those five answer options because the audio can only be played once and is not coming back.

The same goes for the other tasks. For MCSA and Highlight Correct Summary, for example, you should match your notes to the correct answer.

This means that you should only spend about 30 seconds after the audio has finished before you move on to the next question because all you do is match your notes to the correct answer option. Reading through the answer options should only take you about 30 seconds.

Remember, the audio is not coming back; you can’t replay it. If you don’t know the answer guess and move on; don’t waste precious time.

1. Summarize Spoken Text

• 10 minutes to listen to the lecture, take notes, write and edit your summary

Use all of the time because saved time DOES NOT carry over to the other tasks.

For the rest of the Listening tasks you must:

• Listen
• (Take notes)
• Select the answer(s)
• Click NEXT

Ultimately, it comes down to methods and practice. Once you learn the E2 methods you then need to practice them. You’ll find that you will get quicker and quicker once you learn HOW to complete each task.

Watch our E2 PTE YouTube Channel for effective methods that work!

Check out the PTE Speaking Describe Image Super Method below! 

In a couple of words, it’s about efficiency and accuracy for PTE time management. Find the balance, score 90!

Check out our E2 Blog article on PTE preparation materials HERE! 

Written by Jay.