Crack the New PTE Speaking Format: Smart Tips for 2025 Test-Takers

If you’re preparing for the PTE Academic after August 7th, 2025, you need to familiarize yourself with the updated PTE Academic New Speaking Tips. Pearson is revamping the Speaking section to make it more practical and reflective of real-world communication. This means you’ll need to focus on speaking naturally, thinking quickly, and engaging in spontaneous conversations. With these new tasks, you’ll not only have to answer questions but do so in ways that mimic actual interactions. So, let's dive into these changes and explore how you can ace the new format with ease!

🔄 Why the PTE Speaking Section is Changing

The updated PTE Speaking section is designed to reflect how we actually use English in everyday situations. Here’s a look at why Pearson made these changes:

• Real-time responses: You’ll be required to speak naturally and think quickly, just like in real-life conversations.
  
  
• Fluency matters: Instead of focusing only on grammar, you’ll be tested on how fluently and confidently you speak.
  
  
• Active listening: Being able to respond appropriately based on what you hear is key.
  
  
• Practical, real-world skills: The tasks are all about simulating conversations you might have in work, school, or social settings.
  
  

These updates aim to make the test more useful and aligned with the actual skills you need to succeed in English-speaking environments.

🆕 Overview of the New Speaking Tasks

Pearson has added two new tasks that challenge your communication abilities in real-life contexts:

1. Summarize Group Discussion
   
   
2. Respond to a Situation
   
   

These tasks aren’t about memorizing answers but about showing how well you can engage in a conversation, listen carefully, and provide clear responses.

🗣️ Task 1: Summarize Group Discussion

What This Task Looks Like

You’ll hear a 2-3 minute group conversation where different people discuss a topic. After listening, you’ll have 10 seconds to prepare your summary, then you’ll speak for 2 minutes to summarize the discussion.

PTE Academic New Speaking Tips for This Task

• Note the key points: Focus on who said what and jot down the main viewpoints. You don’t need to write everything—just the big ideas.
  
  
• Structure your summary: Start with an introduction, like, “The discussion centered around…” Then, mention the main ideas from at least two speakers and wrap it up with a quick conclusion.
  
  
• Use formal language: Avoid adding your own opinion. Stick to neutral, academic language.
  
  
• Stay organized: Try the format: Introduction → Speaker 1’s View → Speaker 2’s View → Conclusion.
  
  

🎤 Task 2: Respond to a Situation

What This Task Looks Like

In this task, you’ll hear a 20-30 second real-life scenario, like a problem or request. You’ll then have 10 seconds to think and 40 seconds to respond as if you were in the situation.

PTE Academic New Speaking Tips for This Task

• Start politely: Open with a phrase like, “I understand your concern…” or “Thank you for bringing this up…”
  
  
• Keep it clear and simple: You don’t need to overcomplicate things. Respond naturally, just like you would in a real conversation.
  
  
• End on a positive note: Finish your response with something encouraging, like “I hope that helps” or “Please let me know if you need more information.”
  
  
• Stay calm and confident: Remember, the goal is to speak clearly, not to memorize a perfect response.
  
  

🎯 Why These New Tasks Matter

These new tasks test more than just grammar—they focus on practical communication skills you’ll use every day. Here’s what the tasks measure:

• Quick thinking: Can you come up with a response on the spot, even if the situation is unexpected?
  
  
• Fluency and confidence: The goal isn’t to have perfect grammar—it’s about how naturally you can communicate.
  
  
• Listening and responding: Can you accurately pick up on details from a conversation and respond appropriately?
  
  
• Real-world communication: These tasks simulate situations you’ll encounter in both academic and professional environments.
  
  

By testing these essential skills, the updated format makes sure you’re ready for real-life conversations in English.

📚 Preparation Strategies That Work

1. Practice Listening to Group Discussions
   
   
   • Watch debates, interviews, or panel discussions. Pay attention to how people present their viewpoints.
     
     
   • After watching, practice summarizing what you heard in 1-2 minutes.
     
     
   • Focus on the bigger picture, not every detail. Identify the main points being discussed.
     
     
2. Simulate Real-Life Scenarios
   
   
   • Create scenarios based on everyday situations, like solving a problem at work or advising a friend.
     
     
   • Use a timer: Spend 10 seconds to think, and then 40 seconds to respond.
     
     
   • The more you practice, the more naturally your responses will flow.
     
     
3. Organize Your Responses
   
   
   • For Summarizing Group Discussions: Use phrases like, “One speaker argued that…” or “Another point discussed was…”
     
     
   • For Responding to a Situation: Structure your response like this: Acknowledge → Respond → Conclude.
     
     
4. Build Vocabulary for Common Contexts
   
   
   • Workplace: “I can look into that for you.”
     
     
   • Academic: “The speaker emphasized that…”
     
     
   • Social: “Thanks for your patience while I handle this.”
     
     

🧠 Bonus Speaking Tips to Boost Confidence

• Speak aloud every day: Practicing daily for even just 5 minutes helps you become more fluent and comfortable.
  
  
• Shadow native speakers: Listen to English videos or podcasts, then repeat what you hear. This improves your pronunciation and flow.
  
  
• Record your voice: Listen back to your recordings and see where you can improve. Are you speaking too fast? Are you clear?
  
  
• Prioritize pronunciation: Don’t worry about speaking quickly. Focus on speaking clearly, at a natural pace.
  
  
• Keep a cheat sheet with useful phrases for when you need them in the test.
  
  

🚫 Mistakes to Avoid

• Rushing your response: Take a moment to gather your thoughts before speaking. A clear, calm response is better than a rushed one.
  
  
• Using informal language: Stick to a neutral, professional tone.
  
  
• Adding personal opinions in the summary task: Your job is to summarize what others said, not to share your views.
  
  
• Overusing fillers like “um,” “like,” or “uh”—they can make you sound less confident.
  
  
• Going off-topic: Make sure your response stays relevant to the prompt and directly answers the question.
  
  

📌 What to Expect on Test Day

• Summarize Group Discussion
  
  
  • Audio: 2-3 minutes
    
    
  • Prep Time: 10 seconds
    
    
  • Speaking Time: ~2 minutes
    
    
  • Goal: Give a clear, neutral summary of the discussion.
    
    
• Respond to a Situation
  
  
  • Audio: 20-30 seconds
    
    
  • Prep Time: 10 seconds
    
    
  • Speaking Time: 40 seconds
    
    
  • Goal: Respond to the situation confidently and politely.
    
    

✅ Final Thoughts

The updated PTE Speaking section is designed to reflect how we actually use English in daily life. By focusing on real-time conversations and practical communication, Pearson is ensuring that the test matches the skills you’ll need in both your academic and professional life. By following these PTE Academic New Speaking Tips, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the new format and improving your English skills overall.Start preparing early, practice often, and focus on sounding natural and confident. That’s the best way to crack the new PTE Speaking format in 2025.Source: Angel EduNext