Pearson English Express Test Exam Pattern 2026

The PTE Express exam is a single, integrated test. It does not have separate sections for each skill. Instead, the questions test multiple skills together in one continuous flow.

The exam assesses four key communication skills: Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening. It has 12 question types, with approximately 50 questions in total. The exam duration is approximately 1 hour.

Here is the breakdown of the question types:

• Repeat the sentence: Listen to a sentence and repeat it. (15 seconds, Speaking and Listening)
• Build a sentence: Listen to 3 word groups and rearrange them to form a complete sentence. (15 seconds, Speaking and Listening)
• Listen and select answers: Listen to a passage and answer 2 multiple-choice questions. (2 minutes, Speaking and Listening)
• Give your opinion: Listen to a question and give your opinion. (40 seconds, Speaking)
• Write what you hear: Listen to a sentence and type it. (25 seconds, Listening and Writing)
• Summarize a group discussion: Listen to a discussion among 3 speakers and summarize it aloud. (90 seconds, Speaking and Listening)
• Read and select answers: Read a passage and answer 2 multiple-choice questions. (3 minutes, Reading and Writing)
• Complete the sentence: Complete a sentence with a missing word. (25 seconds, Reading and Writing)
• Reply to an online post: Read a post and write a reply with advice. (3 minutes, Reading and Writing)
• Write an email: Read a situation and respond with an email. (9 minutes, Reading and Writing)
• Record a speech sample: Listen to a question and give your opinion. (1 minute, Speaking) *Unscored
• Type a writing sample: Read a question and give your opinion. (2 minutes, Writing) *Unscored

The last two question types are unscored. However, they are shared with university admissions teams along with your official score.