From August 7, 2025, the PTE Academic exam will officially apply a new format with two completely new Speaking skills: Respond to a Situation (RTS) and Summarize Group Discussion (SGD). This is the biggest change in many years, directly affecting the preparation strategies of thousands of candidates worldwide.
I. PTE Academic Update Overview
1.Time of application and official announcement
Starting from August 7, 2025, the PTE Academic test will officially introduce two completely new Speaking question types: Respond to a Situation and Summarize Group Discussion. This is an important change to improve the practicality of the test.
This helps assess candidates’ English communication skills in more real-life academic and professional contexts. Pearson has announced the global rollout date and this information is synchronized across all PTE test centers, ensuring that all candidates are aware of it before registering for the test.
2. Official document/resource from Pearson
Pearson has released detailed guidance documents for these two new tasks, including: format descriptions, assessment objectives, test timing, sample tests, scoring criteria, and tips to help candidates optimize their performance.
These materials are designed to support both self-study candidates and test prep teachers, helping them quickly become familiar with the new structure. In addition, Pearson has added video illustrations of the test process so that candidates can clearly visualize how the test is conducted.
II. Details of 2 new skills in the Speaking section
1. Respond to a Situation
- Detailed description
In this type of question, you will hear or read a specific communication situation — for example, receiving a complaint from a customer, responding to a request from a colleague, or responding to an invitation to an event. After hearing the situation, you will have 10 seconds to prepare a response and 40 seconds to speak.
- Evaluation objectives
This task tests your ability to respond to language, appropriateness of content, politeness and naturalness in communication. Not only grammar and vocabulary, the examiner also pays attention to how you handle situations and choose the right tone.
- Test taking strategy
To score high, you need to quickly identify the context and relationships between characters, and then choose a response that is both polite and appropriate to the situation. Practicing in a variety of situations, from school to work, will help you improve your reaction speed and your ability to organize your ideas.
2. Summarize Group Discussion
- Detailed description
You will listen to a group conversation between 2–3 people discussing an academic or practical topic. The content will often contain different, sometimes opposing, points of view, and may include supporting comments. After listening, you will have 10 seconds to prepare and 2 minutes to present an oral summary.
- Evaluation objectives
This type of question tests the ability to listen for details, classify information, grasp main and supporting ideas, and evaluate the ability to present logically and coherently. It is also an opportunity for candidates to demonstrate their academic vocabulary and fluency in expressing their opinions.
- Test taking strategy
As you listen, jot down notes on key points and who is making them. As you present, introduce the topic, summarize each person’s point in turn, and end with a summary or general point of view. To practice effectively, listen to talk shows, podcasts, or debate videos to hone your note-taking and speaking skills.
3. The time and structure of the exam may vary change?
The addition of two new tasks makes the Speaking section take about 15 minutes longer than before, bringing the total exam time to about 2 hours 15 minutes.
- Exam structure
Two new tasks are placed at the end of the Speaking section, following familiar question types such as Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, and Re-tell Lecture. Pearson has kept the number of questions in the old tasks the same, just adjusting them to balance time.
- Meaning of change
This addition makes the PTE Academic test more comprehensive, as it not only assesses pure language skills but also measures the ability to respond in real-life communication - a very important factor when studying abroad or working in an international environment. For candidates, this means having to expand their practice methods, focusing more on reflex skills and information synthesis.
III. Impact of the update on candidates
1. Adjust your study plan
PTE Academic's addition of Respond to a Situation and Summarize Group Discussion from 7/8/2025 means that candidates cannot focus only on the old question types. The test preparation roadmap needs to allocate time for both new tasks. At the same time, maintain performance in other sections such as Repeat Sentence, Describe Image or Re-tell Lecture.
Candidates should update their syllabus immediately, find the latest PTE exam sources and set up a study schedule that integrates listening, speaking, reflexes and group content summarization skills. Early adjustment will help avoid "shock" when entering the exam room.
2. Common mistakes with new skills
Respond to a Situation
Many candidates have difficulty organizing their ideas quickly and choosing the right tone for the situation. Another common mistake is to give answers that are too long-winded or off-topic, which can result in losing marks for clarity.
Summarize Group Discussion
The biggest difficulty is listening and taking notes of all the main ideas in a short time. Some candidates only remember part of the information or miss a character's point of view, making the summary incomplete. In addition, grammatical errors and lack of logical linking words also affect the Speaking score. To overcome this, it is necessary to practice quick reflexes, practice active listening and build the habit of using logical linking vocabulary.
IV. Effective review strategies for the new format
1. Allocate time to practice skills
When planning your PTE Academic 2025 preparation, you should spend at least 30% of your Speaking time on the two new tasks. For example, if you study for 2 hours a day, spend 20 minutes on Respond to a Situation, 20 minutes on Summarize Group Discussion, and the remaining time on the old formats. In addition, you should combine listening and note-taking practice to support the SGD section, and practice quick improvisation skills to improve the RTS section.
2. Training support toolkit
- Latest PTE practice software
PTE practice apps likePTE Uni, PTE Tools or PTE MagicFully updated new exam format with two question typesRespond to a Situation and Summarize Group DiscussionThese apps provide hundreds of practice tests that closely mimic real exams, with automatic scoring and detailed feedback on each criterion such as fluency, pronunciation, content.
- Automatic recording and scoring tool
To improvePTE Speaking, you need to listen to your answers regularly. Tools likeSpeech Analyzer, The weather or featureAI ScoringIn the PTE Uni app, each element will be analyzed: is the pronunciation correct, is the speaking speed stable, is the intonation natural, and is the content complete or off topic. Listening again and comparing with sample answers will help you recognize common mistakes and correct them promptly.
- PTE Academic updated 2025 documents
The latest exam preparation materials include:New PTE practice test, sample answers high quality andtranscriptFull text from Pearson will help you get familiar with the 2025 exam structure. In addition, many reputable PTE test preparation centers also develop mock tests online. There is a detailed analysis of strengths and weaknesses, from which a personalized learning path is proposed.
3. Combine PTE test preparation with real-life communication skills
Instead of just practicing with test questions, apply your skills to real communication situations. You can join an English club, practice your reflexes by simulating work situations, or discuss in groups in English. This not only helps improve fluency but also trains the ability to choose natural, contextual words, an important factor in the PTE Speaking test.
4. Practice with realistic mock tests
Prioritize doing PTE mock tests in the 2025 format, which include full RTS and SGD. When practicing, limit the time exactly like the real test to create pressure and test your reflexes. After each test, analyze your speaking carefully, compare it with the sample answers to identify areas for improvement. Practicing in “simulated test” conditions will help you reduce stress and get used to the pace of the real test.
V. Instructions for self-assessment and score improvement
1. How to self-score RTS papers
- Fluency
When practicing for the PTE Speaking exam, one of the criteria for determining high scores in the form of Respond to a Situation is fluency. You need to practice speaking smoothly, minimizing pauses or filler words (uh, um). Set a timer for 40 seconds and practice responding quickly while still ensuring clear flow.
For example, if the situation calls for you to give advice, open with a greeting, make a comment, then propose a solution, and end with a wish.
- Pronunciation
This is a criterion that many Vietnamese candidates lose points due to the influence of local accents. You should record your answers, listen to them again and mark the words that are not pronounced correctly. Use tools such as AI Scoring or Shadowing to analyze clarity, stress and intonation, then make gradual adjustments.
- Content
The content of the answer should closely follow the situational requirements and have a reasonable structure: introduction → main idea → additional details → conclusion. If the question requires explaining the reasons, make sure you give at least 2 main points with illustrative examples. Use academic vocabulary and collocations (e.g. “take into consideration”, “from my perspective”) to increase persuasiveness.
2. How to self-score SGD test
- Grasp main ideas and supporting ideas: In Summarize Group Discussion, you need to listen and take notes effectively. A common mistake is to only remember 1–2 ideas and miss other points, making the summary incomplete. You should practice the technique of note-taking. Mindmap format, quickly write down keywords instead of writing long sentences.
- Coherence and cohesion: A high-scoring summary must organize ideas logically (e.g., problem overview → point 1 → point 2 → opposing point → conclusion). Use linking words such as “However”, “On the other hand”, “In conclusion” to create coherence.
- Pronunciation and speaking speed: Even if your summary is short, keep your voice even and clear. Avoid speaking too quickly, causing you to miss words, or too slowly, causing you to run out of time. A little trick is to read your notes before answering to adjust your speaking pace.
- Vocabulary and grammatical accuracy: The PTE Speaking scale evaluates this part very carefully. You should use complex sentences and conditional sentences to increase your grammar score (for example: “If the proposal is implemented, it could…”). At the same time, choose vocabulary appropriate to the discussion context, avoid repeating words.
3. Track progress and adjust your study plan
- Build a scientific personal progress tracking board
One of the factors that help increase the scorePTE Speakingquickly is that you have to measure your progress over time. You can create a chart/progress tracker PTEUsing Google Sheets, Excel or Notion app, clearly separate columns:Practice Day, Lesson format (RTS or SGD), Self-assessment score according to each criterion (fluency, pronunciation, content), Number of main errors and Improvement notes.
- Periodically analyze data to identify strengths and weaknesses
Don’t just take notes, analyze your data at least twice a month. Look at your progress chart to see which skills are improving quickly and which are stagnant.
For example, if the pointRespond to a Situation continuously increased from 60 to 75 butSummarize Group DiscussionIf your score is still below 65, it means you need to add more group listening practice and practice your note-taking skills. In addition, analyzing the data will help you avoid practicing “on instinct” and focus on the right areas to improve.
- Adjust your study plan according to actual results
Once you have identified your weak skills, proactively change your learning strategy. If your pronunciation is still weak, increase your practice time.PTE Pronunciation with AI scoring application. If the answer content is not enough, practice sample answers and practice tests with 2025 format.
You can also change the study time ratio, for example: 40% practice RTS, 40% practice SGD, 20% do full mock tests. Flexible adjustment helps youOptimize learning efficiencyand avoid the situation of studying a lot but not increasing your score.
- Integrate continuous assessment into the learning path
In addition to self-scoring and regular analysis, you can incorporate small daily assessments. After each practice session, spend 5-10 minutes listening to your speech, comparing it with the sample and immediately noting any mistakes you have made. This will help you correct your mistakes immediately instead of waiting until the end of the week to summarize them. Over time, this habit will help you gradually improve your accuracy and confidence when entering the real exam room.
4. Ask your instructor or colleagues for feedback
While self-study is effective, feedback from a PTE tutor or a colleague who is good at English will help you spot mistakes that are difficult to spot on your own, especially subtle pronunciation errors, intonation, or unnatural word choices. You can send them a recording of your RTS/SGD and have them grade it according to the official PTE criteria.
In addition, practicing in a PTE study group also creates a two-way feedback environment, helping to improve reflexes and improvisation, an extremely important factor in the Speaking section of PTE Academic 2025.
Conclusion
The introduction of two new skills in PTE Speaking is not only a challenge, but also an opportunity for candidates to demonstrate their language ability in a more realistic context. By understanding the requirements of each type of test, practicing strategically, and tracking your progress regularly, you can completely adapt quickly and achieve your desired score target.
