PTE Core Test Guide 2026: Format, Question Types, Timing and Scores

PTE Core (Pearson Test of English Core) is a computer-based test of everyday English made for Canadian immigration. You take it in one sitting of no more than two hours, and you get a score from 10 to 90 in Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing, plus an overall score. This guide covers who accepts it, what each part looks like, how it is scored and how booking works.

This site is an independent practice site, not affiliated with Pearson. Everything on it is original practice written in the published PTE Core format; none of it is official Pearson material.

Who accepts PTE Core

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) accepts PTE Core as proof of English for:

All economic immigration programs, including Express Entry (Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Trades) and Provincial Nominee Programs.
Canadian citizenship, for applicants aged 18 to 54.
The Post-Graduation Work Permit.

PTE Core is not for studying in Canada; colleges and universities ask for PTE Academic instead (see PTE Core vs PTE Academic). The other English tests IRCC accepts are CELPIP-General and IELTS General Training (see PTE Core vs CELPIP).

The format at a glance

Part	What it covers	Time
Part 1: Speaking and Writing	7 scored question types plus an unscored personal introduction	50 to 65 minutes
Part 2: Reading	5 question types	27 to 37 minutes
Part 3: Listening	7 question types	22 to 37 minutes

The times are from Pearson’s PTE Core Score Guide (January 2026). Each test version is balanced, so no one gets the maximum in every part, and no test runs longer than two hours. A test has 52 to 67 tasks in total. A few rules shape the whole test:

Fixed order, no going back. You click Next to move on and can’t return to an earlier question.
Audio plays once, and each spoken answer is recorded once. There is no replay and no second take.
No scheduled breaks. You can ask for one, but the clock keeps running.
Notes go on an erasable noteboard that you get at the test centre.

Part 1: Speaking and Writing

Question type	Items	What you do
Personal Introduction	1	Talk about yourself for 30 seconds. Not scored.
Read Aloud	6 to 7	Read a text of up to 60 words aloud after 30 to 40 seconds to prepare
Repeat Sentence	10 to 12	Hear a sentence of 3 to 9 seconds and repeat it exactly
Describe Image	3 to 4	Study a chart, map, diagram or photo for 25 seconds, then describe it in 40 seconds
Respond to a Situation	2 to 4	Read and hear an everyday situation, prepare for 20 seconds, then speak for 40 seconds
Answer Short Question	5 to 6	Answer a spoken question in one or a few words
Summarize Written Text	1 to 2	Summarize a text of up to 200 words in 25 to 50 words, in 10 minutes
Write Email	2 to 3	Write an email of about 100 words covering three themes, in 9 minutes

You speak into a headset microphone in a room where other people are also speaking. Guides for the main tasks: Write Email, Describe Image and Repeat Sentence and Read Aloud.

Part 2: Reading

Question type	Items	What you do
Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks	5 to 6	Pick a word for each gap from a drop-down list
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers	1 to 2	Select every correct answer about a text of up to 275 words
Reorder Paragraph	2 to 3	Put jumbled text boxes in the right order
Fill in the Blanks	4 to 5	Drag words from a box into the gaps; there are more words than gaps
Multiple Choice, Single Answer	1 to 2	Choose the one correct answer about a short text

Try some on the PTE Core Reading practice page.

Part 3: Listening

Question type	Items	What you do
Summarize Spoken Text	1 to 2	Hear a talk of 45 to 75 seconds and summarize it in 20 to 30 words, in 8 minutes
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers	1 to 2	Select every correct answer about a recording
Fill in the Blanks	2 to 3	Type the missing words into a transcript
Multiple Choice, Single Answer	1 to 2	Choose the one correct answer about a recording
Select Missing Word	1 to 2	Choose the words that complete a recording ending in a beep
Highlight Incorrect Words	1 to 2	Click the words in a transcript that differ from what you hear
Write from Dictation	3 to 4	Type a short sentence exactly as you hear it

Speakers have a range of international accents. Try a real clip on the PTE Core Listening practice page.

How scoring works

Scores run from 10 to 90 for each of the four skills and overall. The overall score is not an average of the four.
Many items count for two skills. Read Aloud counts for Reading and Speaking, Repeat Sentence for Listening and Speaking, and Write from Dictation for Listening and Writing, for example.
Scoring is automated. Pearson’s scoring engines are trained on ratings by human experts. Most items give partial credit; a few multiple-answer and highlighting items take a point off for each wrong choice, never going below zero.
Off-topic or memorized answers score nothing. If Content or Form gets zero on a speaking or writing response, the whole response gets no points.

IRCC uses the CLB level of each skill. This is Pearson’s official PTE Core to CLB table:

CLB	Listening	Reading	Speaking	Writing
10	89 to 90	88 to 90	89 to 90	90
9	82 to 88	78 to 87	84 to 88	88 to 89
8	71 to 81	69 to 77	76 to 83	79 to 87
7	60 to 70	60 to 68	68 to 75	69 to 78
6	50 to 59	51 to 59	59 to 67	60 to 68
5	39 to 49	42 to 50	51 to 58	51 to 59
4	28 to 38	33 to 41	42 to 50	41 to 50
3	18 to 27	24 to 32	34 to 41	32 to 40

Speaking and Writing need higher numbers than Listening and Reading for the same CLB. The PTE Core score chart explains the table and what each program needs.

Booking and test day

Test centre only. There is no at-home version. Canada has more than 30 Pearson test centres, in cities such as Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg.
Fee. About CA$360 in Canada at the time of writing; check the current price on pearsonpte.com when you book.
ID. Bring a valid passport (some countries allow other ID; Pearson lists them). Arrive 30 minutes early; if you are late you can lose your fee.
Changing your booking. Pearson’s handbook allows a free reschedule when more than 14 full days remain. Closer to the date you would have to cancel, and the refund shrinks as the date gets nearer.
Results usually arrive in about two days, and can take up to five business days. You share them with IRCC through a Score Report Code; IRCC does not accept paper or PDF copies.
Validity. For Express Entry, results must be less than two years old both when you create your profile and when you submit your application. For citizenship, IRCC also accepts expired results.
Retakes. You can book a new test once you have the scores from your last one.

Policies and fees can change, so confirm them on pearsonpte.com and canada.ca before you book.

How to prepare

Learn every question type. With 19 types, the format itself is the first hurdle. Know what each screen asks before test day.
Practise speaking into a microphone with a timer. The recording stops if you stay silent for 3 seconds, and you only get one take.
Write to the word limits. Write Email gets full Form marks at 50 to 120 words, and Summarize Written Text at 25 to 50.
Check your weakest skill against the CLB table. IRCC applies its minimum to every skill, so the lowest one decides whether you qualify.
Finish with full timed practice in the real order.

Test yourself

Then start with the free samples on the home page and the guides to each task.

PTE Core Test Guide