Major PTE Update 2025: Explore the Two New Speaking Tasks and How to Tackle Them

 

If you're planning to take the Pearson Test of English (PTE) after 7th August 2025, you’ll want to be fully prepared for some big changes in the Speaking section. The PTE Two New Speaking Tasks 2025 are here, and they’re designed to better assess how you use English in the real world. These updates are about more than just grammar and pronunciation; they focus on your ability to think quickly, respond appropriately, and engage in natural conversations, just like you would in academic, social, or work settings. With these new tasks, you’ll be able to showcase your ability to handle real-life situations in English, which is exactly what Pearson aims to test. So, let’s dive into what’s changing and how you can prepare like a pro!

🎯 Why Pearson Introduced These New Tasks

In the past, the PTE speaking tasks mostly measured basic language skills—things like pronunciation and fluency. While important, these tasks didn’t really reflect how you’d use English in everyday situations. Pearson realized that communication goes beyond repeating sentences or reading paragraphs. That’s why they’ve introduced the PTE Two New Speaking Tasks 2025, which focus on:

Your ability to think and speak on the spot.

How well you can listen, understand, and respond appropriately.

Real-world communication, from group discussions in class to professional meetings and casual conversations.

The goal is to make the exam more realistic, helping you prepare for real-life scenarios where English is used in everyday communication, both in and outside the classroom.

🆕 What Are the PTE Two New Speaking Tasks 2025?

The two new tasks that you’ll encounter in the updated PTE are:

Summarize Group Discussion

Respond to a Situation

These tasks replace some of the older, more repetitive ones, and bring in more relevant, real-world communication scenarios that you’re likely to face when studying or working abroad.

🗣️ Task 1: Summarize Group Discussion

Here’s What Happens:

You’ll listen to a 2-3 minute conversation between multiple speakers discussing a topic.

After the audio, you’ll have 10 seconds to prepare.

Then, you’ll have up to 2 minutes to summarize the conversation in a clear and neutral way.

Skills This Task Measures:

Your ability to actively listen and understand multiple opinions.

How well you can summarize the discussion in a clear and organized manner.

Your use of formal language and academic style.

How to Prepare:

Practice summarizing group discussions or podcasts that involve multiple speakers. Focus on identifying the key points each speaker makes.

Use quick notes with keywords to help you organize your thoughts.

After the audio ends, structure your summary like this:

“The group discussed…”

“One person mentioned…”

“Another added…”

“To summarize, the group had diverse views on…”

What Not to Do:

Don’t include your personal opinion—stick to summarizing the discussion objectively.

Avoid mixing up the viewpoints of different speakers. Keep them separate and clear.

Don’t use informal language—this is a formal academic task, so keep your tone professional.

🎤 Task 2: Respond to a Situation

Here’s What Happens:

You’ll hear a 20-30 second audio describing a real-life situation.

A prompt will appear on your screen asking for your response.

You’ll have 10 seconds to prepare.

Then, you’ll have 40 seconds to speak and respond appropriately to the situation.

Skills This Task Measures:

Your ability to think quickly and respond naturally.

How socially appropriate and polite your response is.

Your fluency and confidence in speaking under time pressure.

How to Prepare:

Practice responding to real-life situations, like handling complaints, making requests, or offering solutions in both casual and professional settings.

Record yourself responding to different prompts and listen back to evaluate your tone, fluency, and clarity.

Use polite phrases such as:

“I understand completely…”

“Let me take care of that for you…”

“Would you like me to explain further?”

What Not to Do:

Avoid using slang or casual language unless the situation specifically calls for it.

Don’t overthink—your response should feel natural and spontaneous.

Skip memorizing exact scripts—they can make you sound stiff and unnatural.

💡 Why These Tasks Make the PTE More Realistic

The PTE Two New Speaking Tasks 2025 are designed to reflect how English is actually used in real-life settings. You’ll no longer be tested only on your ability to repeat sentences or memorize phrases. These tasks are all about:

Engaging in real discussions with multiple perspectives.

Responding appropriately to professional and social situations.

Understanding and clearly expressing your thoughts in everyday scenarios.

Pearson has created these tasks to make the test more relevant to your life abroad, whether you’re participating in university seminars, communicating in the workplace, or simply interacting in everyday conversations. It’s a practical approach that mirrors what you’ll need to succeed in your academic and professional life.

📌 Format Breakdown

Summarize Group Discussion

Audio: 2-3 minutes

Prep Time: 10 seconds

Speaking Time: 2 minutes

Tone: Formal, neutral, objective

Focus: Listening, summarizing, academic speech

Respond to a Situation

Audio: 20-30 seconds

Prep Time: 10 seconds

Speaking Time: 40 seconds

Tone: Polite, natural, situational

Focus: Quick response, appropriateness, fluency

🎯 Key Scoring Elements

Your performance will be evaluated on:

Content Relevance: Did you stay on topic and respond appropriately to the prompt?

Fluency: Was your speech smooth, clear, and confident?

Pronunciation: Did you pronounce words clearly and understandably?

Appropriateness: Was your tone and language suitable for the situation?

AI and human raters work together to ensure a fair and accurate evaluation of your speaking ability.

📚 Top Preparation Tips for the PTE Two New Speaking Tasks 2025

Practice Summarizing Group Discussions

Listen to podcasts or group discussions online and summarize them out loud. Focus on identifying key points and who said what.

Simulate Real-Life Scenarios

Use role-playing exercises or practice with a friend by responding to everyday situations like complaints or requests. You can also use a timer to simulate the test’s time pressure.

Structure Your Thoughts

Break down your responses into clear, organized parts: Introduction → Main Point → Support → Conclusion.

Use transition words like “Firstly,” “Additionally,” and “To conclude” to guide your speech.

Speak Daily

Practice speaking English every day—whether by reading aloud, shadowing native speakers, or simply chatting with friends.

Record & Review

Record your speaking practice sessions and listen back. Identify any areas where you can improve, such as clarity, fluency, or use of filler words.

🧠 Bonus: Useful Phrases for the New Tasks

For Summarizing Discussions:

“The discussion focused on…”

“One speaker argued that…”

“Another speaker pointed out that…”

“To sum up, the group expressed diverse opinions on…”

For Responding to Situations:

“Thanks for bringing that up.”

“Let me help you with that.”

“That’s an interesting question—here’s what I’d suggest.”

“I appreciate your understanding and will follow up with you shortly.”

✅ Final Thoughts

The PTE Two New Speaking Tasks 2025 are a great change, and they offer a much more realistic way to assess your language skills. Instead of simply repeating sentences, you’ll be tested on how well you think, speak, and engage in real-world situations. Whether you’re summarizing a group discussion or responding to a situation, these tasks help you showcase the practical English skills that matter most.

Start practicing now so you can confidently tackle the test. The more you prepare, the easier it will be to perform well and show the examiners your true speaking ability.