Master the New PTE 2025 Speaking Tasks with These Expert Tips

 

The PTE Academic exam is changing significantly starting August 7th, 2025, especially in the Speaking section. With the introduction of two new speaking tasks, test-takers will need to shift away from memorizing answers and focus on real-world communication. That’s where the PTE Academic New Speaking Tips 2025 come in—offering you clear, practical strategies to tackle the updated tasks. This blog will guide you through these changes, how to prepare for the new tasks effectively, and provide tips to help you perform your best in the updated PTE exam.

🔄 Why Did Pearson Update the Speaking Tasks?

The update aims to make the exam more practical, reflecting real-life communication. Rather than relying on memorized or scripted responses, the new tasks focus on:

Active listening

Summarizing information quickly

Contextually appropriate and polite responses

Clear structure and natural delivery

These changes are designed to help students adapt to real-life scenarios they might face abroad, whether in the workplace, classrooms, or everyday conversations.

🆕 What’s New in the 2025 PTE Speaking Section?

Two new speaking tasks have been added to the exam:

Summarize Group Discussion

Respond to a Situation

These tasks evaluate your ability to respond to realistic, unpredictable situations in a natural way, making communication the core focus of the test.

🗣️ Task 1: Summarize Group Discussion

 What You’ll Do:

Listen to a 2–3 minute conversation with multiple speakers

Identify key points and differing perspectives

Summarize the conversation in a formal, neutral tone within ~2 minutes

PTE Academic New Speaking Tips 2025 for This Task:

Quick Note-Taking: Use abbreviations or symbols to quickly capture the key points.

Focus on Different Opinions: Pay attention to the various viewpoints shared by speakers.

Start with Structure: Begin your response with, “The discussion focused on…”

Include Contrasting Views: Make sure to highlight at least two different opinions.

Be Neutral and Formal: Keep your tone professional and avoid personal opinions.

Use Transitions: Words like “however,” “in contrast,” and “moreover” help create smooth connections between ideas.

🎤 Task 2: Respond to a Situation

 What You’ll Do:

Listen to a 20–30 second real-life scenario (e.g., a workplace issue or a customer query)

Read the prompt that appears after the audio

Respond within 40 seconds as though you were directly involved in the situation

PTE Academic New Speaking Tips 2025 for This Task:

Acknowledge the Situation: Start by acknowledging the issue or question. For example, “I understand your concern…”

Be Direct and Polite: Offer a clear and helpful solution in a friendly tone.

Focus on One Solution: Stick to one main suggestion or solution for the issue at hand.

End Positively: Finish with a positive or reassuring note like, “Let me know if I can help further.”

Avoid Rehearsed Answers: Speak naturally and keep your response professional, not robotic.

🎯 Why Are These New Tasks Challenging?

Time Pressure: You have just a few seconds to prepare your answer.

Context Sensitivity: Your response must be appropriate for the tone and setting of the situation.

No Second Chances: There’s only one attempt per task.

Real-World Complexity: These tasks are unpredictable, making them different from traditional, scripted exams.

But don’t worry! With proper preparation, you can succeed.

✅ How to Prepare Effectively for the New Tasks

Improve Active Listening:

Watch discussions or debates in English (like TED Talks or panel shows).

Pause after each speaker to summarize what they said aloud.

Practice filtering key points quickly while listening to fast-paced conversations.

Practice Efficient Note-Taking:

Use symbols like “+” for agreement, “-” for disagreement, and “→” for conclusions.

Focus on keywords, not full sentences.

Try practicing with podcasts or audio recordings to improve your note-taking speed.

Practice Spontaneous Speaking:

Take random everyday situations and respond out loud.

Use a 10-second timer to plan your response, then a 40-second timer to speak.

Record yourself speaking and review your responses to improve your fluency and tone.

Build Your Situational Vocabulary:

 Learn useful phrases for different contexts:

Workplace: “Would you like me to escalate this issue?”

Academic: “The speaker emphasized…”

Social: “I understand where you’re coming from.”

📚 Useful Phrases to Remember

For Summarizing Group Discussions:

“The discussion centered around…”

“One participant mentioned that…”

“Another speaker raised a concern about…”

“Overall, the group had mixed views on…”

For Responding to Situations:

“I’ll take care of that right away.”

“Let me check on that for you.”

“Thanks for bringing that to my attention.”

“Would you prefer an alternative option?”

🚫 Common Mistakes to Avoid

Speaking too quickly out of nervousness—stay calm and speak clearly.

Going off-topic or adding unnecessary personal opinions—stick to the question.

Using too many filler words like “um,” “like,” or “you know”—speak smoothly and confidently.

Not adjusting your tone to the situation—make sure your tone fits the formality or politeness needed for the task.

📌 Test Format Recap

Summarize Group Discussion:

Audio: 2–3 minutes

Prep: 10 seconds

Speaking Time: ~2 minutes

Goal: Summarize multiple perspectives with neutral, academic language.

Respond to a Situation:

Audio: 20–30 seconds

Prep: 10 seconds

Speaking Time: 40 seconds

Goal: Respond clearly and appropriately to a real-world situation.

🧠 Final Thoughts

The PTE Academic New Speaking Tips 2025 aren’t just about quick tricks—they’re key to mastering these new speaking tasks with confidence. By improving your listening, note-taking, and speaking skills, you’ll be ready for any challenge the exam presents. The more naturally you can speak and think under pressure, the better your chances for success.