A second complete, original Lumi PTE Academic practice test covering the core Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening task types, with model answers and strategy notes. Listening items include audioscripts so you can practise now. PTE is scored 10–90 on the Global Scale of English.
Part 1 · Speaking & Writing
~54–67 minutes
1
Read Aloud
In 30–40 seconds, read the text aloud as clearly and naturally as you can.
Item 1 Antarctica is the coldest, driest and windiest continent on Earth. Although it holds around seventy per cent of the world's fresh water as ice, it is technically a desert, receiving very little precipitation. Scientists from many nations work there to study the climate, the oceans and the history frozen within the ice.
Item 2 The human sense of smell is far more powerful than once believed. Researchers estimate that people can distinguish among a trillion different odours. Smell is closely linked to memory, which is why a single scent can suddenly transport us back to a moment from childhood we had long forgotten.
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Answer key / strategy: Read smoothly at a steady pace, pausing at punctuation. Fluency and clear pronunciation score higher than speed; if you stumble, keep going rather than repeating.
2
Repeat Sentence
You will hear a sentence. Repeat it exactly. You hear it only once.
Item 1 The department will announce the exam results early next week.
Item 2 Most of the funding for the project comes from private donations.
Item 3 Please make sure your laboratory reports are submitted electronically.
Item 4 The new bridge has significantly reduced traffic across the river.
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Answer key / strategy: Start immediately and repeat word-for-word. Partial answers still earn marks for each correct word, so never stay silent.
3
Describe Image
In 25 seconds study the image; then speak for 40 seconds describing it.
IMAGE: A line graph titled 'Monthly rainfall in two cities (mm)'. City A: rises from 20mm in January to a peak of 110mm in July, then falls back to 30mm by December. City B: stays flat between 40mm and 55mm all year.
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Answer key / strategy: Use the template: name the graph type and topic → state the most noticeable feature → give two or three specific details → finish with an overall statement. Keep talking for the full 40 seconds.
Model answer: This line graph compares monthly rainfall, in millimetres, in two cities across a year. The most striking feature is the contrast between them. City A shows a clear seasonal pattern: rainfall begins low at around twenty millimetres in January, climbs steadily to a peak of about a hundred and ten millimetres in July, and then declines to roughly thirty millimetres by December. City B, in contrast, remains remarkably stable throughout the year, staying between forty and fifty-five millimetres every month. Overall, City A experiences a pronounced wet season in mid-year, whereas City B's rainfall is evenly distributed.
4
Write Essay
Write a 200–300 word essay in 20 minutes.
Some people believe that public transport should be free for everyone. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? Support your position with reasons and examples.
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Answer key / strategy: PTE essays reward clear structure and range: introduction with a position, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Aim for 240–280 words; stay on topic and use linking phrases.
Model answer: In several cities around the world, the idea of making public transport free for all residents has moved from fantasy to serious policy. In my view, although free public transport carries real costs, its advantages ultimately outweigh its disadvantages.
The principal benefit is environmental and social. If buses and trains were free, many people would leave their cars at home, reducing traffic congestion and air pollution. This would make cities healthier and more pleasant, and it would ease the daily burden on lower-income families for whom transport costs are a significant expense. A city that removed fares, for example, might see both cleaner air and greater access to jobs for those who cannot afford to drive.
The obvious disadvantage is cost. Running a transport network is expensive, and if passengers pay nothing, the money must come from taxes instead. Critics also warn that free services can become overcrowded or poorly maintained without fare revenue.
However, these problems are manageable rather than decisive. The taxes required could be offset by savings in healthcare and road maintenance, and overcrowding can be addressed by investing in more frequent services. Given that cleaner air, reduced congestion and fairer access are lasting public goods, I believe the trade-off is worthwhile.
In conclusion, while free public transport is not without drawbacks, its environmental and social benefits are substantial. On balance, the advantages clearly outweigh the disadvantages, provided governments plan the funding carefully.
Part 2 · Reading
~29–30 minutes
5
Reading: Fill in the Blanks (drag and drop)
Choose the best word for each gap from the options.
Bees play a vital (1) ________ in agriculture by pollinating crops. Without them, the (2) ________ of many fruits and vegetables would fall sharply, driving up food prices. Scientists are therefore (3) ________ concerned by recent declines in bee populations.
Options for (1): role / duty / task / place Options for (2): number / production / amount / size Options for (3): increasingly / hardly / rarely / barely
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Answer key / strategy: Read the whole sentence for collocation and meaning. "Play a role", "production of crops", and "increasingly concerned" are the natural fits.
(1) role (2) production (3) increasingly
6
Re-order Paragraphs
Put the sentences in the correct logical order.
A. As a result, the library has become one of the busiest places on campus. B. Last year, the university decided to renovate its old library. C. It added hundreds of study spaces, a café and a modern computer lab. D. Students now use it not only to borrow books but to study, meet and relax.
Put A–D in order.
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Answer key / strategy: Find the topic sentence first (B introduces the renovation). Then follow cause-and-effect and reference words ("As a result" signals the final effect).
Correct order: B – C – D – A (decision → what was added → how students use it → the result)
Part 3 · Listening
~30–43 minutes
7
Summarize Spoken Text (write 50–70 words)
Listen (read once), then write a 50–70 word summary of the main points.
AUDIOSCRIPT: Today I'll talk briefly about the idea of a 'circular economy'. In the traditional 'linear' economy, we take raw materials, make products, use them, and throw them away. A circular economy tries to break this pattern by keeping materials in use for as long as possible — through repairing, reusing and recycling — so that waste is designed out of the system from the start. The benefits are significant: less pollution, lower demand for raw materials, and new business opportunities in repair and recycling. The main challenge is that it requires rethinking how products are designed and how consumers behave.
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Answer key / strategy: Include the definition, the contrast with the linear model, one or two benefits, and the challenge — all within 50–70 words and one or two sentences. Check grammar and spelling, which are scored.
Model answer: A circular economy aims to replace the traditional 'take, make, throw away' model by keeping materials in use through repair, reuse and recycling, so waste is designed out from the start. Its benefits include less pollution, reduced demand for raw materials, and new business opportunities, though it requires rethinking product design and changing consumer behaviour. (57 words)
8
Highlight Correct Summary
Choose the summary that best matches the recording.
AUDIOSCRIPT: The speaker explains that while working from home can increase productivity for some tasks, it can also make teamwork and communication harder, so many companies are now adopting a 'hybrid' model that combines office and home days.
A. Working from home always reduces productivity, so companies are ending it. B. Remote work can help focus but hurt teamwork, so companies are combining office and home days. C. Companies are requiring all staff to return to the office full time. D. Hybrid work has no advantages over fully remote work.
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Answer key / strategy: The correct summary must capture BOTH the benefit and the drawback and the conclusion (the hybrid model). Options that overstate ("always") or contradict the recording are wrong.