PTE new question types: SGD and Respond to a Situation
Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation are PTE Academic speaking tasks in tests from 7 August 2025: SGD gives you 2 minutes to summarise a discussion, RTS 40 seconds to respond to a situation. Compare their prompts and response requirements below, then open an original example and the matching practice page.
Practise the new speaking tasks
The two new tasks side by side
Both are in Part 1 (Speaking and Writing) of PTE Academic tests from 7 August 2025. Timings are Pearson's published format.
| Task | Prompt | Preparation | Answer time | Skills | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summarize Group Discussion | Recording up to 3 minutes | 10 seconds | 2 minutes | Listening, Speaking | Pearson, checked 2026-10-19 |
| Respond to a Situation | A situation you hear and read, up to 60 words | 10 seconds | 40 seconds | Speaking | Pearson, checked 2026-10-19 |
See the whole PTE Academic exam format · This week's SGD and RTS questions in the prediction file · Related speaking practice: Describe Image · Retell Lecture
New speaking tasks in PTE Academic
New in PTE Academic from 7 August 2025, in the Speaking part.
RealPTE provides both Summarize Group Discussion (SGD) and Respond to a Situation (RTS) practice with AI scoring.
Source: Pearson PTE Academic updates. Checked 2026-10-19.
Summarize Group Discussion
You hear three people discuss a topic for about 2.5–3 minutes, once. Then you get 10 seconds to prepare and up to 2 minutes to speak.
Source: Pearson task format and timing. Checked 2026-10-19.
The practice-bank snapshot lists 62 Summarize Group Discussion questions. The worked-answer guide below contains 60 RealPTE-created questions with model answers, a subset of that bank.
AI scoring checks: Content, Pronunciation estimate, Oral fluency. Content checks the topic, each speaker's position and the outcome or compromise, and flags missed or inaccurate points.
Fluency uses word timing, pace, pauses, fillers and repetitions. Pronunciation is estimated from speech recognition where that evidence is available; it can be unavailable. These are RealPTE practice estimates, not official Pearson scores.
Summarize Group Discussion questions and model answers · Open the practice bank
Scoring example
Scored: · #SGD1-001
Question from our bank
Priya: I think every lecture should be recorded and attendance should be optional. Many of us work part-time, and watching a recording at double speed in the evening is far more efficient than sitting in a hall at nine in the morning. Tomas: I see the appeal, but when my department started recording everything, attendance dropped to about a third and the lecturers stopped asking questions because nobody was there to answer. The lecture became a monologue, which is worse for everyone. Amara: For me the issue is equity rather than attendance. Students with disabilities or caring responsibilities rely on recordings, so removing them would hurt the people who already have the least flexibility. Priya: Exactly, and if a lecture is only valuable because people are physically trapped in the room, that says something about the teaching. Tomas: That's fair, and I wouldn't want to take recordings away from anyone who needs them. My worry is really about the design of the sessions, so maybe the answer is to record the content but run smaller compulsory workshops where discussion actually happens. Amara: I could support that, as long as the workshops are scheduled flexibly and the recordings stay available to everyone rather than only to students who apply for special access.
Sample answer we recorded / wrote for this example
Created by RealPTE for this example; not a student submission. Speaking audio is synthetic.
The three students discussed whether lectures should be recorded and attendance made optional. Priya supported full recording because students who work part-time can study more efficiently from recordings. Tomas was concerned that recording had emptied his department's lectures and turned them into monologues, so he preferred keeping live sessions interactive. Amara focused on equity, arguing that students with disabilities or caring duties depend on recordings. Tomas eventually agreed recordings should stay and suggested recording content while adding compulsory workshops, which Amara accepted if they were flexibly scheduled.
Listen to the sample answer
Words recognised from the recording
The three students discussed whether lectures should be recorded and attendance made optional. Priya supported full recording because students who work part-time can study more efficiently from recordings. Thomas was concerned that recording had emptied his department's lectures and turned them into monologues, so he preferred keeping live sessions interactive. Amara focused on equity, arguing that students with disabilities or caring duties depend on recordings. Thomas eventually agreed recording should stay and suggested recording content while adding compulsory workshops which Amara accepted if they were flexibly scheduled.
Actual scoring output
- Content
- 5 / 5 points
- Pronunciation estimate
- Not available
- Fluency estimate
- 5.0 / 5 points
- Covered point: topic: recording lectures and optional attendance
- Covered point: Priya: part-time workers study efficiently from recordings
- Covered point: Tomas: recording caused attendance drop and monologues
- Covered point: Amara: equity for disabled and caring students
- Covered point: outcome: record content plus flexible compulsory workshops
Recognised words per minute: 141
This saved example uses local speech recognition and the real RealPTE scoring code. Live practice uses a different recognition service, so its transcript and estimates may differ. No pronunciation score was returned for this example.
These are practice estimates, not official Pearson scores. A synthetic voice does not measure a learner's speaking ability.
Compare the answer with the situation or discussion. Check the stated details and whether the request or summary is complete, then record your own answer.
Revised answer to practise (not scored)
The three students discussed whether university lectures should be recorded and attendance made optional. Priya supported full recording because students who work part-time can study more efficiently from recordings. Tomas was concerned that recording had emptied his department's lectures and turned them into monologues, so he preferred keeping live sessions interactive. Amara focused on equity, arguing that students with disabilities or caring duties depend on recordings. Tomas eventually agreed recordings should stay and suggested recording content while adding compulsory small workshops, which Amara accepted if they were flexibly scheduled.
Priya supports flexible recorded study; Tomas worries about lost interaction; Amara highlights access and equity. The saved model connects all three positions to flexible workshops. Content already received full saved points; this alternative is not evidence of a score increase. Pronunciation is unavailable.
Saved overall practice estimate
Summarize Group Discussion: 90 in this saved example. Unavailable traits remain unavailable; the overall estimate does not fill them in.
Respond to a Situation
You read and hear a short everyday situation: at university, at work, where you live. You get about 10 seconds to prepare and 40 seconds to speak, as you would to the real person.
Source: Pearson task format and timing. Checked 2026-10-19.
The practice-bank snapshot lists 103 Respond to a Situation questions. The worked-answer guide below contains 100 RealPTE-created questions with model answers, a subset of that bank.
AI scoring checks: Content, Pronunciation estimate, Oral fluency. Content checks whether you address the situation, explain the problem, make a suitable request and use a suitable polite register.
Fluency uses word timing, pace, pauses, fillers and repetitions. Pronunciation is estimated from speech recognition where that evidence is available; it can be unavailable. These are RealPTE practice estimates, not official Pearson scores.
Respond to a Situation questions and model answers · Open the practice bank
Scoring example
Scored: · #RTS1-001
Question from our bank
You booked a group study room at the university library for this afternoon, but when you arrived another group was already using it and refused to leave. You have a presentation to rehearse in two hours. Speak to the librarian at the front desk: explain the problem and ask for an alternative room.
Sample answer we recorded / wrote for this example
Created by RealPTE for this example; not a student submission. Speaking audio is synthetic.
Hello, I booked a study room for this afternoon, but another group is using it and refuses to leave. My team has a presentation in hours and needs somewhere to rehearse. Could you check my booking and help us find a room? Thank you for your help.
Listen to the sample answer
Words recognised from the recording
Hello, I booked a study room for this afternoon, but another group is using it and refuses to leave. My team has a presentation in hours and needs somewhere to rehearse. Could you check my booking and help us find a room? Thank you for your help.
Actual scoring output
- Content
- 4 / 5 points
- Pronunciation estimate
- Not available
- Fluency estimate
- 5.0 / 5 points
- Covered point: booked study room for afternoon
- Covered point: another group using it
- Covered point: team has presentation
- Covered point: needs room to rehearse
- Covered point: asks librarian to help
Recognised words per minute: 191
This saved example uses local speech recognition and the real RealPTE scoring code. Live practice uses a different recognition service, so its transcript and estimates may differ. No pronunciation score was returned for this example.
These are practice estimates, not official Pearson scores. A synthetic voice does not measure a learner's speaking ability.
Compare the answer with the situation or discussion. Check the stated details and whether the request or summary is complete, then record your own answer.
Revised answer to practise (not scored)
Hi, sorry to bother you. I booked study room four for two o'clock today under my student number, but when I got there another group was already inside, and they said they weren't going to move. The trouble is, my team has a presentation in two hours and we really need somewhere to rehearse. Could you check the booking system and see if there's another room free, even a smaller one? If nothing's available, maybe you could ask the other group to leave? I'd really appreciate your help. Thanks so much.
Speak politely to the librarian, explain the occupied booking and the two-hour deadline, then ask for an alternative room. The saved model below makes that request explicit. This alternative has not been scored; pronunciation is unavailable.
Saved overall practice estimate
Respond to a Situation: 82 in this saved example. Unavailable traits remain unavailable; the overall estimate does not fill them in.
Questions students ask
Does RealPTE provide both new tasks?
Yes. Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation both have practice questions, model-answer guides and AI scoring.
Does PTE Core have the same task types?
No. PTE Core includes Respond to a Situation with its own timing and scoring, and does not include Summarize Group Discussion. See the PTE Core guide for its format.
Where can I practise SGD and RTS?
On the two task pages linked in the table above: each has questions, model-answer guides and a saved scoring example.
Is the published format current?
We read Pearson's format pages on 2026-10-19. Formats can change: check Pearson's page linked in the table before your test.
Are these official Pearson scores?
No. RealPTE scores are practice estimates. Saved examples show unavailable traits explicitly.
Use both task guides, then record your own response for practice feedback.
Practise the new speaking tasks