Question-type guide
RTSSpeakingWeight 3% Speaking:12%
Respond to Situation
You hear / read a description of a situation, get 20 seconds to think, then give an appropriate response to the question it raises, with 40 seconds to answer.
Format
- 2-4 items
- The situation description is no more than 60 words
- 20 seconds to prepare (starts after the tone)
- 40 seconds to answer
Scoring criteria
- Content: whether your response is on topic and fully answers the question the situation raises
- Appropriacy: whether your word choice and tone fit the situation (a formal message vs. talking to a friend)
- Pronunciation: 0-5
- Fluency: 0-5
Scoring dimensions are condensed and paraphrased from Pearson's official PTE Core scoring guide for readability; refer to the official documentation for the exact wording.
Answering technique
- 1First judge how formal the situation is: a note to a neighbour can be casual; a message to an institution or a manager needs more formal wording
- 2A response structure that works: state why you're getting in touch → address the specific question → a polite closing
- 3In the 20 seconds of prep, quickly build your first and last sentences in your head; compose the middle as you speak
- 4Even if you didn't catch every detail of the situation, give a reasonable, on-topic response — don't stay silent
Common pitfalls
- Not daring to answer because you didn't catch the situation clearly
- Tone that doesn't match the situation (too casual with a stranger, for example)
- Answering only part of the question
Video walkthrough
From Pearson's official PTE Core YouTube channel.