PTE speaking
PTE Describe Image: A Template That Works
Describe Image scares people because you get just 25 seconds to prepare and 40 seconds to speak. The secret is a template: you should never be inventing structure live. Memorise one frame and slot the details in.
How it's scored
Describe Image mainly feeds your Speaking score (content, fluency and pronunciation). You do not need to describe every detail — you need to speak fluently for the full 40 seconds, cover the main features, and finish with a conclusion. Fluency and staying on-topic beat completeness.
The template
1. Intro (1 sentence): "The image is a [bar chart / line graph / map / picture] that shows [title/topic]."
2. Main features (2–3 sentences): "The most noticeable feature is ___. In addition, ___. It is also clear that ___."
3. Detail (1 sentence): one specific number or comparison — the highest, the lowest, or the biggest change.
4. Conclusion (1 sentence): "Overall, it is clear that ___."
2. Main features (2–3 sentences): "The most noticeable feature is ___. In addition, ___. It is also clear that ___."
3. Detail (1 sentence): one specific number or comparison — the highest, the lowest, or the biggest change.
4. Conclusion (1 sentence): "Overall, it is clear that ___."
Sample answer (bar chart of coffee sales by season)
"The image is a bar chart that shows coffee sales across the four seasons. The most noticeable feature is that sales are highest in winter. In addition, summer has the lowest sales of the year. It is also clear that spring and autumn are fairly similar and sit in the middle. In detail, winter sales are roughly double those of summer. Overall, it is clear that demand for coffee rises in the colder months."
Timing that scores
- 0–25s (prepare): find the title, the highest and lowest points, and one comparison. Jot two words.
- Start speaking immediately when the microphone opens — long silence hurts your fluency score more than a small error.
- Keep going for the full 40s — don't stop early even if you've "finished". Add the conclusion slowly.
Works for every image type: for a map, replace features with locations ("in the north… to the south…"); for a process, use sequence words ("first… then… finally…"); for a picture, describe who/what/where.
Drill Describe Image with AI feedback
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Start practising →Want the full method with more samples? See the Describe Image module or the complete PTE 79+ guide.