Respond to a Situation is one of two speaking tasks added to PTE Academic on 7 August 2025. You read and hear a short everyday situation (up to about 60 words), get 10 seconds to prepare, then 40 seconds to speak as if you were really there: leaving a message, apologising, asking for help, declining an invitation or making a complaint.
It rewards natural, polite, real-world English, not memorised academic phrases. By Pearson's question weightings it is 13% of your Speaking score (6% overall), which puts it in our "somewhat important" group. With four simple steps and some practice, it becomes one of the more predictable speaking tasks.
PTE Core gives a longer preparation time for this task. If you read a guide quoting 20 seconds, it is describing PTE Core, not PTE Academic.
How the task works
| Step | What happens | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The situation appears on screen and is read aloud | Up to about 20 seconds |
| 2 | Preparation | 10 seconds |
| 3 | Microphone opens and you respond | 40 seconds |
How it is scored
| Criterion | What earns marks |
|---|---|
| Appropriacy | Doing what the situation asks, to the right person, in a suitable tone |
| Oral fluency | Steady pace without long pauses or restarts |
| Pronunciation | Clear, easy-to-understand speech |
Answers that ignore the situation score poorly. Put the structure into your own words and fill it with the real content of the question, so you do not sound like you are reciting a template.
The four steps we teach
- Greet the person named in the question. Use their name and match the tone: "Hi Anil" for a friend, "Hello Dr Wilson" for a lecturer. There is no need to introduce yourself. Go straight on to step 2.
- Explain the situation in the first person. This is the most important step. Retell what the question says, using "I" and "my", almost word for word. This is where you cover the content, so never skip it or rush it.
- Add one reason why it matters to you. One simple sentence is enough.
- Make a polite request. Ask for what you need, clearly and politely.
If you still have time after step 4, add a short thank-you. If not, stop. Four clear steps said without hesitation is a complete answer.
Steps 3 and 4 are mainly there for fluency. The question will not give them to you, so you make them up yourself. Keep them simple and relevant, and say them smoothly. A short, easy reason scores better than a clever one you stumble over.
How step 2 works
The question gives you most of step 2. You only change it to the first person.
- Question: "You borrowed your classmate's notes, but you left them on the bus. Talk to your classmate, Rita."
- Step 2: "I borrowed your notes last week, but I left them on the bus yesterday."
That is why step 2 is the safest place to earn your content marks: you are using the question's own words.
How to use the 10 seconds
- Find who you are speaking to: their name, and whether they are a friend, lecturer, landlord or shop.
- Find what happened: this becomes your step 2.
- Pick one reason and one request. That is all you need.
3 sample answers
1. Apologising: a damaged book
Situation: You borrowed a book from your friend Anil, and you accidentally spilled tea on it. Talk to Anil.
- Greet: "Hi Anil."
- Explain: "I borrowed your book last week, and I accidentally spilled tea on it, so a few pages are now stained."
- Reason: "I know you really like that book, and I feel terrible about it."
- Request: "Can I buy you a new copy this weekend, or would you rather choose a different book?"
2. Reporting a problem: a broken heater
Situation: The heater in your rented flat stopped working two days ago, and it is winter. Talk to your landlord, Mrs Sharma.
- Greet: "Hello Mrs Sharma."
- Explain: "The heater in my flat stopped working two days ago, and the rooms are getting very cold at night."
- Reason: "I study at home in the evenings, and it is hard to focus when it is this cold."
- Request: "Could someone come and repair it this week? Thank you for your help."
3. Complaining politely: faulty headphones
Situation: The headphones you bought online stopped working after two days. Talk to the store's customer service officer, Mr Adhikari.
- Greet: "Hello Mr Adhikari."
- Explain: "I bought a pair of headphones from your website last week, and they stopped working after just two days."
- Reason: "I use them every day for my online classes, so I really need them to work."
- Request: "Would you mind sending me a replacement pair? I still have the receipt."
Notice how each answer follows the same four steps, but every sentence comes from its own situation.
Match your tone to the person
| Person in the question | How to greet | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| Friend or classmate | "Hi" and their first name | Warm and relaxed |
| Lecturer or tutor | "Hello" and their title, such as Dr or Professor | Polite and clear |
| Landlord or neighbour | "Hello" and their title, such as Mrs or Mr | Polite and calm |
| Shop or customer service | "Hello" and the name given | Polite and firm |
Mistakes that cost marks
- Rushing or skipping step 2. It carries your content, so say the whole situation.
- Introducing yourself instead of greeting the person and moving on.
- Talking to the examiner instead of the person in the situation.
- Making steps 3 and 4 complicated. Long, clever sentences lead to pauses.
- Pausing to find the perfect word. A simpler word said smoothly scores better.
- Sounding rude or too casual with a lecturer, landlord or manager.
How to practise
Use situations from your own life: a late payment, a broken item, a change of plan. Record yourself, then check: did you greet the person, explain the situation using "I" and "my", give one reason and make one request? Repeat the same situation until it feels natural, then move to a new one. Our speaking templates page explains how to use structures in every speaking task, and our Summarize Group Discussion guide covers the other new task.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you get for Respond to a Situation in PTE Academic?
10 seconds to prepare and 40 seconds to respond. You do not need to fill all 40 seconds: four clear steps said smoothly is a full answer.
Can I use a template for Respond to a Situation?
Use the four steps (greet, explain, reason, request), not a fixed script. Put them into your own words and fill them with the real content of the question, so you do not sound like you are reciting a template.
What skills does Respond to a Situation score?
Speaking only. It is marked on appropriacy, oral fluency and pronunciation, and it is 13% of your Speaking score by Pearson's question weightings.
Is Respond to a Situation also in PTE Core?
Yes. It started in PTE Core and was added to PTE Academic and PTE UKVI in August 2025. PTE Core gives more preparation time.
Our students get the full class playbook for this task, with more practice situations and feedback on every recording. See courses or message us on WhatsApp.