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PTE Home A2 tips

PTE Home A2 has longer sentences than A1 and adds a task where you retell a short story. You speak to a computer and cannot go back, so the skill to practise is keeping going: saying the meaning even when you forget a word.

Tasks
3 types
Biggest part
22 or 23 repeat sentences
Marked by
Computer
Result
Pass or fail

Ready to try it? Free PTE Home A2 practice test, with every task type and your spoken answers checked as you go.

What to do in each task

  1. Task 1

    Repeat sentence

    22 or 23 questions

    You hear a sentence and say it again exactly as you heard it. This task is scored on fluency and pronunciation. Pearson's specification says each answer is scored as correct, partly correct or incorrect, so part of an answer still earns marks.

    • Listen to the end before you start. If you begin early you lose the last words.
    • Say it at the speed you heard it. Do not slow down to be careful.
    • If you miss a word, say the rest. Part of a sentence still earns marks.
    • Copy the music of the sentence: where the voice rises and where it stops.
    • A2 sentences are too long to remember sound by sound. Understand the idea first, and the words come back more easily.

    Sentence patterns to practise

    • I usually ... after work.
    • Could you tell me where ...?
    • We went to ... last Saturday.
    • I am going to ... next weekend.
    • It is cheaper to ... than to ...
  2. Task 2

    Describe image

    4 or 5 questions

    You see a picture and describe it. It is scored on fluency, pronunciation and content, so say real things about the picture and keep speaking.

    • Plan a simple order: the place, the people, what they are doing, one more detail.
    • Start with "This picture shows ...".
    • Add one guess at the end: "I think they are on holiday."
    • Use "next to", "behind" and "on the wall" to say where things are.
    • If you do not know a word, describe the thing: "something for carrying fruit".

    Sentences to learn

    • This picture shows a market.
    • A man is selling fruit.
    • I can see apples and oranges.
    • There is a clock on the wall.
    • I think it is the afternoon.
  3. Task 3

    Retell story

    4 or 5 questions

    You hear a short story once and then tell it again in your own words. It is scored on fluency, pronunciation and content. You do not need the same words, only the main events.

    • Listen for four things: who, what happened, the problem, and how it ended.
    • Tell it in the past tense, in the same order as the story.
    • Use "then", "but" and "so" to join the events.
    • Do not try to remember names or numbers exactly. "A woman" is fine if you forget the name.
    • Finish with the ending. Many people stop before the last event.

    Words that hold a story together

    • First ...
    • Then ...
    • But ...
    • So ...
    • In the end ...

Common mistakes

  • Waiting too long to speak. You are recorded by a computer, not heard by a person. Start speaking a second or two after the recording ends.
  • Going back to correct yourself. Fluency is scored. A smooth answer with one small mistake is better than a broken one.
  • Speaking too quietly. Other people are in the room, but speak into the microphone at a normal volume.
  • Trying to repeat a story word for word. The task is to retell it. Your own simple sentences are what it asks for.
  • Stopping when you forget a word. Say the rest of the sentence or the story. Silence earns nothing.

A one-week study plan

About thirty minutes a day. Speak aloud every day, and use headphones if you can.

Day 1
Read this page. Then do the first eleven repeat sentences in the practice test.
Day 2
The other eleven repeat sentences. Say the idea of each one before you try the exact words.
Day 3
Describe the four pictures. Add one guess to each: "I think ...".
Day 4
The five stories. After each one, check which main points you mentioned.
Day 5
Retell the five stories again without listening first. Can you remember them?
Day 6
The whole practice test in one go, with headphones, without stopping.
Day 7
Rest. Check your booking, your ID and how to get to the test centre.

Questions

How is PTE Home A2 different from A1?
The repeat sentences are longer, and the third task changes. At A1 you answer a question about a short conversation. At A2 you listen to a short story and retell it in your own words.
What is the pass mark for PTE Home A2?
Pearson does not publish one. The result is simply a pass or a fail at level A2.
Do I need a British accent?
No. Pronunciation and fluency are scored, so aim for clear, steady speech that is easy to understand, in your own accent.
Can I prepare without a teacher?
Yes. The tasks are always the same types, so the best preparation is to do them many times. Our practice test plays every recording and, in Chrome or Edge, shows which words it heard you say.

More PTE Home help

Official sources

TestWise Prep is independent and is not connected to Pearson. Test format checked against Pearson's pages on 10 October 2026. The advice on this page is our own.