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PTE Home B1 tips

PTE Home B1 has four kinds of task and the longest sentences of the three levels. You speak to a computer and cannot go back. What matters most is speaking in connected sentences without long pauses, and giving short, exact answers when a question asks for a fact.

Tasks
4 types
Repeat sentences
17
Marked by
Computer
Result
Pass or fail

Ready to try it? Free PTE Home B1 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

    17 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.
    • B1 sentences often have two halves joined by "because", "although" or "if". Hold each half as one idea.

    Sentence patterns to practise

    • If you need ..., please ...
    • Although it was ..., we ...
    • I have been ... since ...
    • You should ... in case ...
    • He told me that he had ...
  2. Task 2

    Describe image

    4 or 5 questions

    You see a picture, have 25 seconds to look and prepare, and then describe it. It is scored on fluency, pronunciation and content.

    • Give an overview first: "This picture shows a street in a town."
    • Then move across the picture in one direction, so you do not repeat yourself.
    • Add what you think is happening or why: "so he is probably going on a long journey".
    • Use linking words: "while", "and", "so", "because".
    • Keep talking until the time ends. A final guess about the people fills the last seconds well.

    Sentences to learn

    • This picture shows ...
    • On the left, someone is ...
    • In front of it, a woman is ...
    • It looks like ...
    • I think they are ...
  3. Task 3

    Retell story

    4 or 5 questions

    You hear a story once and retell it in your own words in 30 seconds. It is scored on fluency, pronunciation and content.

    • Thirty seconds is about five sentences. Plan one each for the start, the problem, what the person did, the result and the ending.
    • Keep the events in order and use the past tense.
    • Use linking words: "first", "but", "so", "in the end".
    • Leave out small details such as exact dates. The main events are what count.
    • If time is running out, jump to the ending.

    Words that hold a story together

    • The story is about ...
    • The problem was that ...
    • So he decided to ...
    • After that ...
    • In the end ...
  4. Task 4

    Story: listen and answer

    4 or 5 questions

    You hear a short story or announcement, then three questions about it. You give a short spoken answer to each.

    • Listen for facts that questions are usually about: why, when, where, how long and what to bring.
    • Answer with a few words: "in September", "at the post office", "ten days".
    • Each question is about one fact. Give that fact and stop.
    • If you are not sure, say your best answer. Silence earns nothing.

    Short answers that are enough

    • In September.
    • At the post office.
    • Ten days.
    • Because of road works.
    • Their membership card.

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.
  • Giving full sentences to the story questions. A short, exact answer is what the task asks for, and it leaves less room for mistakes.
  • Running out of time in the retelling. You have 30 seconds. Practise with a timer until you reach the ending every time.
  • Only listing objects in a picture. At B1, also say what is happening and what you think about it.

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 17 repeat sentences in the practice test.
Day 2
The 17 sentences again. For each one, find the two halves and say them as two ideas.
Day 3
Describe the four pictures. Add a reason or a guess to each.
Day 4
The five retell stories, with the 30-second timer. Check which main points you mentioned.
Day 5
The five stories with questions. Answer in a few words.
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 B1 different from A2?
It adds a fourth task, where you answer three questions about a story. The repeat sentences are longer, and there are 17 of them instead of 22 or 23.
Is B1 still the level for settlement?
For settlement applications made before 26 March 2027, yes. For applications on or after that date, the Immigration Rules raise the level on most routes to B2. British citizenship is not changed by that rule. Check GOV.UK for your own route.
What is the pass mark for PTE Home B1?
Pearson does not publish one. The result is simply a pass or a fail at level B1.
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.