PTE exam free mock test and practice test: what Pearson offers and how to use it

Pearson, the company that runs PTE, gives you free official practice: a study plan and guided practice tests in your myPTE account, and a free start on its AI Practice. Its Scored Practice Test is the paid mock test. Use the free practice first, then a scored test or two, the last close to your exam.

Pearson puts its free practice inside a myPTE account. It says you do not need a test booking to use it.

What the guided practice tests are like

Pearson describes the Guided Practice Tests as short, free guides to each skill or all skills combined. A Pearson article from November 2024 adds detail on how they work.

Two Pearson pages count the guided tests differently. Its preparation help page lists four full Guided Practice Tests plus sectional ones. The 2024 article says this:

The structure may have changed between the two. Open Smart Prep in your own account to see what it lists today.

Official PTE Academic AI Practice is Pearson's AI practice product. Pearson describes it as official questions with instant AI scoring and feedback. The free version is a taster. The paid plans open the full question bank and the full mock tests.

Our reading: the one-attempt rule on full mocks means you should not spend them early. Use single questions for daily practice and keep the mocks for checkpoints.

When people say a PTE mock test, they usually mean this one. Pearson calls it the official mock test and says it is scored the way the real test is scored.

For the real test fee, and for what Pearson says about vouchers and promo codes, see our PTE voucher and discount codes page.

Two Pearson pages disagree on how many Scored Practice Tests there are

A May 2024 Pearson article on mock tests says there are five. Pearson's current product page says three versions, and that the tests were made in 2025 to reflect the updated PTE Academic test. We show both. The product page is newer, so we treat three as the current number. Buy from the page, not from an old article.

Pearson says you can take it anytime, anywhere on your own device in a quiet environment, and that wired headphones with a mic are best.

Pearson's own mock-test plan suggests a mock near the start, another halfway, and one just before test day. Its preparation page says how long candidates usually prepare.

1. Open a myPTE account and use the free study plan and guided practice first. Learn what each task asks.
2. Try the free AI Practice start to see which skill is weakest.
3. Drill that skill daily with single questions and our own sets, such as the warm-up below.
4. Take one full scored mock when you have a few weeks left, in test conditions. Read the skill scores, not just the total.
5. Fix the weakest two question types, then take a second mock a few days before your exam.

Whatever a mock says, it is a guide. Pearson says its score is only an indicator, and that is the right way to read it. A mock taken when you are tired or rushed tells you about that day, not about your English.

Pearson lists three parts and gives each a time.

Pearson's pages also call the test "A single 2-hour test", and its Academic Score Guide says it is a "maximum of 2 hours 15 minutes long". The three part times above add up to more than 2 hours, and at the top of their ranges to more than 2 hours 15 minutes. The two totals differ, and the Score Guide says why the part times do not add up to either: different versions of the test are balanced for total length, and no test taker gets the maximum or minimum times. So treat the part times as a guide, and check Pearson's format page before you book your mock.

Our sum: the shortest part times (76 + 23 + 31) come to 130 minutes, and the longest (84 + 30 + 39) come to 153.

Our PTE Academic test format page covers all three parts. Our guides to Read Aloud, Fill in the blanks, reading practice and listening go deeper on single tasks. Our Highlight Correct Summary page covers one more Listening task. If you are preparing for a Canadian application instead, see our PTE Academic free mock test in Canada page.

Many companies sell or give away PTE-style mock tests. We have not reviewed them, so we do not rank them. If you use one, check that its tasks match the question types on Pearson's format pages and treat its score as a rough guide only. Pearson's claim is specific, and worth knowing.

A sample test paper is the same idea on paper. Pearson sells an Official Guide with a question bank. It describes it this way.

This warm-up takes about ten minutes and uses four task types from the test. Set a timer. Do not look at the key until you have finished all four. Every text below is our own writing.

Task 1: fill in the blanks (drop-down), about three minutes

Street trees help cities in several ways. Leaves [1] shade, and the water they release cools the air around them. Over time, roots also help soil [2] rain instead of letting it run straight into the drains. For this reason, planners now treat street trees as part of a city's [3], not as decoration. The main [4] is upkeep, because young trees need regular watering.

Task 2: reorder the boxes, about two minutes

• A. These services were introduced after a fall in book borrowing and a rise in demand for public internet access.
• B. As a result, staff training now covers digital skills as well as cataloguing.
• C. Community libraries have changed their role over the last two decades.
• D. Where they once lent only books, many now offer laptops, quiet study rooms and free workshops.

Task 3: write from dictation, about two minutes

Ask a friend to read each sentence once at a normal pace, or record yourself reading them and play the recording once. Type what you hear, then compare. The three sentences are in the key below so you can check word by word.

Task 4: read aloud, about two minutes

Take thirty seconds to mark where you will pause, then record yourself reading this text once: "Over the past decade, urban planners have paid more attention to walking routes. Wider pavements, safer crossings and shaded rest areas encourage people to leave their cars at home, and local shops often benefit as a result." Play it back and count every word you changed, dropped or added.

Common questions