PTE Summarize Group Discussion
Listen to three people discussing an academic topic, then summarise the whole discussion in two minutes.
This speaking task was added to PTE Academic in 2025. You hear the discussion once and can take notes. After a short preparation time, you summarise what was said: the topic, each speaker's main ideas, and where they agree or disagree.
How the Task Works
Listen once, prepare for 10 seconds, speak for up to 2 minutes.
?The Task at a Glance
- Recording Three speakers discuss an academic topic. You hear it once.
- Notes You can take notes while you listen.
- Time 10 seconds to prepare, then 2 minutes to speak.
- Task Introduce the topic, give the main ideas with supporting details, say who said what, and show where the speakers agree or disagree.
A Note-Taking Grid
Organise notes by speaker while you listen. Keywords only, no full sentences.
| Topic | Speaker 1 | Speaker 2 | Speaker 3 | Agree / disagree? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| exams vs continuous assessment | against exams: stress, one day | pro exams: reliable, no outside help | mix: midterm + projects + final | all accept a mix |
An example for Discussion 1 below. Write your own grid in the notes box as you listen.
A Summary Structure
Start with an overview, then present the main ideas, not every sentence in order.
| Part | What to say | Useful language |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Overview | The topic and the main question | The speakers discussed whether… |
| 2 First view | One position and its reason | Maya argued that… because… |
| 3 Other views | Contrasting or extra ideas, with details | In contrast, Daniel felt that… · Priya suggested… |
| 4 Outcome | Where they agreed or still differed | In the end, all three agreed that… · However, Daniel insisted… |
Practice: Two Discussions
Press Play and take notes. When the discussion ends, you get 10 seconds to prepare, then 2 minutes to speak your summary aloud.
Strategies
What a strong summary does, and what to avoid.
✓Five Tips
- Overview first One sentence on the topic tells the listener what follows.
- Main ideas, not everything Summarise; don't retell the discussion line by line.
- Name the speakers Link each idea to the right person, and never mix them up.
- Show the relationship Agreement and disagreement are part of the content.
- Stay accurate Don't add information or opinions that were not in the discussion.
Source: Pearson: PTE changes 2025 · Pearson: tips for the new speaking questions (PDF)
Who said what, and where they met.
A good summary gives the listener the whole discussion in two minutes: the topic, the positions, and how it ended.
Overview. Positions. Details. Outcome.
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