PTE Answer Short Question Practice
In PTE Answer Short Question, you hear a short question and reply with one word or a few words within 10 seconds. Each answer is scored correct or incorrect, and Pearson says the item affects your listening score. This free set has 110 original questions with answers, and an optional transcript marks your spoken answer as a practice estimate.
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- Original questions
- Exam timing
Question 1 of 110
Question 1
Audio uses your browser's voices. Your recording is never uploaded. Marking needs an optional transcript: the on-device one works in most recent browsers, the browser one in Chrome and Edge only. Results are saved in this browser only.
What Answer Short Question tests
This item checks how quickly you understand a spoken question and recall a precise word or short phrase. It is a listening item that you answer aloud. The official description on Pearson's PTE Academic test-format page lists the prompt at 3 to 9 seconds, with 10 seconds to answer. Pearson also says an image may appear with the audio, so look at the screen as you listen. Page checked against Pearson's description on 9 October 2026.
How Answer Short Question is scored
- Correct or incorrect. Each answer is judged on how appropriate its words are. There is no partial credit.
- No extra marks for length. A correct one-word answer scores the same as a longer correct answer.
- No credit for silence or a wrong answer. Try every question, even when unsure.
For how item scores combine into your overall listening result, check Pearson's scoring and score reporting page and our PTE score chart.
How this task is scored (practice estimate)
When you turn on an optional transcript, the page marks your answer so you can practise quickly. The mark is a practice estimate, not an official score.
What is measured
- Right or wrong on word choice:your transcript is checked for one of the accepted answers for that question, as whole words. A match is 1 point and no match is 0, which follows the one-or-zero rule in Pearson's published score guide. Extra words around a correct answer are not penalised here, and they do not earn extra marks.
What is NOT measured
- Pronunciation and fluency are not measured for this task. There is no pace or pause check.
- Each question has only a short list of accepted answers, so a correct answer worded differently can be marked wrong. If speech recognition mishears one word, a good answer can be marked wrong too, and the on-device model can quietly tidy up what you said. Read the transcript on the result and listen back before you trust the mark.
- Without the transcript there is no mark. You get your recording and the correct answer to compare yourself, and the page says so on screen.
Your results are saved only in this browser, and you can see them on the progress page.
Timing rules to know
- Start within about 3 seconds. The recording opens as the audio ends. If you wait too long, it closes and the item is lost.
- Do not pause mid-answer. If you stop for about 3 seconds while speaking, the item is marked complete, even if you had more to say.
- No replay. You hear the question once, so focus on the first time you hear it.
Question types you will see
Pearson does not publish a topic list, so these groups are our own practice categories, not a claim about what appears in the exam. Each one trains a skill the task needs:
- Opposites and synonyms: “What is the opposite of ‘expand’?” (contract)
- People and jobs: “What do we call a person who writes a book?” (an author)
- Everyday objects and instruments: “Which instrument measures temperature?” (a thermometer)
- Numbers, time and calendars: “Which month comes directly after March?” (April)
- Science and nature: “What gas do plants absorb from the air?” (carbon dioxide)
- Academic terms: “What do we call the list of sources at the end of an essay?” (a bibliography)
Answer strategy
- Listen for the key noun or number. The question usually names the thing you need.
- Answer in the fewest words. “Mercury.” is a complete answer.
- Build vocabulary in groups. Learn instruments, professions, units and study terms together. They come back in new wording.
- Practise out loud. Speaking the answer builds the reaction speed you need when the recording opens.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting to think. Pearson says the recording ends if you stay silent for more than three seconds, so start with your first word even if you are still choosing the next.
- Answering in a full sentence.“The answer is April” earns the same as “April” and uses time you may need.
- Trailing off or restarting. A pause of about three seconds mid-answer closes the item, so say your answer once, clearly, and stop.
- Mishearing the key word. Practise with the audio above and replay only in practice; the real item plays once.
Printable list: 110 questions and answers
Study the full list below, or print it. These are original practice questions for self-study, not real test items.
PTE Answer Short Question practice list
- What do we call a person who designs buildings? An architect
- Which organ pumps blood around the body? The heart
- How many sides does a hexagon have? Six
- What is the opposite of 'ancient'? Modern
- What instrument do astronomers use to look at distant stars? A telescope
- In which season of the year do leaves usually drop from trees? Autumn (fall)
- What do we call the list of books and sources at the end of an essay? A bibliography (or reference list)
- What is frozen water called? Ice
- Which planet is closest to the Sun? Mercury
- How many minutes are there in two hours? One hundred and twenty
- What do bees make? Honey
- What do you call a word that means the same as another word? A synonym
- Which device shows you direction using the Earth's magnetic field? A compass
- What is the name for a doctor who treats teeth? A dentist
- If today is Friday, what day was it yesterday? Thursday
- What gas do plants absorb from the air to make food? Carbon dioxide
- What do we call a period of one hundred years? A century
- Which part of a plant is usually underground? The roots
- What do you call the person who leads an orchestra? A conductor
- At what temperature in degrees Celsius does water boil at sea level? One hundred degrees
- What type of book gives the meanings of words? A dictionary
- What do we call animals that eat only plants? Herbivores
- Which body part do you use to smell? Your nose
- What is the money paid regularly to a landlord for living in a flat called? Rent
- What do we call the area of land next to the sea? The coast (or shore)
- Which instrument measures temperature? A thermometer
- What do you call a written record of a meeting? The minutes
- How many years are there in a decade? Ten
- What do we call a building where you can borrow books? A library
- Which meal is eaten in the morning? Breakfast
- What do we call a person who studies the stars and planets? An astronomer
- What is the largest ocean on Earth? The Pacific Ocean
- What do you call a book of maps? An atlas
- What unit is used to measure electric current? The ampere (amp)
- What is the word for water turning into vapour at the surface? Evaporation
- How many continents are there? Seven
- Which month comes directly after March? April
- What is the plural of 'child'? Children
- What is the opposite of 'expand'? Contract
- What do we call a person who writes a book? An author
- What colour do you get by mixing blue and yellow paint? Green
- How many days are there in a week? Seven
- What do we call a baby dog? A puppy
- Which sea creature has eight arms? An octopus
- What do we call the machines that turn wind into electricity? Wind turbines
- What is the name of the star at the centre of our solar system? The Sun
- How many hours are there in one day? Twenty-four
- What do you call a vehicle that runs on rails through city streets? A tram
- What is the opposite of 'scarce'? Plentiful (abundant)
- Which sea mammal is the largest animal ever known to have lived on Earth? The blue whale
- What do we call a person who is trained to treat sick animals? A vet (veterinarian)
- What is the name for the Earth's natural satellite? The Moon
- What is the term for the total value of all the goods and services a country produces in a year? Gross domestic product (GDP)
- What do economists call a general rise in prices over time? Inflation
- What is the name of the tiny floating organisms that form the base of most ocean food chains? Plankton
- What do we call a group of fish swimming together? A school (or shoal)
- Which type of renewable energy uses heat from beneath the Earth's surface? Geothermal
- What are the flat panels called that turn sunlight directly into electricity? Solar panels (photovoltaic cells)
- Which invention by Johannes Gutenberg made it possible to produce books in large numbers in Europe? The printing press
- What do we call the part of a city where most people live, away from the busy centre? The suburbs
- What is the word for a disease that spreads quickly across many countries at the same time? A pandemic
- What do we call the substance injected into the body to build protection against a disease? A vaccine
- What is the study of the way words are formed and put together into sentences called? Grammar
- What do you call a word that is spelled the same as another word but has a different meaning, such as 'bat' for an animal and a cricket bat? A homonym
- What is the term for a word that is formed from the first letters of a phrase, such as radar or laser? An acronym
- Which is the longest river in Europe? The Volga
- What is the term for the ability to recall past events and information? Memory
- What do we call the point in time when a day and night are of equal length? An equinox
- What is the term for the loss of memory, often caused by injury or illness? Amnesia
- What do we call a market in which there is only one seller of a product? A monopoly
- What is the name of the layer of gases that surrounds the Earth? The atmosphere
- What is the word for an animal that lives by feeding on another living organism, known as its host? A parasite
- What is the word for the study of the origin and history of words? Etymology
- What do we call a device that records and plays back television programmes on magnetic tape? A video recorder (VCR)
- What is the name for the rise in the number of people living in towns and cities compared with the countryside? Urbanisation
- What do we call a plan that governs how land in a city may be used, dividing it into residential, commercial and industrial areas? Zoning
- What word describes how living things gradually change over many generations? Evolution
- What word describes how widespread a disease is in a population at one time? Prevalence
- What do we call a scientist who digs up and studies ancient remains? An archaeologist
- What do we call frozen rain that falls as hard balls of ice? Hail
- Which grain is the main ingredient of most white bread flour? Wheat
- What do you call a vehicle that travels on rails and carries passengers between stations? A train
- Which part of the body contains the brain? The head (skull)
- What do we call a large body of fresh water surrounded by land? A lake
- What is the word for a person who teaches students at a school? A teacher
- How many months are there in a year? Twelve
- What instrument is used to measure rainfall? A rain gauge
- What is the term for growing crops without using soil, with plants in water instead? Hydroponics
- What do we call the cells in the brain and nerves that carry electrical signals? Neurons
- What do we call a long, narrow structure built to carry a road or railway over a river? A bridge
- What is the name for a place on the coast where ships load and unload cargo? A port (or harbour)
- What is the word for the process in which a caterpillar changes into a butterfly? Metamorphosis
- What do you call the study of weather and the atmosphere? Meteorology
- What do we call a rule made by a government that citizens must obey? A law
- What do we call a large mass of ice that moves slowly down a valley? A glacier
- What is the capital city of Italy? Rome
- What do we call the green substance in leaves that absorbs sunlight? Chlorophyll
- What do we call a building where scientists carry out experiments? A laboratory
- What do we call the wearing away of rock and soil by wind or water? Erosion
- Which direction is opposite to north? South
- What do we call a person who studies rocks and the structure of the Earth? A geologist
- What kind of animal is a cobra? A snake
- What is the name of the force that pulls objects towards the Earth? Gravity
- What is the term for a group of stars that forms a recognised pattern in the night sky? A constellation
- What do we call the meat that comes from a pig? Pork (or bacon, ham)
- What is the name of the part of the brain at the back of the head that helps control balance and movement? The cerebellum
- What is a curved structure that spans an opening and supports the weight above it called? An arch
- What do we call goods carried in bulk by ship, train, truck or aircraft? Freight (or cargo)
- What do we call a period of unusually low rainfall that leaves land very dry? A drought
- What is the top layer of the ground, in which plants grow, called? Soil
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to answer Answer Short Question?
The question audio lasts 3 to 9 seconds. You then have 10 seconds to answer. There is no preparation time. The recording starts as soon as the audio ends, with no tone, so answer straight away.
How is Answer Short Question scored?
Each answer is scored as correct or incorrect, based on how appropriate the words in your response are. Pearson awards no credit for a blank or incorrect response, and no extra marks for extra words.
Does this page mark my spoken answer?
Only if you turn on the optional transcript. A speech-to-text step (on-device in most recent browsers, or the browser's own in Chrome and Edge) turns your answer into text, and the page checks whether it contains one of the accepted answers as whole words: 1 for yes, 0 for no, like Pearson's right-or-wrong rule. It is a practice estimate. A misheard word can be marked wrong, and a correct answer in unusual wording can be missed. Without the transcript you play back your recording and compare it with the answer yourself.
Do I need to answer in full sentences?
No. One word or a short phrase is enough, such as 'a thermometer' or 'Thursday'. Extra words earn nothing, and each extra word is another chance to make a mistake.
Which PTE score does Answer Short Question affect?
Pearson states that this item type affects your listening score. It assesses listening and does not assess speaking or writing, even though you answer aloud.
Can I replay the question?
No. The audio plays once and you can record your answer only once. If you stop speaking for about 3 seconds in the middle of an answer, the item is marked complete and you cannot continue.
Is there a PDF of Answer Short Question questions with answers for 2026?
This page includes a printable list of 110 original questions and answers. Use the Print or save as PDF button, then choose Save as PDF in your browser. The site does not host a separate download file.
Are these real or predicted PTE exam questions?
No. Every question here was written from scratch for practice. They follow Pearson's published description of the task (a short spoken question, a one-word or few-word answer), but they are not copies of real test items and are not predictions.
What should I do if I do not know the answer?
Say your best short guess straight away. A blank response scores nothing, and so does a wrong one, so a short guess is never worse than silence.
Kitne seconds mein answer dena hota hai Answer Short Question mein?
You have 10 seconds to answer after a question of about 3 to 9 seconds. Start speaking as soon as the recording begins. Keep the answer to one word or a short phrase.
Answer short question ke answers PDF kahan milenge?
Scroll to the printable list on this page. Use the Print or save as PDF button to keep a copy. All questions are original practice items.