PTE Answer Short Question Tips and Tricks | Top 10 

Do you remember the rapid fire quiz rounds in television shows? PTE Answer Short Question is similar to that. In this article we will discuss some tips and tricks to help you get full marks in this question type. There are a large number of questions of this time in exam. So, if you do well at these you can give a big boost to your PTE Academic score.

Here are the Top 10 PTE Answer Short Question Tips and Tricks for 2025!

Let’s check out each tip one by one:

Answer as soon as the microphone opens, don’t wait for the tone

You will have a large number of questions of this type and they will come at you quickly one after the other, so be ready and as soon as the microphone opens up give your answer. There won’t be any tone to indicate that the recording has started. Look at the recording status on the screen and based on that start your response.

Maintain your focus while listening

As there are too many questions to answer, it is possible that you might lose your focus. Don’t let that happen. Be fully attentive both while listening to the question and while giving your answer. This is a very simple but very important point in our PTE Answer Short Question Tips and Tricks list!

Don’t try to take notes in PTE Answer Short Question

The questions are short and if you try to write them down you will either miss a part of the question or fail to understand anything at all. Therefore practice enough that you can understand by hearing once and give your answer immediately after that. If you ponder for a few seconds you might forget what you have heard or become confused about that.

Don’t be nervous when giving your answer

You only have to speak a word or couple of words. So say it will full confidence, don’t worry about the right or wrong. This tip is applicable to all questions in PTE Speaking section.

Don’t stay silent while you think about the question

Ideally your answer should be ready as soon as the question has ended. If you are silent for too long the microphone might shut down, so better be confident and give an answer quickly.

Feel free to correct yourself if you make a mistake

If you have made a mistake – for e.g. mispronounced the answer – you can correct it and speak again. Don’t get stuck at any point.

Practice common questions before the exam

The questions in PTE Answer Short Question are based on common everyday general knowledge topics. You don’t need any specialized knowledge to answer these questions. 

Don’t attempt to give a smart answer

We have seen many test takers who unnecessarily complicate this question type. They think too much! For e.g. if the question is – “Who is responsible for flying an airplane”, the simple and correct answer is – “a pilot”, but some people will think too much and say – “air traffic controller”. What comes to your mind first is usually the correct answer.

Speak clearly and pronounce the words correctly

You only have to speak a word or couple of words. So it is important that they are spoken clearly and the pronunciation is correct. If the computer isn’t able to understand the word or interprets it as something else, you will not get a point for that.

Practice a rapid fire round with a friend

Just like in the television quiz shows, request a friend to ask you 10-15 questions one after another. This is good way to practice and also have a lot of fun.

Make the most of these PTE Answer Short Question tips and tricks by ensuring you also practice with good questions! That is why we strongly recommend that you sign up for a PTE Mock Test package. If you have any questions about our study packages feel free to get in touch!