Sample answers · Answer Short Question
PTE Answer Short Question · Listening section
PTE Answer Short Question sample – 8 worked examples.
A featured Q&A with full strategy, eight more worked examples across the topic domains Pearson tests, and a timing plan for the 10-second reply window. Since 7 August 2025, Answer Short Question is scored on Listening only, not Speaking, and is worth 1 correct/incorrect point per item.
Last verified 17 July 2026 · Written for PTE Academic post-August 2025 format · Verified against Pearson's July 2025 Score Guide.
Featured example
Science vocabulary (Earth science)
4.5 seconds audio · plays once, no replay control · no on-screen text.
“What word describes the scientific study of earthquakes?”
Correct answer · one content word
1/1Also accepted: “seismology”, “the study of earthquakes”. Any single content word that names the field scores correct.
Direct definition question. The stimulus names the phenomenon (earthquakes) and asks for the domain term. "Seismology" is the single content word that answers the definition exactly. A one-word answer scores correct; adding a full sentence ("The study of earthquakes is called seismology") also scores correct but uses more of the 10-second window than needed.
8 more worked examples
Across the domains Pearson tests.
| Domain | Question | Answer | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday vocabulary | “In an aeroplane, what do you call the person who serves food and drinks to passengers?” | Flight attendant. Also: steward, stewardess, cabin crew | Multiple correct answers accepted. Any single content word ("attendant", "steward") scores. |
| Science definitions | “What natural gas is released when organic material decomposes without oxygen?” | Methane. Also: biogas | The stimulus gives you two clues ("organic", "without oxygen") that point to a single specific gas. |
| Geography | “Which planet in our solar system is closest to the sun?” | Mercury. | Basic geography knowledge. One answer only – there is no ambiguity to hedge against. |
| Professions | “What do you call a doctor who specialises in treating problems with the teeth and gums?” | Dentist. Also: dental surgeon | Direct profession question. Do not add "a" – ASQ answers are content words, not full sentences. |
| Grammar | “What is the past tense of the verb "to teach"?” | Taught. | Grammar knowledge inside the listening task. Confused past tenses ("teached", "tought") score incorrect. |
| Geometry | “What geometric shape has three equal sides and three equal angles?” | Equilateral triangle. Also: triangle (partial) | "Triangle" alone may not score – the stimulus specifies three EQUAL sides, which is the equilateral case. Full precision matters when the question narrows the definition. |
| Basic science | “What is the name of the frozen water crystals that fall from the sky in cold weather?” | Snow. Also: snowflakes | Simple vocabulary. Single-word answer, no article, no full sentence needed. |
| Anatomy | “What is the largest organ of the human body?” | The skin. Also: skin | "The skin" or just "skin" both score correct. A common trap is answering "liver" – that is the largest INTERNAL organ, not the largest overall. |
These are authored samples in the ASQ style, not real exam items. Never presented to students as leaked test content.
Topic domain map
Where ASQ answers come from.
| Domain | Vocabulary you need warm |
|---|---|
| Science definitions | Names of scientific fields (seismology, botany, cardiology), gases, elements, natural phenomena. |
| Everyday professions | Doctor, teacher, dentist, plumber, chef, pilot, cabin crew, mechanic, librarian. |
| Geography and places | Continents, planets, capital cities, oceans, mountain ranges, well-known landmarks. |
| Anatomy and biology | Body parts, largest/smallest organs, plant parts, animal classifications. |
| Grammar and language | Past tenses, opposites (antonyms), synonyms, plural forms, spelling of common words. |
| Basic mathematics | Geometric shapes, units of measurement, days/months/seasons, basic conversion vocabulary. |
| Everyday objects and materials | Names of tools, kitchen items, materials (metal, glass, plastic), transport vocabulary. |
| Time and calendar | Days of the week, months, seasons, times of day, historical periods (BC, AD, century). |
All ASQ answers sit at general-audience vocabulary level. There is no specialist or advanced terminology. 5 minutes daily of general-vocabulary listening (BBC 6 Minute English, everyday-English podcasts) is enough to keep the item bank warm.
Timing plan
3 to 9 seconds of audio, 10 seconds to answer.
| Time | Stage | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0s | Audio starts | The 3 to 9 second question begins playing. No visual, no prep window. Listen for the interrogative word (What, Which, Who, Where, How many) and the topic noun. |
| 0 to 5s | Audio ends | The status box switches to "Recording". NO tone or beep on Answer Short Question (unlike Read Aloud, Describe Image, Retell Lecture, SGD, RTS). Start speaking within 1 second. |
| 5 to 6s | Deliver the answer | One or two content words at natural pace. Aim to finish inside 2 seconds. Long-winded sentences waste the window and can confuse the AI transcript match. |
| ≥ 3s silence | Auto-stop | Recording auto-stops after 3 seconds of silence. Say your answer clearly, hold for 1 second, and the recording ends automatically. |
ASQ is scored 1 correct / 0 incorrect. Guessing beats silence because there is no negative marking: a wrong guess and a silence both score 0, but a guess has some probability of being right. Always record a plausible content word within the 10-second window.
6 common ASQ mistakes
Small-item failures that leave 3 to 5 marks on the table.
| Mistake | What it costs you |
|---|---|
| Answering in a full sentence ("The scientific study of earthquakes is called seismology") | Wastes the 10-second window and increases the chance the AI transcription drops your content word. One or two content words is safer and equally correct. |
| Silence for 2 to 3 seconds while you think | The recorder starts the moment the audio ends. Dead air at the start is wasted answer time. If you do not know the answer immediately, guess your best content word. |
| Guessing at random when unsure | ASQ is correct/incorrect, no partial credit and no negative marking. A wrong guess scores 0 (same as silence), so guessing beats silence – but always guess a plausible content word, not a random noun. |
| Answering "yes" or "no" to a "what" question | ASQ questions are almost always What / Which / Who / Where / How many. Yes/no is the wrong answer form and scores 0. Listen for the interrogative word. |
| Adding an article ("a dentist", "a triangle") when the answer is a single word | Usually still marked correct, but on ambiguous items ("an equilateral triangle" vs "triangle") the article can obscure the exact match Pearson expects. Bare content word is safest. |
| Answering in your first language, or with a translated word that is not standard English | The AI scores against an English content word bank. Non-English answers or unusual regional variants score 0. Use standard British or American English. |
FAQ
Answer Short Question, answered.
How is PTE Answer Short Question scored?
Correct or incorrect, per Pearson's July 2025 Score Guide. Each item is worth 1 point. There is no partial credit. There is no negative marking. Silence, wrong answers and unrelated content all score 0. Since 7 August 2025, ASQ is scored on Listening only, not Speaking – meaning your pronunciation is not rated on this task, only whether the AI transcription matches an accepted answer.
How many Answer Short Question items are on the PTE Academic test?
5 to 6 items per test per Pearson's July 2025 Score Guide. Because each is worth just 1 correct/incorrect point, ASQ is a smaller contributor to your overall score than partial-credit tasks like Repeat Sentence or Describe Image. But it is a fast, no-preparation win for candidates with strong general vocabulary.
How long is the audio for Answer Short Question?
3 to 9 seconds per Pearson's Score Guide. Most items are 4 to 6 seconds. The audio plays exactly once with no replay control. You then have 10 seconds to record your one- or few-word answer. There is no on-screen text, no image, and no preparation window.
Is there a beep before recording starts on Answer Short Question?
No. Answer Short Question and Repeat Sentence are the two recording tasks in Part 1 that have no tone. The status box just switches from "Waiting" to "Recording" the moment the audio ends. All other recording tasks (Read Aloud, Describe Image, Retell Lecture, Summarize Group Discussion, Respond to a Situation) do play a short beep.
Since ASQ is now Listening-only, is pronunciation still graded?
No, not on the ASQ item itself. Since 7 August 2025, ASQ scores only Listening, not Speaking. Your answer just needs to be transcribed by the AI as a correct content word. That said, if your pronunciation is unclear enough that the AI cannot transcribe your answer accurately, you will still score 0 because the wrong text will register. Clear pronunciation still matters mechanically, even though it is not a scored trait.
What topic domains does Answer Short Question test?
Everyday vocabulary (professions, objects, food, transport), basic science definitions, geography (planets, continents, capitals), grammar (past tenses, opposites), simple mathematics (shapes, units), and anatomy (body parts). See the domain map on this page for the full list. There is no advanced or specialist vocabulary – all answers are at general-audience level.
How can I train for Answer Short Question?
Two habits. First, listen to 5 minutes of general-vocabulary podcast content daily (BBC 6 Minute English, Everyday English) to keep the everyday word bank warm. Second, drill definition-format questions: pick a category (professions, geography, science), and quiz yourself with the "What word describes..." format. Most Band 79 candidates get 5 of 6 ASQ items correct.
Keep going with Answer Short Question
One pattern, three depths.
You've just read the band 79 worked example. Here's the rest of the loop for this task.
Reusable framework
Answer Short Question template
The reusable answer framework — structure, sentence starters, timing marks — that fits any Answer Short Question prompt.
Read the template →Interactive drill
Practise Answer Short Question
Free interactive drills — do the reps yourself with the model answer revealed after each attempt.
Start the drill →Further reading
Related tools.
- → Answer Short Question guide – task overview and free practice drills.
- → Repeat Sentence sample – the sibling short-audio task with a verbatim spoken output.
- → Listening section overview – all listening task types.
- → PTE vocabulary bank – general-audience word lists across the ASQ domains.
- → Take a free scored mock – real ASQ items with AI scoring.