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Sample answers · Describe Image

PTE Describe Image · Speaking section

PTE Describe Image sample — Band 79 line chart response.

A full 40-second Describe Image response at Band 79 with a 25-second study plan, timing marks and the Content / Oral Fluency / Pronunciation trait breakdown. Includes a weaker Band 65 version for comparison.

Last verified 10 July 2026 · Written for PTE Academic post-August 2025 format · Verified against Pearson's July 2025 Score Guide.

The stimulus

Global renewable energy capacity, 2018–2024 (line chart)

  • Chart type: single-line graph.
  • X-axis: years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.
  • Y-axis: installed capacity in gigawatts (GW), scale 0 to 3,500.
  • Data points: 2018 = 1,150 GW · 2019 = 1,320 GW · 2020 = 1,530 GW · 2021 = 1,850 GW · 2022 = 2,240 GW · 2023 = 2,720 GW · 2024 = 3,180 GW.
  • Overall trend: consistent upward trajectory across the whole period, with the growth rate accelerating from 2021 onward.

Model response · Band 79

13 / 15 traits

The 40-second band-79 spoken response.

The line graph illustrates global renewable energy capacity from 2018 to 2024, measured in gigawatts. Overall, capacity rose steadily across the entire period, more than doubling by the end. Starting at around 1,150 gigawatts in 2018, capacity climbed to roughly 1,530 by 2020. From 2021 onwards the pace accelerated markedly, reaching 2,720 in 2023 and 3,180 in 2024. The steepest year-on-year growth occurred between 2022 and 2023, when capacity added nearly 500 gigawatts. In summary, the chart shows sustained expansion of renewable capacity, with a clear acceleration in the second half of the period.

Word count: 95. Target delivery: 38–40 seconds at natural pace. Five sentences following the overview → data → data → comparison → wrap frame.

Timing plan

65 seconds, second by second.

TimeStageWhat to do
0–25sStudy periodRead the title. Identify chart type. Note 3 numbers: start, end, biggest jump. Mentally sketch the 5-part frame.
25sBeep + recordBegin speaking immediately. Every second of silence at the start costs you Content and Oral Fluency.
25–30sSentence 1 — overview'The line graph illustrates … from … to …, measured in …'
30–36sSentence 2 — trend lineOne-sentence direction summary. 'Overall, capacity rose steadily / declined sharply / fluctuated.'
36–50sSentence 3 — data pointsTwo or three concrete numbers with dates. This is where Content is earned or lost.
50–58sSentence 4 — comparisonOne comparison move ('the steepest growth was between X and Y' / 'the highest point was reached in …').
58–65sSentence 5 — wrap'In summary / To conclude, …' — restate the overall trend in one line.

Trait breakdown

What earned each trait score.

TraitScoreWhy it scored there
Content5/5Overview + at least 3 specific data points + comparison move + conclusion. Every element the AI + human reviewer expect.
Oral Fluency4/5Natural pace, no long pauses, complete sentences. Deduct 1 for two brief hesitations mid-response.
Pronunciation4/5Clear stress and intonation. Difficult words (gigawatts, capacity, trajectory) pronounced correctly.
Total13/15Consistent with Band 79 speaking on this task.

Note: Content is scored by both AI and a human on Describe Image — one of the 7 double-marked task types. Oral Fluency and Pronunciation are AI-only. Human reviewers never score pronunciation.

The Band 65 comparison

Same chart at Band 65.

The graph is about renewable energy. It shows years from 2018 to 2024. In 2018 the value was 1150 and after that it goes up. In 2020 it was 1530 and in 2022 it was 2240. Then it goes up more and in 2024 it becomes 3180. So the trend is up. It is a very big increase from 2018 to 2024. That means renewable energy is growing.

Word count: 74. What it loses: no chart-type opener, no comparison move, no closer. Content 3/5, Fluency 3/5, Pronunciation 3/5.

Delta at a glance

  • Opener: Band 79 names the chart type. Band 65 says "the graph is about renewable energy" — vague, unmarked.
  • Data density: Band 79 places 3 data points AND a comparison. Band 65 lists 4 numbers but no comparison move.
  • Trend framing: Band 79 uses "rose steadily", "accelerated markedly", "steepest year-on-year growth". Band 65 uses "goes up" three times.
  • Wrap-up: Band 79 closes with "In summary…". Band 65 tails off with an interpretive claim ("that means renewable energy is growing") that adds no chart information.

FAQ

Describe Image samples, answered.

How long is the PTE Describe Image response?

You have 25 seconds to study the image, then a beep signals the start of a 40-second recording window. Aim to speak for 35 to 40 seconds — long enough to hit all 5 parts of the frame, short enough that you finish before the microphone cuts.

What is the Describe Image scoring rubric?

Three traits: Content (0–5), Oral Fluency (0–5) and Pronunciation (0–5). Content is scored by both AI and a human reviewer — Describe Image is one of the 7 double-marked task types. Oral Fluency and Pronunciation are AI-only. Maximum raw score is 15.

How many data points do I need to mention?

At least three specific numbers with dates or categories. Two is thin. Four to five is safer. Do not read every number on the chart — pick the extremes (highest, lowest) and one comparison point. Content is where most points are lost, and it is where a human reviewer looks first.

Do I need to describe the chart type in the opener?

Yes. Start with 'The line graph / bar chart / pie chart / table shows …'. This immediately anchors the description, tells the AI you can identify the chart type and gives you a rhythm to open. Skipping this costs Content and delays your speech start.

What if I run out of things to say before 40 seconds?

End with a one-sentence conclusion ('In summary, the chart shows …') and stop. Silence at the end is fine. Padding with 'umm', 'ahh' or restating the same numbers hurts Oral Fluency and Pronunciation. A clean 32-second response beats a 38-second response with three seconds of filler.

Related

Next steps.