Describe Image · Framework
PTE Describe Image Template: a 40-second structure for every chart type
Describe Image gives you 25 seconds to look at a visual and 40 seconds to speak. Pearson scores Content (did you describe the key features?), Oral Fluency (smooth, connected speech without long pauses) and Pronunciation (recognisable sounds, stress and rhythm). The template below gives you a 5-part spoken structure that lasts exactly 40 seconds at natural pace. Memorise the openers, fill in what THIS image shows, and you will always fill the time without inventing content.
Quick answer
The best PTE Describe Image template is a 5-part 40-second structure: overview, most prominent feature, comparison or second feature, overall trend, and one-sentence conclusion. Fill it with real data from the image on your screen (not a memorised script) or Pearson can score Content 0 and zero the whole item.
Read this first
A fully-memorised template that ignores the image can score 0. Pearson's Test Taker Score Guide is explicit: if your response contains no relevant content, Content scores 0 and 'the whole item scores 0 with no further scoring'. The framework below tells you what to say WHERE. What you say is your job, and it has to come from the actual chart or diagram in front of you.
The framework
How the framework works
Read the sections in order. Each one is a step of the framework, with adaptable sentence starters you fill from the actual prompt.
The 5-part spoken structure (40 seconds)
Part 1 — Overview (5 sec): "This [chart type] shows [topic] in/over [time period or location]." Part 2 — Highest / most prominent (8 sec): "The most notable feature is that [highest value or dominant category], which [accounts for / reaches / stands at] [figure from THIS image]." Part 3 — Second feature or comparison (8 sec): "In contrast, [second category or lowest value] [verb] [figure], making it [relationship: half / twice / significantly lower]." Part 4 — Trend or overall pattern (8 sec): "Overall, [trend sentence — rising, falling, stable, fluctuating] over the period / across the categories." Part 5 — Conclusion (6 to 8 sec): "In summary, the [chart/image] highlights that [main takeaway in one clause]." Total: roughly 40 seconds at natural pace.
Opener by chart type
Bar chart: "This bar chart compares [topic] across [categories/years]." Line graph: "This line graph illustrates the trend in [topic] between [start year] and [end year]." Pie chart: "This pie chart presents the distribution of [topic], broken down by [categories]." Table: "This table summarises [topic] for [countries/years/categories]." Process diagram: "This diagram outlines the stages involved in [process]." Map: "These maps compare [location] in [year 1] and [year 2], showing changes in [land use / infrastructure]." Photo: "This photograph depicts [main subject] in [setting]."
Filler phrases when you spot the data but need time
- "It is worth noting that..." - "The data also suggests that..." - "A key observation is that..." - "This is particularly evident in..." - "The figures indicate that..." Use one of these to bridge from Part 3 to Part 4 if you finish your comparison early. Do NOT use long pauses: a pause of more than 3 seconds can auto-stop the recording and always hurts Oral Fluency more than a filler phrase.
What to do in the 25-second prep time
1. Read the title and axis labels (or caption). This is your overview sentence. 2. Find the highest and lowest values. These are your Part 2 and Part 3. 3. Identify the overall trend (up, down, stable, mixed). This is Part 4. 4. Do NOT try to mention every single data point. Describe the main story, not the spreadsheet.
What Pearson scores on Describe Image
- Content: did you describe the key information accurately? You do not need to mention every number: the main features are what count. If Content = 0, the whole item scores 0 with no further scoring. - Oral Fluency: smooth, connected speech. Avoid long pauses, repeated restarts and filler sounds ('um', 'uh', 'er'). Keep talking. - Pronunciation: are your words recognisable? You do not need a native accent: you need each word to be identifiable at normal speed. Since the August 2025 format update, Describe Image contributes to your Speaking score only. It is scored by both the AI and a human examiner.
The single most common mistake
Silence. Most candidates run out of things to say after 15 seconds and sit in silence for the remaining 25. Silence directly loses Oral Fluency marks and after about 3 seconds can auto-stop the recording. If you have described everything you can see, loop back: "To summarise once more, this [chart] clearly demonstrates that [main takeaway]." Repeating your conclusion in different words is better than silence.
Worked examples
The framework applied
Same framework, different prompts. Each answer is filled with real content, not a memorised script.
Bar chart: renewable energy capacity in gigawatts for Australia, Germany, China and the United States in 2020 and 2024.
The stimulus
Australia 30 to 55 GW, Germany 130 to 165, China 940 to 1420, USA 290 to 380.
Renewable energy capacity, gigawatts (GW)
Your 40-second spoken answer
This bar chart compares renewable energy capacity in gigawatts for four countries in 2020 and 2024. The most notable feature is China, which grew from 940 to over 1400 gigawatts, by far the largest jump on the chart. In contrast, Australia had the smallest capacity, rising from 30 to about 55 gigawatts, roughly an 80 percent increase from a low base. Germany moved steadily from 130 to 165, and the United States from 290 to 380. Overall, renewable capacity grew in every country between 2020 and 2024, with China accounting for by far the largest absolute increase. In summary, the chart highlights a global shift toward renewables, led decisively by China.
Why this scores: Uses the 5-part frame filled with real numbers from the image. No memorised throwaway line at the start. About 40 seconds at natural pace.
Line graph: monthly rainfall in Perth, Sydney and Brisbane over one calendar year.
The stimulus
Perth peaks June to August (winter rainfall), Sydney relatively even year-round, Brisbane peaks January to March (summer rainfall).
Monthly rainfall, millimetres (mm)
Your 40-second spoken answer
This line graph illustrates the trend in monthly rainfall across three Australian cities over a calendar year. The most notable feature is that Perth peaks sharply in June and July, reflecting a Mediterranean winter-rainfall climate. In contrast, Brisbane peaks in January and February, with a very different summer-dominant pattern typical of the subtropics. Sydney sits between the two, with rainfall spread fairly evenly across the year. Overall, the three cities show three distinct rainfall regimes on the same continent, driven by their different latitudes and coastal exposures. In summary, this graph makes clear that Australia does not have a single rainfall pattern.
Why this scores: Same 5-part frame, but the content is entirely specific to this graph. Notice how Part 4 (trend) becomes an insight, not just a movement label — that lifts Content.
Pie chart: composition of household energy use in the United Arab Emirates, split into air conditioning, water heating, lighting, appliances and other.
The stimulus
Air conditioning around 65 percent, water heating 12, appliances 10, lighting 8, other 5.
UAE household energy use, percent
Your 40-second spoken answer
This pie chart presents the distribution of household energy use in the United Arab Emirates. The most notable feature is that air conditioning dominates, accounting for roughly 65 percent of household energy consumption. In contrast, lighting represents only about 8 percent, and other uses just 5, making them minor contributors by comparison. Water heating and appliances each fall around 10 to 12 percent. Overall, cooling drives the vast majority of household demand, which reflects the extreme climate conditions of the region. In summary, the chart demonstrates that residential energy policy in the UAE effectively means air-conditioning policy.
Why this scores: The Gulf-focused prompt is deliberate: our target audience includes Middle East test-takers. The framework applies unchanged, but the closing takeaway reads as insight rather than a memorised line.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best PTE Describe Image template?
A 5-part spoken structure that fills the 40-second recording: overview, most prominent feature, comparison, overall trend, one-sentence conclusion. It works across bar charts, line graphs, pie charts, tables, process diagrams, maps and photos. The critical rule: fill each part with real data from THIS image, not a memorised script.
Does Pearson penalise memorised Describe Image templates?
Yes. Per Pearson's Test Taker Score Guide, if your Content trait scores 0 (for example a memorised template with no reference to this image's data), the whole item scores 0 with no further scoring. Frame + real content is safe. Frame + no real content is not.
How long should a Describe Image answer be?
Fill the full 40 seconds. Long silences beyond about 3 seconds can auto-stop the recording and always cost Oral Fluency marks. If you finish your description early, loop back with a rephrased conclusion rather than going silent.
What if I cannot identify the chart type in 25 seconds?
Describe what you see with confidence. Say 'this image shows' if you are unsure of the label, then describe the highest and lowest features and any obvious trend. A confident, on-topic answer beats a hesitant attempt at technical accuracy.
Do I need a different template for each chart type?
No. The same 5-part frame works for every chart type. You only change the OPENER sentence to match: 'this bar chart', 'this line graph', 'this pie chart' and so on. The rest of the frame is identical.
Which words are worth memorising for Describe Image?
Chart-type openers (bar chart, line graph, pie chart, table, diagram, map), trend verbs (rose, fell, plateaued, fluctuated) and comparison phrases (in contrast, by comparison, significantly higher/lower). Beyond that, avoid memorising sentences: numbers, categories and specific features MUST come from the image.
Does Describe Image affect any skill other than Speaking?
Since the August 2025 PTE Academic format update, Describe Image contributes only to your Speaking score. It is scored by both the AI and a human examiner reviewing Content, which is why real image-specific content matters more here than on some other tasks.
Keep going with Describe Image
One pattern, three depths.
You've just read the reusable framework. Here's the rest of the loop for this task.
Band 79 worked example
Describe Image Band 79 sample
A verbatim Band 79 response scored against Pearson's rubric, with a Band 65 comparison.
Read the sample →Interactive drill
Practise Describe Image
Free interactive drills — do the reps yourself with the model answer revealed after each attempt.
Start the drill →Reach your target PTE score faster.
The framework protects your Form marks. A full mock tells you the real score.
Last reviewed 2026-07-08. Based on the current PTE Academic format (updated 7 August 2025) and Pearson's Test Taker Score Guide.