PTE Academic and Core Respond To a Situation Templates (UPDATED) and Tips

Welcome to our easy guide about the PTE Academic and Core Respond to a Situation task! This question type, is designed to test how you use English in real-world scenarios.

It’s not an academic essay or a complex lecture; it’s a test of your ability to communicate effectively in everyday life. For many students, this can be a bit confusing. What are they supposed to say? How formal should they be?

This guide will demystify the task completely. You will learn exactly:

a. What the computer is listening for,
b. How to analyze the situation, and
c. How to use simple, flexible templates to structure your answer.

Understanding PTE Respond to a Situation Task

Both PTE Academic and Core test includes a task called “Respond to a Situation.” In this task, you are given a situation and you need to respond to it appropriately. This helps assess how well you can use English in real-life scenarios.

What is PTE Respond to a Situation?

In the PTE Respond to a Situation task, you’ll listen to a short scenario. It might be something like asking for directions, making a suggestion, or giving advice. After hearing the situation, you need to respond in a clear and suitable way.

How Does PTE Respond to a Situation Scoring in Core?

Your response in the PTE Core Respond to a Situation task is scored based on three main factors:

Appropriacy

Appropriacy means how suitable your response is for the given situation. For example, if someone asks for help, your reply should be polite and helpful.

Fluency

Fluency refers to how smoothly and easily you speak. Your speech should flow without too many pauses or hesitations.

Pronunciation

Pronunciation is about how clearly you pronounce the words. It’s important that the listener can understand you easily.

Also Read: PTE Exam Update 2025

Also Read: New PTE Academic Summarize Group Discussion Guide

Also Read: PTE Describe Image Template and Strategies to Achieve High Score

How Does PTE Respond to a Situation Scoring in Academic?

In Respond to a Situation, your answer is judged on three key areas:

Content

Your response must be relevant and accurate to the situation. Use the given information correctly, without misinterpreting or missing details. Choose appropriate formal or informal expressions depending on the scenario.

Pronunciation

Your speech should be clear and understandable to most English speakers. Correct vowel and consonant sounds, natural stress, and proper intonation help you score higher. Accents are fine as long as they don’t block understanding.

Oral Fluency

Speak with a smooth, natural rhythm. Maintain a steady pace with correct phrasing and stress. Avoid hesitations, repetitions, or false starts, as these reduce your score.

PTE Academic and Core Respond to a Situation Template

Having a template in mind can help you structure your responses. Here’s a simple template you can use:

PTE Respond to a Situation Template

Introduction: 

Hi / Hi ____,

Body: 

Can we talk for a moment?

The first sentence of the question will be converted to the first person (i.e; I or We).

The second sentence of the question will be converted to the first person (i.e; I or We).

Could you please help me out / think about it?

I would really appreciate it.

Conclusion: 

Thanks for understanding! / Thank you so much for your help.

Tips For Using RTS Template

1. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate name according to the question.

2. Convert the question to the first Person

3. Explain the Issue from your perspective

4. Keep it concise and clear

PTE Academic and Core Respond To a Situation Sample Questions And Answers

Let’s look at a few sample questions and answers using the above template. Here are some examples from OnePTE’s ‘Respond To a Situation’ section for Academic  and Core . You can practice in OnePTE App for free.

PTE Respond To a Situation Practice Questions #1

High Shelf Book‘ (type ‘High Shelf Book’ in the search bar of the ‘RTS’ section for practicing in Academic)

Question:

You’re at a library, and the book you’re looking for is on a high shelf. You want to ask a librarian for assistance. What would you say to them?

Answer:

Hi,

Can we talk for a moment?

I’m looking for a book, but it’s on a high shelf that I can’t reach.

Could you please help me get it?

I’d really appreciate it if you could either bring it down or show me the best way to access it safely.

Thanks for understanding!

Also Read: PTE Email Writing Template & Tips

PTE Respond To a Situation Practice Questions #2

Food Order (type ‘Food Order ’ in the search bar of the ‘RTS’ section for practicing in Core)

Question

You are at a restaurant, and your food order is incorrect. You want to ask the waiter to correct it. What would you tell the waiter?

Answer:

Hi,

Can we talk for a moment?

I ordered food but my food order is incorrect.

I want to ask you to correct it.

Could you please help me out?

I would really appreciate it.

Thanks for understanding!

PTE Respond To a Situation Practice Questions 3#

Assignment Clarification (type ‘Assignment Clarification ’ in the search bar of the ‘RTS’ section for practicing in Core)

Question:

Your professor has given unclear instructions for an assignment, and many students are confused. You need to ask for clarification on behalf of the class. What would you say to your professor?

Answer:

Hi professor,

Can we talk for a moment?

You’ve given unclear instructions for an assignment, and many of us are confused.

I need to ask for clarification on behalf of the class.

Could you please help us out?

I would really appreciate it.

Thanks for understanding!

Also Read: PTE Retell Lecture Template To Ace Your Speaking Test

Tips for a High Score in Respond to a Situation

• Use the 10-Second Prep Time: Don’t just sit in silence. Use the 10 seconds to decide if the situation is formal or informal and to choose which template you will use.
• Match Your Tone to the Context: If it’s a formal complaint, your tone should be polite and professional. If it’s an informal message from a friend, your tone can be more relaxed and friendly.
• Speak for 30-35 Seconds: You have 40 seconds, but you don’t need to use all of it. A clear, well-structured answer of around 30-35 seconds is perfect. Don’t rush to fill the time.

Frequently Asked Questions About Respond to a Situation

Q1. Do I need to come up with a very creative solution?

No. The test is not evaluating your problem-solving skills; it is evaluating your English. A simple, logical, and clearly communicated solution is all you need.

Q2. What if I can’t think of anything to say?

If your mind goes blank, fall back on the basic structure. Acknowledge the situation clearly. Even if you can’t think of a perfect solution, saying something like, “I understand the problem. I will need to look into this and get back to you with a solution shortly,” is much better than a long, hesitant silence.

Q3. Does this task appear in both PTE Academic and PTE Core?

Yes. This is one of the tasks that is common to both versions of the PTE test. The scenarios are typically related to general life, workplace, or academic situations.

This task is your chance to show you can use English in a practical, real-world way. By quickly identifying the context and using a simple structure, you can provide a fluent and appropriate response every time.

To see how this task fits into the larger Speaking section, you can practice on our full PTE Speaking practice page or test yourself under exam conditions with a PTE Speaking Sectional Mock Test.

Ready to see how you perform on the whole test? Take a free, full-length PTE mock test with a complete score report.