Is PTE Academic Easier or Harder Since the August 2025 Changes?
A module-by-module breakdown based on real exam testing, where questions were deliberately answered in isolation to see exactly where the points actually come from now.
Three of the four modules got easier since PTE's August 2025 scoring changes: Speaking, Writing, and Listening. Reading got harder. The reason: open-ended Speaking tasks now carry far more weight than closed-ended ones like Read Aloud, Writing points now come from your own writing rather than a Reading/Listening-based score, and most Listening points actually come from Speaking performance. Reading, by contrast, now draws its points almost entirely from Reading itself, with less time allowed to work through it.
Since PTE's scoring changes in August 2025, one question keeps coming up: did the exam get easier, or harder? Based on real exam testing — deliberately answering questions in isolation to trace exactly where points come from in the new system — the honest answer is: it depends entirely on which module you're asking about.
Why This Isn't a Simple Yes or No
The August 2025 changes didn't just adjust individual question types — they changed how points get distributed across the four modules. Some tasks that used to carry real weight now carry very little, and some skills that used to be scored mostly on their own now borrow points from entirely different modules. That's why "easier or harder" needs a module-by-module answer, not a single verdict.
Speaking
EasierOpen-ended Speaking tasks — where you choose your own words and speak freely — now carry significantly more points than before. Closed-ended tasks like Read Aloud and Repeat Sentence, where you're reproducing exact words, still count, but they're no longer where the bulk of the Speaking score comes from. That shift toward rewarding free, natural speech makes Speaking noticeably more achievable than it used to be.
Writing
EasierWriting points used to be tied to Reading and Listening performance — meaning a weak Reading score could drag your Writing score down with it, even if your actual writing was strong. That's no longer the case. Writing points now come from how you write, not from a separate skill. If you're comfortable writing in your own words and don't overcomplicate it into something resembling academic or journalistic writing, this is one of the more achievable parts of the current exam — though mistakes here still cost you the points you'd otherwise earn.
Listening
EasierMost Listening points don't actually come from dedicated listening comprehension tasks — they come from your Speaking performance. Only one task type in the entire Listening module meaningfully contributes points on its own; everything else is effectively borrowed from Speaking. Practically, this means performing well in Speaking carries over directly into a stronger Listening score.
Reading
HarderReading is the one module that got harder. Reading points now come predominantly from Reading itself, rather than being partially covered by other skills the way they sometimes used to be. On top of that, the time allowed to work through Reading questions was reduced. Between less borrowed support from other modules and less time on the clock, Reading is where the real difficulty increase sits.
What This Means for How You Prepare
If your overall goal is a passing or target score, Reading deserves disproportionate attention compared to the other three modules — not because it's inherently unteachable, but because it's the one area that got harder while everything else became more forgiving. Strong Speaking performance now pays off twice, since it also lifts your Listening score. For a deeper look at exactly which tasks feed which score, see our breakdown of which tasks affect Extended Writing vs. Short Writing. It's also worth reading 3 things most students get wrong about PTE scoring, since the point-weighting shift discussed there is closely related to this module breakdown.
Easier or Harder — Summary
| Module | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | Easier | Open-ended tasks now worth far more than closed-ended ones |
| Writing | Easier | Points now come from your own writing, not Reading/Listening |
| Listening | Easier | Most points are borrowed from your Speaking performance |
| Reading | Harder | Points now come mostly from Reading itself, with less time allowed |
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the module. Speaking, Writing, and Listening all became easier based on real exam testing, while Reading became harder. Reading now draws its points more directly from Reading itself and has less time allowed than before.
Open-ended Speaking tasks, where you choose your own words, now carry significantly more weight than closed-ended tasks like Read Aloud and Repeat Sentence. That shift rewards natural, free speech more than exact reproduction.
Most Listening points come from Speaking performance rather than from dedicated listening comprehension tasks. Only one task type in the Listening module contributes points meaningfully on its own — the rest is effectively tied to how well you did in Speaking.
Reading points now come predominantly from Reading itself, rather than being partially covered by other modules. The time allowed to complete Reading questions was also reduced, adding time pressure on top of the scoring change.
Reading deserves disproportionate attention, since it's the only module that got harder while the other three became more forgiving. Strong Speaking performance is also worth prioritizing, since it directly lifts your Listening score as well.
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