PTE Home B1: the test explained
PTE Home B1 is Pearson's computer-based speaking and listening test for UK citizenship and settlement. You wear a headset at a Pearson test centre (not at home, despite the name) and answer 32 questions in up to 22 minutes. A computer scores it Pass or Fail, it costs £160 in the UK, and results usually arrive within two days.
The four task types
| Task | How many | What you do | Timing Pearson confirms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repeat Sentence | 17 | Hear a short sentence and repeat it exactly after the tone. | No preparation: you speak straight after the tone. |
| Describe Image | 4 or 5 | Look at a picture and describe it. | 25 seconds to study it, then 25 seconds to speak. |
| Retell Story | 4 | Hear a short story and retell it in your own words: the situation, characters, actions and ending. | 30 seconds to speak. The microphone opens at the tone straight after the audio. |
| Story: Listen and Answer | 4 or 5 stories | Hear a story, then three questions about it. Answer each in one or a few words. | The story starts after a 10-second countdown. This task comes in the last section. |
Counts and timings from Pearson's PTE Home B1 page and its official task videos. Pearson doesn't state the speaking time for Repeat Sentence or for each Story answer, so we don't give one.
On the day
- The session lasts no more than 30 minutes, with no scheduled breaks.
- Test rooms have no more than 15 seats.
- You can't go back to earlier questions to change an answer.
Scoring and results
PTE Home B1 is scored by computer (AI), and you get a simple Pass or Fail. Pearson doesn't publish the score behind the pass. Your score report usually arrives within 48 hours; Pearson aims for within five business days. It includes a SELT URN, which you use on your application. Pearson shares results with the Home Office automatically, so you don't send the report yourself. Results are valid for two years from the test date. Results for all four tests.
Fee and booking
- Fee: £160 in the UK.
- Book: at Pearson's PTE Home B1 booking page. Choose B1, not A1 or A2.
How to prepare
- Repeat Sentence is 17 of the 32 questions. Practise holding a whole sentence in your head and saying it back at a natural pace.
- Describe Image: use your 25 seconds to pick three or four things to mention, then keep talking until the time runs out.
- Retell Story: there's no thinking time after the audio, so jot down who, what happened and how it ended while you listen.
- Story: Listen and Answer: answers are short. Listen for names, places, times and reasons.
- Use Pearson's free course: seven videos and three practice tasks on the PTE Home B1 page.
- See where you stand with our free PTE Home B1 diagnostic.
Common questions
Can I take PTE Home at home?
No. Pearson describes it as a short, computer-based test taken at a test centre.
Are the timings the same as PTE Academic?
Not for the tasks Pearson has shown. Describe Image gives 25 seconds to speak and Retell Story 30 seconds with no preparation time. Don't practise to PTE Academic timings.
Does PTE Home B1 count for settlement after 26 March 2027?
Pearson says it's approved for citizenship and settlement at B1. From 26 March 2027 most settlement applications need B2, so it will only help on the routes that stay at B1. B1 or B2?
General information. We're independent of Pearson and the Home Office. Sources: Pearson: PTE Home B1; Pearson: PTE Home scoring; PTE Home Test Taker Handbook; Pearson UK pricing; Pearson task videos: Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Retell Story, Story: Listen and Answer; GOV.UK: Secure English Language Tests. Checked 20 October 2026.