Describe Image – Speaking Section

Describe Image

You’ll be shown an image (it could be a graph, chart, map, or a simple photo) and you’ll need to describe it in your own words. In this section test takers complete between 3-4 items in total.

The Describe Image task in the PTE Speaking section assesses your ability to describe, interpret and explain information presented visually. You might encounter various types of images like graphs, charts, tables, diagrams, maps or photos.

Here’s how it works:

• You’ll be shown an image on the screen.
• You’ll have 25 seconds to prepare and understand what the image is about.
• After the preparation time, you’ll have 40 seconds to describe the image as accurately and in as much detail as possible.

Scoring is based on three factors:

• Content: How accurate, complete, and relevant was your description?
• Oral Fluency: Was your rhythm, phrasing, and stress smooth and natural?
• Pronunciation: Was your speech easily understandable to most regular speakers of the English language?

Here are some strategies that might help you perform better in this task:

• Structured Response: Begin by giving a general overview of the image. Then, mention the most important and noticeable details. Finally, if time allows, you can also make comparisons or summarize trends (for graphs and charts).
• Vocabulary: Use appropriate vocabulary related to the image. For example, for a chart, you might need words like ‘increase’, ‘decrease’, ‘trend’, ‘percentage’, etc.
• Don’t Describe Everything: Focus on the most important aspects of the image. You won’t have time to describe every single detail, and it’s not necessary to do so.
• Practice: The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll get at quickly understanding and describing various types of images.

Example:

Here’s how you might describe it:

“In the image, I can see a bustling city street in daylight. The street is flanked by tall, contemporary buildings on either side. Pedestrians are walking along the sidewalks, and numerous cars are moving in both directions. The scene is enhanced by the presence of lush green trees along the sides of the road. I can also spot traffic lights and street signs indicating various directions. The sky above is clear, with just a few clouds scattered across it.”

Remember to speak clearly, at a natural pace, and to use appropriate vocabulary. Try to describe the most important elements of the image in a logical order.

• Re-tell lecture: You’ll listen to a short lecture or talk and then you’ll have to summarise it in your own words.

• Answer short question: You’ll be asked a question and you need to answer it using a single word or short phrase.

• Summarize spoken text: You’ll listen to a text and then you need to summarise it in 50-70 words.

Evaluation Criteria: Besides the correct information and appropriate language use, the speaking tasks will also be evaluated based on your oral fluency and pronunciation.

Here’s a list of vocabulary categories and related words that can help you describe images in detail:

• Colors and Shades:
  • Primary: Red, blue, yellow
  • Secondary: Green, orange, purple
  • Tertiary: Teal, maroon, amber
  • Neutral: Black, white, gray, beige
  • Descriptors: Bright, muted, pastel, deep, vibrant

• Shapes and Patterns:
  • Geometric: Circle, triangle, rectangle, square, spiral
  • Organic: Wavy, curvy, blobby
  • Patterns: Striped, polka-dotted, checked, floral, paisley

• Textures:
  • Smooth, rough, grainy, bumpy, fuzzy, slick, matte, glossy

• Lighting:
  • Bright, dim, shadowy, gleaming, glowing, harsh, soft

• Locations and Settings:
  • Urban: Skyscraper, street, traffic, bridge
  • Rural: Meadow, farm, pasture, barn
  • Natural: Mountain, river, forest, desert, beach, ocean
  • Indoors: Living room, kitchen, hallway, attic, basement

• Weather and Atmosphere:
  • Sunny, cloudy, stormy, foggy, rainy, snowy, windy, humid, dry

• Actions:
  • Running, jumping, sitting, standing, lying, dancing, waving

• Emotions:
  • Happy, sad, angry, confused, excited, worried, contemplative

• Sizes:
  • Tiny, small, medium, large, enormous, microscopic

• Quantities:
  • Few, several, many, sparse, dense, empty, full

• Distances and Spatial Relations:
  • Near, far, above, below, beside, behind, in front of, between

• Objects and Features:
  • Furniture, buildings, animals, plants, vehicles, clothing, tools, devices

• Periods and Styles:
  • Modern, vintage, ancient, futuristic, medieval, Renaissance, colonial, Victorian

• Cultural and Contextual Elements:
  • Festive, religious, ceremonial, everyday, casual, formal

• People and Characters:
  • Child, adult, senior, male, female, group, individual

• General Descriptive Adjectives:
  • Beautiful, ugly, mysterious, obvious, complex, simple

Practicing with various images, trying to describe them in as much detail as possible, will help solidify these words in your memory.

After watching the video on the “Describe Image“ section of the PTE, the student will learn: 

1. Analysis: Analyze the image quickly but thoroughly. Understand the key elements, context, and message of the image.
2. Note Key Points: Mentally note or quickly jot down the important points you want to mention. This will ensure you don’t miss out on any critical elements during your response.
3. Structure: The way you structure your response matters. Start with a simple introduction that broadly describes the type of image it is (graph, table, map, etc.), then delve into the details, and end with a conclusion.
4. Details: Describe the most important details first. Focus on main trends, significant numbers, comparisons, or any other major insights provided by the image.
5. Language: Use appropriate language based on the image. For example, if it’s a line graph, use language related to trends (increases, decreases, etc.).
6. Time Management: You have only 40 seconds to respond, so ensure you manage your time well to cover all relevant aspects of the image.
7. Practice: Practice with a variety of images, including bar graphs, line graphs, pie charts, tables, maps, and process diagrams. This will help you become comfortable with describing different types of visuals.

In conclusion, the “Describe Image” task in PTE Academic tests your ability to interpret and describe data and images in a clear and structured manner. Effective performance in this task requires quick analysis, identifying key details, structuring your response with an introduction, body, and conclusion, using appropriate language, and managing your time effectively. It is crucial to practice with different types of images to build up confidence and familiarity. By focusing on these areas, you can effectively improve your skills and score high in this task.

External Resources 

Describe Picture Tips