“How many classes will I need?”
It is a sensible question. You may be paying for lessons yourself. You may be a parent helping your child. You want to know what the time and money are for before making a decision.
The clearest answer starts with your situation—not the size of a package.
A learner who knows the PTE format may need focused corrections. Someone taking an English test for the first time may need more preparation before those corrections are useful. Even two learners with the same score can have different problems in their answers.
First, separate coaching time from study time
One-on-one mentorship is private teaching focused on your work. Coaching hours are the time you spend with your teacher. They do not include all the time you spend practising independently.
A smaller number of lessons does not necessarily mean an easier journey. You still need to use the feedback between classes.
Your previous experience helps us choose a starting point
If you took PTE recently, bring your latest score report and Skills Profile. They help us decide what to review first.
If your last PTE was before 7 August 2025, start by understanding the current format. Two Speaking tasks were added in the 2025 update. Older results may still be useful—and may still be accepted for some applications—but you need to check the relevant rules.
If you have taken IELTS or TOEFL, your result gives useful background. It does not replace learning PTE's tasks.
If you have never taken an English test, you are not expected to arrive with a report. Start with your goal, your deadline and an honest picture of the time you can give to study.
A planning example: good Reading and Listening, lower Speaking and Writing
Consider a learner with Speaking 71, Writing 74, Reading 70 and Listening 69, aiming for Superior English under the current Home Affairs categories.
They need at least Speaking 88 and Writing 85, while maintaining Reading 70 and Listening 69. The gaps are 17 in Speaking and 11 in Writing. That tells us the target, but it does not tell us how many lessons will solve it.
We still need to hear their Speaking and read their Writing. Are they misunderstanding the task? Missing important content? Making repeated language errors? The answer changes the plan.
A proposed plan could be:
| Focus | Live hours |
|---|---|
| Review a full practice test and begin Speaking | 1 |
| Continue focused Speaking work | 2–3 |
| Listening | 1–2 |
| Writing | 2 |
| Reading | 1–2 |
| Illustrative total | 7–10 |
The initial review is included in that total. This is a planning illustration, not a promise of a result or a confirmed recommendation for every recent test-taker. It does not claim this learner later reached the target.
Why we check related skills
PTE has tasks that assess more than one skill. For example, Repeat Sentence contributes to Speaking and Listening, while Summarize Written Text contributes to Reading and Writing.
This does not mean you cannot work on a particular score gap. It means we should check the tasks behind that gap and avoid overlooking related skills.
Task contributions do not guarantee a particular Listening score. PTE scores cannot be calculated by adding task-contribution percentages as marks.
What happens between lessons matters
A useful lesson identifies a problem, demonstrates a correction and gives you something specific to practise.
Then you try again. You send work for feedback. Your teacher checks whether the correction is working and adjusts the next step.
At PTE School, mentorship includes a personal study plan and unlimited practice feedback within the agreed support period. This means feedback on your practice—not unlimited live lessons or immediate replies at any hour. Preparation assigned before class helps keep live time focused on your questions and answers. Reading practice starts early because vocabulary, grammar and common word combinations need regular attention.
Think of the teacher as a map and yourself as the driver. A clear map helps, but progress still depends on the journey you take.
Do this before you buy coaching hours
Do: check your required scores, share previous results if available, explain your deadline and ask what the suggested hours include.
Avoid: choosing a package because a friend bought it, relying on practice scores as a guaranteed exam result, or assuming more lessons automatically mean a higher score.
For parents and guardians, the same principle applies: ask for an understandable plan before committing to a large package.
Find your next step
Not sure which scores your application requires? Start with our PTE score requirements guide.
You can also read the Skills Profile explanation and check current mentorship prices. Prices are in Australian dollars.
If you want help deciding, request a free 30-minute one-on-one Zoom strategy session. Bring your results if you have them. If you are new to PTE, simply tell us where you are starting.
Request a free strategy session · WhatsApp +61 423 017 055
You do not need to decide how many hours to buy before asking for guidance.
Sources and further reading
The example above is coaching guidance, not an official prediction of hours or results. For current test information and Australian English requirements, consult:
Create your proposed coaching map
Written by
Hafiz Rahman
Founder & PTE Mentor
Founder of PTE School. Helping students master PTE Academic with proven strategies and 1-on-1 mentorship.