PTE · Describe Image

Dining Etiquette and Table Manners: PTE Describe Image practice questions

4 original Describe Image questions. Question 1 is free to record, play back and compare with a sample answer right here; log in free to practise the rest in the BandLadder app.
  • 4 questions
  • Question 1 free, no login
  • PTE Academic and PTE Core
Log in to practise all 4 →Try question 1
1

Perceptions of Dining Misconduct

Free to try, no login

Look at the image below. You have 25 seconds to study it, then 40 seconds to describe in detail what it shows.

Perceived Severity of Dining Etiquette Breaches (Severity score out of 100). Older diners: Phone usage 88, Chewing loudly 82, Reaching across 64, Elbows on table 52, Wrong cutlery 41. Younger diners: Phone usage 62, Chewing loudly 79, Reaching across 58, Elbows on table 28, Wrong cutlery 22.

Perceived Severity of Dining Etiquette Breaches (Severity score out of 100)
020406080100Phone usageChewing loudlyReaching acrossElbows on tableWrong cutlery
  • Older diners
  • Younger diners
View the data
Phone usageChewing loudlyReaching acrossElbows on tableWrong cutlery
Older diners8882645241
Younger diners6279582822

Your recording stays in this browser: it is not uploaded or stored.

Questions 2–4

Look at the image below. You have 25 seconds to study it, then 40 seconds to describe in detail what it shows.

Read them here; log in to answer and check them.

2

Evolution of Formal Cutlery Setting

Standard Sequence of Formal Dinner Service. Stage 1: Seating and napkin placement. Stage 2: Soup course using outer spoon. Stage 3: Fish course with dedicated cutlery. Stage 4: Main course using central fork and knife. Stage 5: Dessert course with top utensils. Stage 6: Coffee service and napkin folding.

Standard Sequence of Formal Dinner Service
  1. 1.Seating and napkin placement
  2. 2.Soup course using outer spoon
  3. 3.Fish course with dedicated cutlery
  4. 4.Main course using central fork and knife
  5. 5.Dessert course with top utensils
  6. 6.Coffee service and napkin folding
3

Global Mealtime Norms Survey

Primary Dining Behaviour Expectations Across Households (%). Waiting for host 38, Silent chewing 27, No digital devices 21, Finishing all food 14.

Primary Dining Behaviour Expectations Across Households (%)
  • Waiting for host: 38%
  • Silent chewing: 27%
  • No digital devices: 21%
  • Finishing all food: 14%
View the data
CategoryValue (%)
Waiting for host38
Silent chewing27
No digital devices21
Finishing all food14
4

Cross-Cultural Table Customs

Comparison of Traditional Mealtime Customs. Columns: Region, Utensil rule, Leaving food, Slurping soup. East Asia, Never stick chopsticks upright, Polite to leave a small amount, Sign of appreciation. Western Europe, Fork in left hand knife in right, Polite to clear plate, Considered impolite. Middle East, Eat using right hand only, Expected to leave a portion, Discouraged. South Asia, Use fingertips of right hand, Acceptable to finish all, Discouraged.

Comparison of Traditional Mealtime Customs
RegionUtensil ruleLeaving foodSlurping soup
East AsiaNever stick chopsticks uprightPolite to leave a small amountSign of appreciation
Western EuropeFork in left hand knife in rightPolite to clear plateConsidered impolite
Middle EastEat using right hand onlyExpected to leave a portionDiscouraged
South AsiaUse fingertips of right handAcceptable to finish allDiscouraged

Want to answer the other 3?

Log in to practise Describe Image in the BandLadder app: the full question bank, with an AI score from BandLadder AI for content, pronunciation and oral fluency on a free account.

Log in to practise Describe ImageNew here? Create a free account

Ready for the whole test?

Take a full PTE mock with every question type, the real timings and a score on Pearson's 10–90 scale the moment you finish.

Try a free PTE mock →

Keep practising

More Describe Image sets

Practise every PTE question type

  • ✓Full question bank for every type
  • ✓Instant scoring, marked the way Pearson does
  • ✓BandLadder AI scoring for speaking and writing
Practise in the app

Free account · no card

© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy

Log in to practise all 4