The Speaking test can be challenging for many students since it requires quick reflexes to process information and respond fluently.

If you are familiar with the cue cards and interviews in the IELTS Speaking test, you may be overwhelmed with diverse question types in the PTE Speaking section.

Thus, you need a good amount of practice and effective study tactics to conquer this section.

Stay calm if you are unsure where to start!

This guide will equip you with everything you need to reach your highest potential in the PTE Speaking section.

(Read our Vietnamese version here)

Key Takeaways

• The PTE Speaking test can be 24-37 minutes long, including five different question types.
• Below is detailed information about each question type in the PTE Speaking section, including tasks, skills assessed, test methods, and test tips.
• You can access our self-study PTE Magic Practice App with actual online mock tests.

See more: These PTE mock tests can get you 79+!

What is the PTE speaking test module?

Speaking & Writing is the first section of the PTE test. Speaking tasks assess your listening and speaking skills in an academic environment.

You must speak into a microphone to give your answers in Speaking tasks.

You hear a short tone, and the recording begins. You need to organize your ideas and deliver your answers fluidly and logically. Once the recording ends, you proceed to the next question.

AI will measure your Speaking scores through the following skills:

• Speaking with a purpose (to repeat, inform, or explain) and with easily understandable pronunciation.
• Providing information, examples, and explanations with accurate intonations, stress, and pronunciation, to support an opinion.
• Using correct words and phrases, reading a text aloud, and speaking naturally.
• Creating a logical oral presentation and speaking under a time limit.
• Developing complicated ideas within a spoken dialogue, using appropriate grammar, and delivering a fluent speech.

PTE Academic accepts regional and national English pronunciation variations as long as they are easy to understand for most native speakers.

Effective speaking in both daily and exam contexts necessitates attention to the five factors below:

• Organization
• The needs of the listener
• Cohesion and fluency
• Control of language
• Appropriate stress patterns and intonation

Related: PTE format with new updates you must know about

PTE speaking format

The PTE Speaking & Writing section lasts 54–67 minutes, and the Speaking part can be 24-37 minutes long.

This part includes five different question types.

Question types	Number of items	Prompt length	Skills assessed	Time to answer	Score
Personal Introduction	1	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not score
Read Aloud	6 – 7	Text up to 60 words	Reading and speaking	Varies by item, depending on the text length.	Partial Credit
Repeat Sentence	10 – 12	3–9 seconds	Listening and speaking	15 seconds	Partial Credit
Describe Image	3 – 4	Not applicable	Speaking	40 seconds	Partial Credit
Re-tell Lecture	1 – 2	Up to 90 seconds	Listening and speaking	40 seconds	Partial Credit
Answer Short Question	5 – 6	3–9 seconds	Listening and speaking	10 seconds	Correct/ Incorrect

Main parts of the PTE speaking test

Here is detailed information about each question type in the PTE Speaking section, including tasks, skills assessed, test methods, and test tips.

Personal Introduction

The Personal Introduction in PTE has no score but helps you familiarize yourself with the test technology and prepare for upcoming speaking tasks.

Time limit:

• 25 seconds to read the prompt and prepare your response.
• 30 seconds to record your response. Once you hear a beep sound, you should begin speaking about yourself.

Speak clearly without any rush on this task. You can record your response only once. You should finish your introduction before the progress bar hits the endpoint and the word ‘Recording’ switches to ‘Completed.’

Your response will be sent to your chosen institutions and universities, together with your score report.

Read Aloud

Skills Assessed

PTE Read Aloud is a long-answer speaking task.

This task assesses your ability to read a short paragraph aloud using correct pronunciation and intonation. It measures speaking and reading skills.

Tasks

You must read aloud the content displayed on the screen.

How to answer

The recording status box shows a countdown until the microphone opens. You will have 30–40 seconds to read the text and prepare your response.

Once you hear a short tone, you should immediately begin speaking. The system will fail to record your voice if you begin speaking before the microphone is on.

Stop speaking before the progress bar hits the bottom.

Tips for Read Aloud

• Speak smoothly and clearly.
• Use a rising tone at the beginning and a falling tone at the end to make the sentences sound realistic.
• If you realize you’ve mispronounced, don’t stop or repeat it! Keep speaking to ensure fluency.
• Record and listen to your voice multiple times. It helps you enhance your oral fluency, accuracy, and complexity.
• Practice reading new passages with a timer and carefully track your speaking speed.

Sample: Look at the text below. In 40 seconds, you must read this text aloud as naturally and clearly as possible. You have 40 seconds to read aloud.

Our major conclusion is that the current measure needs to be revised. It no longer provides an accurate picture of the differences in the extent of economic poverty among population groups or geographic areas of the country, nor an accurate picture of trends over time.

 

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Repeat sentence

Skills Assessed

PTE repeat sentence is a short-answer speaking task.

This task assesses your ability to understand and remember a sentence and repeat it precisely with the correct pronunciation. It evaluates both your speaking and listening skills.

Tasks

You must repeat the sentence exactly as heard in the audio clip.

How to Answer

The audio starts playing automatically. Once the audio stops, the microphone opens, and the recording status box displays “Recording.” You should immediately speak into the microphone and repeat the sentences verbatim.

Tips for Repeat sentence

• Listen with closed eyes and memorize the sentence.
• There is no beep sound when the clip ends. Thus, you should speak immediately.
• If you can’t recall the entire sentence, concentrate on the keywords and repeat them.

Sample: You will hear a sentence. Please repeat the sentence exactly as you hear it. You will hear the sentence only once.

 

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Describe image

Skills Assessed

This PTE describe image task tests your ability to observe, collect information, and use descriptive language.

Tasks

You must describe an image appearing on the screen. The image types can be a graph, a chart, a picture, a map, or a table.

How to Answer

You will have 25 seconds to analyze the image and prepare your response.  Once you hear the tone, start speaking immediately.

Tips for Describe Image

• Using templates to answer can help score better. A good response includes both the main points and supporting details.
• Start your speech with words like illustrate, depict, elucidate, etc.
• Identify the image types. For example, line graphs feature a ‘timeline’, or pie charts contain ‘slices’.
• Use the following prepositions of position while describing on the left/right side, next to, above, at the top, below/bottom, foreground, background, and others.
• Finish your speech within 30-35 seconds, and ensure all sentences are complete.

Sample: Look at the graph below. In 25 seconds, please speak into the microphone and describe in detail what the graph is showing. You will have 40 seconds to give your response.

 

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Re-tell lecture

Skills Assessed

This PTE retell lecture is a long-answer speaking task.

This task assesses your ability to deliver a speech on content from a lecture. It evaluates both speaking and listening skills.

Tasks

You must listen to a lecture and re-tell it in your own words.

How to Answer

The lecture will begin automatically. An image related to the lecture will be shown for better understanding.

Once the lecture ends, you will have 10 seconds to prepare your response.

The recording status box shows a countdown until the microphone opens. Start speaking immediately once hearing a short tone.

Tips for Re-rell Lecture

• Take note of the keywords to grasp the lecture’s context.
• You do not need to recall full names. Instead, use titles such as Dr states or the professor says.
• Try to remember the best 3 to 5 sentences of the lecture. 

Sample: You will hear an Interview/Lecture. After listening to it, in 10 seconds, please speak into the microphone and retell what you have just heard from the lecture in your own words. You will have 40 seconds to give your response.

 

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Answer Short Question

Skills Assessed

The PTE answer short question section is a short-answer speaking task with a single short response.

This task assesses your ability to comprehend a question in the recording and respond concisely and accurately. It evaluates both speaking and listening skills.

Tasks

You must respond to the question in a single word or a few words. The question will usually be relevant to our daily lives.

How to Answer

The audio starts giving questions automatically along with an image.

When the audio ends, the microphone opens, and the recording status box displays “Recording.” You should immediately speak into the microphone.

Tips for Answer Short Questions

• Remember to include articles before some words.
• If you do not know how to answer, repeat the words in the question.

Sample: You will hear a question. Please give a simple and short answer. Often just one or a few words is enough.

You’ve mastered the PTE Speaking format. We will move to how to improve speaking in PTE.

What Not to Do in PTE Speaking Practice

Success in the PTE Speaking section requires avoiding mistakes aside from good skills. Here are common errors that seem small but can significantly drag your score down:

• Not checking the microphone: This is a common mistake that many overlook. Many test-takers forget this simple step before the test starts. Your voice won’t be recorded if your microphone isn’t working, leading to low or no scores. Therefore, always test your mic before the exam begins. A quick check can help you avoid unexpected situations effortlessly.
•  Speaking at the wrong speed: Speaking too fast confuses the system, making it harder to evaluate your pronunciation and fluency. The key is to keep a steady pace. Reading aloud daily can help you improve your rhythm and clarity.
• Leaving answers unfinished: Many test-takers rush to the next question before completing their response. This leads to broken and unfinished speech, which lowers your fluency score. Avoid this by training yourself with English videos and audio to sharpen your thinking and reaction time.
• Having extended pauses: This is another common mistake that many test-takers encounter. Remember, being silent for more than three seconds will stop the recording. This makes your response incomplete, so practice speaking without long pauses. Additionally, participate in real-life conversations to smooth out hesitations and improve fluency.
• Not taking self-study methods: Test-takers who underestimate the power of self-study should reconsider because it’s one of the best ways to improve. Daily speaking exercises, mock tests, and consistently involving yourself with English audio can turn your weak points into strengths. The more you practice, the better your chances of receiving high scores.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Prepare For PTE Speaking?

Start by speaking English more often in your daily life. Recording yourself is a good method to help you identify your weaknesses and refine them. Additionally, taking mock tests frequently will build your confidence and familiarity with the test format.

What’s The Key To Improving My PTE Speaking Score?

Accuracy matters in sections such as Read Aloud and Repeat Sentence. Adding, skipping, or changing words will negatively impact your score. Rhythm also plays a crucial role. Improving this skill by mimicking speech patterns from native speakers.

Where Can I Find Reliable PTE Speaking Practice Materials?

The official Pearson PTE website offers useful resources, but you can find various materials from additional sources such as PTE Magic. We provide mock tests that mimic the real exam to help test-takers build confidence through a similar format and timing.

How Can I Improve My Fluency In PTE Speaking?

Aside from avoiding common mistakes, practice your speech flow to improve fluency. Engaging in English conversations, joining language groups, and practicing consistently are effective methods. The more you practice speaking, the more comfortable you will become.

Why Is My PTE Speaking Score Lower Than Expected?

Some test-takers have low-paced speeches, which affect their Fluency score in the PTE Speaking section, while fast-paced speeches lead to unclear pronunciation. The key is to keep your pace natural and steady. Practicing mock tests helps you control your pace better.

PTE speaking tips to increase your scores

As English is not your native language, it is unavoidable to make mistakes in pronunciation, stress, and intonation.

Therefore, we give tips and tricks to help you crack your PTE Speaking section:

• Study the speaking topics thoroughly. Always go outside your syllabus.
• Keep it simple while speaking.
• Try to mimic native English speakers with different accents.
• Complete the whole sentence in one go. Avoid taking unnecessary pauses.
• Practice concentration by doing speaking tasks in a medium-noise environment because you will have to hear other test takers in the exam room.
• Do not practice with your music earphones. Invest in high-quality headphones with microphones.
• Double-check your microphone before the test.
• Once again, remember fluency is the key to the PTE Speaking section. So, practice makes perfect.

Finally, stay calm and unleash your confidence to pass your PTE Speaking section with flying colors.

Related: PTE exam preparation tips and tricks from high-scorers!

PTE speaking practice mock test & samples

Have you already been equipped with all the tips? It’s time to practice!

PTE MAGIC offers students plenty of PTE-speaking mock tests with sample answers. At PTE MAGIC, you can access our self-study PTE Magic Practice App with real online mock tests.

The best part is that real-time advanced AI will score your tests with detailed reports. Try it today!

Conclusion

PTE Speaking is now a piece of cake. All you need to do is use effective strategies and put your efforts into practice on the right platform, allowing you to test your tactics.