PTE Academic: Speaking Module
The Speaking Module of the PTE Academic test requires you to be confident and fluent across all the question types to get a good score. Beginning with an unscored personal introduction, the Speaking section is followed by 5 different question types, which take around 24-37 minutes to complete (collectively, 54-67 minutes for the Speaking & Writing module).
| Question types | Number of items | Prompt length | Skills assessed | Time to answer | Score | |
| Personal Introduction | 1 | Not applicable | Not applicable | 30 seconds | Not scored | |
| 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 |
An Overview of Question Types:
1. Personal Introduction: It is an unscored task wherein you need to talk about yourself.
- Time to prepare: 25 seconds
- Time to record the response: 30 seconds
Tips:
- I. Speak at a normal volume and speed.
- II. Do not hesitate and prepare your answer in advance.
- III. Check if the microphone is working properly.
2. Read Aloud After the short tone, you must read the text loudly into the microphone.
- Skills Assessed: Speaking and reading
- Prompt length: Up to 60 words
- Time to prepare: 30-40 seconds
- Time to record the response: Depends on the length of the text
Tips:
- I. Practice reading newspaper or magazine articles.
- II. Be clear and confident.
- III. Try recording yourself to attain accuracy.
3. Repeat Sentence: You have to repeat the audio as it is once the recording status bar is highlighted.
- Skills assessed: Speaking and listening
- Prompt length: 3-9 seconds
- Time to answer: 15 seconds
Tips:
- I. Try to remember the sentence in phrases.
- II. Practice recalling short sentences.
- III. Speak loudly and clearly.
4. Describe Image: You are required to describe the image in detail, after a short tone, that is shown to you.
- Skills assessed: Speaking
- Time to prepare: 25 seconds
- Time to answer:40 seconds
Tips:
- I. Start with an impressive introduction followed by the various parts of the image.
- II. Use connectors while speaking to provide a flow to the content.
- III. Try to complete the description within 35 seconds.
5. Retell Lecture: You will hear an audio. After the audio finishes, you have to repeat the lecture in your own words.
- Skills Assessed: Speaking and listening
- Prompt length: Up to 90 seconds
- Time to prepare: 10 seconds after the audio finishes
- Time to answer:40 seconds
Tips:
- I. Try to write the main and supporting ideas of the topic.
- II. Use keywords and symbols to write the important ideas.
- III. Organize your keywords into an introduction, body, and conclusion.
6. Answer Short Question:You will hear an audio followed by which you have to answer the question asked in the audio. The answer should not be more than one word or a few words.
- Skills assessed: Speaking and listening
- Prompt length: 3-9 seconds
- Time to answer:10 seconds
Tips:
- I. The mic opens automatically, so do not wait for a tone.
- II. Try reading newspapers and magazines as the questions are based on your awareness and daily activities of life.
