The speaking test is the first section of the PTE Academic exam. It is a combined exam i.e. speaking and writing together. Therefore, it will evaluate your both writing and speaking skills. You must solve seven different question types in 54 to 67 minutes. Thus, you must be quick enough to finish all your answers within the given time limit. So, to practice this you can enrol in PTE coaching online. Here, you can seek professional guidance or appear for various mock tests. For now, let’s take you to a detailed discussion of the same.
What is the PTE Academic Speaking Exam?
As mentioned above, it is the first section of the academic exam. Therefore, you must complete it before you move on to the other sections. However, the speaking test is the longest section of all. This test will judge you on your speaking and writing skills. So it is an important exam to allow you to study or work overseas. Therefore, you must be confident on the main day. And, for that, you have to go well prepared. But first, you must take care of the paper pattern. So, let’s talk about it together.
Exam Pattern of Speaking Test
This test combines speaking and writing and has seven different question types. You must complete all of them within one hour. However, you will get 25 seconds to read the prompt and 30 seconds to record your response. You must note that your response is recorded only once, so do it carefully and record it.
Now, coming to the marking scheme. Therefore, you get a maximum of 3 points for spoken content. Further, 5 points for fluency and another 5 points for pronunciation. You will be evaluated on these factors respectively. The speaking test is scored on a score of 10 to 90. So, a higher score will indicate better spoken English skills.
This test is not a face-to-face exam. It is entirely computer-based. Therefore, you have to give your responses through a microphone. Your voice will be recorded, and the examiners will judge it. The personal introduction part is just to familiarize you. It will not add to your score. So, let’s now know more about all the questions you will get in your exam.
Types of Questions
The seven different types of questions excluding personal introduction are as follows:
- Read aloud
- Repeat the sentence
- Describe the image
- Re-tell lecture
- Answer short question
- Summarize the written text
- Essay
These are the following questions for the speaking test. You will start with the personal introduction and end with writing the Essay. Therefore, it is the longest section out of all. Moving further, you will get a description of all these question types.
Description of Each Question Type
- Personal Introduction
This part will familiarize you with the test and help you prepare for further questions. However, it does not contribute to your score, so do not fumble out of anxiety. Stay relaxed and calm, and give your best response.
- Read Aloud
In this, you have to read aloud a text written. So, for this, you will get 30 to 40 seconds. You must then start speaking immediately after you hear a short tone.
- Repeat the sentence
In this type, you have to repeat the audio. It will play automatically. As soon as the recording starts, you must speak what you heard.
- Describe the image
You will get 25 seconds to study the image and prepare your answer. So, you should describe the image correctly.
- Re-tell lecture
In this, you will hear an audio related to a picture. Soon after that, you will get 10 seconds to prepare. And, then you need to re-tell what you heard from the recording.
- Answer short question
For this type, you will hear an audio related to the displayed image. Thus, you have to reply to the question in one of a few words.
- Summarize the written text
You will get 10 minutes to write a summary of the given text in one sentence. So, make sure you write the main points. Also, give your answer in a full, single sentence. It should not be more than 75 words.
- Essay
The last type is to write an essay. For this, you will get 20 minutes. Therefore, make sure you write the Essay in between 200 to 300 words. You will get the argumentative topic in response to a prompt.
Thus, these all are the types of questions you will get in your main exam. You can perform well only when you know how to solve them. For that, enrol in PTE coaching online classes. You will learn all the tips and tricks to perform much better than ordinary. However, check below some of the mentioned tips for the exam.
Tips to Ace Speaking Test
Preparing from books and solving your daily exercise sheet is a good start. But it is not the only way you can succeed in the exam. Try integrating the tips into your practicing style. It will give you the edge.
Understand the PTE Test Properly
Firstly, you should know what actually the PTE test content is. Therefore, you must research the question types and make a list of all. Further, jot down the skills it tests. And finally study the things you need to do to practice those skills.
<h3>Speak and Write on Various Topics
Since the test includes many topics, find related vocabulary to each question asked. This will help you to express yourself in the right manner.
Use Your Own Words in the Essay
You must not use memorized scripts while writing the Essay. Further, you should frame a structured response in your own words. However, make sure you give a relevant response to the question asked. Using your own language will help you make less mistakes. Moreover, it will sound more natural.
Conclusion
As it’s said, practice makes a man perfect. So, you know what to do to ace your exam. However, you can take online PTE classes to take your preparation journey to the next level. Enhance your learning here with the PTE speaking practice test papers. These are the great resources to get the score you need. It will give you a feel for how you will perform on the main day. So, in the end, it is your decision. Good luck with your preparation and perform well.