Speaking

Read aloud (RA)

Number of items: 6-7

Communicative skills: Reading and speaking

Enabling skills and other traits scored:

Content: Each replacement, omission or insertion of a word counts as one error

Maximum score: depends on the length of the item prompt

Pronunciation: 5 Native-like 4 Advanced 3 Good 2 Intermediate 1 Intrusive 0 Non-English

Oral fluency: 5 Native-like 4 Advanced 3 Good 2 Intermediate 1 Limited, 0 Disfluent

How to Practice

Read 1 to 2 passage(s) each day from practice materials (refer to Resources), each passage 10 times.
Make sure you pronounce each word correctly and each syllables could be heard clearly.
When you can do [2] easily, try speeding up.
Try imitate the tone, ups and downs of native speakers.
You may use google translate to hear how native speakers read a passage (https://translate.google.com) or learn from TOEFL 93 (http://wenbo.tv/pte-listening-practice/).
PTE likes to test candidates with words end with double "s" sound, e.g. "asks", "tasks". Make sure the double "s" sound is pronounced clearly such that the computer can recognise it.

*Repeat sentence (RS)

Number of items: 10-12

Communicative skills: Listening and speaking

Subskills tested: Understanding academic vocabulary; inferring the meaning of unfamiliar words; comprehending variations in tone, speed and accent.

Speaking for a purpose (to repeat, to inform, to explain); speaking at a natural rate; producing fluent speech; using correct intonation; using correct pronunciation; using correct stress; speaking under timed conditions.

Enabling skills and other traits scored:

Content: Errors = replacements, omissions and insertions only Hesitations, filled or unfilled pauses, leading or trailing material are ignored in the scoring of content

3 All words in the response from the prompt in the correct sequence

2 At least 50% of words in the response from the prompt in the correct sequence

1 Less than 50% of words in the response from the prompt in the correct sequence

0 Almost nothing from the prompt in the response

Maximum score: depends on the length of the item prompt

Pronunciation:

5 Native-like 4 Advanced 3 Good 2 Intermediate 1 Intrusive 0 Non-English

Oral fluency:

5 Native-like 4 Advanced 3 Good 2 Intermediate 1 Limited, 0 Disfluent

How to Practice

This is an important topic, you should focus practicing on this part if you didn't have good scores in listening and speaking.
Repeat sentence can be very long, sometimes over 15 words. It's not possible to remember such long sentence. In such case, just try to repeat 50% of the sentence, you will still score 2/3!
However, for short sentence, try repeat all the words correctly.
FLM (first letter method) can be used in RS and WFD. When you hear "I go to school by bus", you should be able to write down "I G T S B B". This reminds you the whole sentence.
Intimidate how the speaker talked to meet the subskill requirements.
Use TOEFL 93 to practice.

*Describe image (DI)

Number of items: 6-7

Communicative skills: Speaking

Enabling skills and other traits scored:

Content:

5 Describes all elements of the image and their relationships, possible development and conclusion or implications

4 Describes all the key elements of the image and their relations, referring to their implications or conclusions

3 Deals with most key elements of the image and refers to their implications or conclusions

2 Deals with only one key element in the image and refers to an implication or conclusion. Shows basic understanding of several core elements of the image

1 Describes some basic elements of the image, but does not make clear their interrelations or implications

0 Mentions some disjointed elements of the presentation

Pronunciation:

5 Native-like 4 Advanced 3 Good 2 Intermediate 1 Intrusive 0 Non-English

Oral fluency:

5 Native-like 4 Advanced 3 Good 2 Intermediate 1 Limited, 0 Disfluent

How to Practice

This is an important topic, you should focus practicing on this part if you didn't have a good score in speaking.
Don't think too much about the requirements of content (i.e. elements of the image and their relationships, possible development and conclusion or implications ). Assume the pictures are only tools for you to speak for 30 seconds. They are helping you!
There are lots of scripts online. Try using one of them. Build up your own script.
Make sure you cover 5-7 key points (e.g. topic, largest number, 2nd largest number, 3rd largest number, least number) of the picture within 25 seconds.
Finish with a fixed conclusion for every questions. It needs not to be specific for the pictures (e.g. To conclude, I think the picture is very informative. It provides lots of data and it is easy to understand. I think it would be beneficial for people to have a look at it.) You must be very familiar with it and you can say it quickly. It will improve your fluency!

Retell Lecture (RL)

Number of items: 6-7

Communicative skills: Listening and speaking

Enabling skills and other traits scored:

Content:

5 Re-tells all points of the presentation and describes characters, aspects and actions, their relationships, the underlying development, implications and conclusions

4 Describes all key points of the presentation and their relations, referring to their implications and conclusions

3 Deals with most points in the presentation and refers to their implications and conclusions

2 Deals with only one key point and refers to an implication or conclusion. Shows basic understanding of several core elements of the presentation

1 Describes some basic elements of the presentation but does not make clear their interrelations or implications

0 Mentions some disjointed elements of the presentation

Pronunciation:

5 Native-like 4 Advanced 3 Good 2 Intermediate 1 Intrusive 0 Non-English

Oral fluency:

5 Native-like 4 Advanced 3 Good 2 Intermediate 1 Limited, 0 Disfluent

How to Practice

If you are aiming at 79, RL is important.
Read the transcripts and model answers from "The Official Guide to PTE Academic" and "PTE Academic Testbuilder". Know the key points that PTE is requiring you to answer.
There are scripts online, but I am not recommending them for 79 seekers. If scripts are used, you won't have time to cover the key points within 35 seconds.
This part can be very hard because you just have 10 seconds to organise your speech. Use TOEFL 93 to practice.

Answer short question (ASQ)

Number of items: 10-12

Communicative skills: Listening and speaking

Correct/incorrect:

1 Appropriate word choice in response

0 Inappropriate word choice in response

How to Practice

This part is not so important as they do not carry many scores.
The answers should be quite specific. For example, if the question is "Who will design a building?" The answer must be "architect", if you answer "construction worker" or "designer". It means you do not have the appropriate word choice.

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