PTE Repeat sentence sample and tips – Speaking section

PTE is a computer-based test. As easy as it may sound, repeat sentence of speaking section in PTE can be a nightmare for most of the non native students. In this module, you have to repeat the sentence as it is the way it was spoken by the speaker. The tricky part is that the sentence word limit can be more than 7 to 8 words which are hard to mimic and memorize. As a general rule, humans can only keep about seven small pieces of information in their short-term memory at one time and that too isn’t easy.

So, what is important to know is that this task is not just about pronunciation and fluency it is also about memory. Though pronunciation and fluency will fetch you major marks than content.

The scoring structure for repeat sentence is-

Content -3 marks

Fluency – 5 marks

Pronunciation -5 marks

Some of the TIPS AND TRICKS for PTE repeat sentence are:

1.Sequence of words– The order of the words in the sentence should be similar to the audio as per Pearson. However I have re- ordered for some sentences and I was still able to get good marks. If you reorder your keywords, its fine but do not make this mistake for all repeat sentences.

2.Chunking – It is advisable for long sentences. Split them into phrases which is also called the method of chunking. Split the sentence into 3 chunks. Speak without hesitation whatever you have gathered otherwise your fluency will be affected. For medium sentences, split it into two phrases.

3.Intonation and stress– Try to imitate the intonation of the speaker, not the accent. Just use your own accent but follow the same intonation as where the speaker rises and falls and stress the words wherever the speaker does.

4.Pronunciation – Pronunciation should be understandable to regular speaker. Your voice should be clear and pronounce the words accurately. Pronounce past tense, plurals, vowels and consonants correctly.

5.Listen to a podcast, audiobook, radio show etc. in English every single day. Make sure that you are listening to a native speaker talk about a topic, and pay special attention to their intonation, speed and rhythm. Go to Ted.com and watch one of the excellent “Ted Talks” provided there. Download the transcript for the video you are watching and read along, making notes of words you are unsure how to pronounce. Listen to how the speaker pronounces these words. Then, try recording yourself pronouncing the word or the sentence around it.

HOW TO PRACTICE

1.Practice 100 repeat sentences everyday for at least 1 month. Your concentration and listening skills will also improve. Moreover, you can crack this task easily if you practice a lot.

2.Understand the meaning of the sentences. Close your eyes and try and understand the Sentence. Do not look at the screen.

3.Recap– Repeat the sentence in your mind before the recording starts. If you recap once before the recording starts, you will be able to remember for longer time, at least for 10 to 20 seconds.

4.For some people the method of just writing down the first alphabet works but this is a very individualistic method. Works for some, while not for others.

What if you remember / capture only one or two words?

If you remember only one or two keywords, just frame the sentence as

The repeat sentence is about keyword 1 and keyword 2.

This is only if you don’t capture many words but at least you are able to maintain it as a sentence. You will not get marks for content but you will get marks for fluency and pronunciation. But try to remember keywords as much as possible.

The rest of tips will be covered in the next blog. Till then, keep learning.

This blog has been compiled by Wings Education, Brisbane Australia. You can find more helpful blogs on www.wingseducation.com.au