PTE Speaking Tips 2026: Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence & All 5 Types

PTE Speaking is the section where Indian students have the biggest opportunity to outperform their IELTS equivalent. Why? Because PTE Speaking is AI-scored — there is no human examiner, no accent bias, and no interview anxiety. The AI evaluates your pronunciation, oral fluency, and content against objective criteria. This guide covers strategies for all 5 PTE Speaking item types, with specific tips for Indian English speakers.

PTE Speaking Overview

PTE Speaking is part of the combined Speaking & Writing section (Part 1, 54-67 minutes). You record your responses using a headset microphone at the test centre. The AI processes your audio and scores it for:

Read Aloud — Tips & Strategy

Read Aloud is one of the highest-scoring items in PTE because it contributes to both Speaking and Reading scores. You see a text passage on screen and have 30-40 seconds to read it aloud after a brief preparation time.

How to Chunk Sentences for Natural Flow

Do not read word-by-word. Break the text into meaningful phrases (chunks) of 3-5 words. Pause briefly between chunks. This creates natural rhythm and boosts your Oral Fluency score. Example: "The government / has announced / a new policy / to reduce emissions / by 2030."

Stress and Intonation Patterns

Stress content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives) and de-stress function words (articles, prepositions, auxiliaries). Rise slightly in pitch for questions and comma pauses; fall at the end of statements. This intonation pattern signals natural English to the AI.

Common Indian English Pronunciation Fixes

th vs t/d: "think" should not sound like "tink." Practice the dental fricative by placing your tongue between your teeth. v vs w: "very" should not sound like "wery." Bite your lower lip for "v." Word-final consonants: Pronounce the final sounds clearly — "arrived" not "arrive." Schwa sound: Unstressed syllables use the schwa (uh) — "government" = "GUV-uhn-muhnt," not "go-vern-ment."

Repeat Sentence — Tips & Strategy

Repeat Sentence tests your short-term memory and speaking ability simultaneously. You hear a sentence (3-9 seconds) and must repeat it exactly. This item contributes to Speaking AND Listening scores.

Short-Term Memory Techniques

Focus on content words — nouns, verbs, adjectives carry the sentence's meaning. If you cannot remember every word, repeating the content words in the right order gives you significant partial credit. Example: If you hear "The university library will be closed for renovations next month," focus on: "university library / closed / renovations / next month."

Focus on Content Words

Start speaking within 1-2 seconds of the audio ending. The longer you wait, the more you forget. Begin with whatever you remember most clearly and fill in the rest. Even a partial repetition scores points.

What If You Miss Words?

Do NOT stay silent. Say what you remember, even if it is only 60-70% of the sentence. A partial response scores much higher than silence. The AI gives partial credit for content words, pronunciation, and fluency — all three contribute even with an incomplete repetition.

Describe Image — Tips & Strategy

Describe Image gives you 25 seconds to study an image (graph, chart, map, picture) and 40 seconds to describe it. This is a pure Speaking item — no cross-contribution to other skills. Templates are your best friend here.

For detailed templates by image type (bar chart, line graph, pie chart, table, process diagram, map, picture), see our dedicated Describe Image Templates guide.

Key strategy: Use 25 seconds to identify: (a) what the image shows, (b) the highest/lowest values, (c) the main trend, (d) one notable detail. Then deliver using the template: "This [type] shows/illustrates... The highest/most significant... Overall, we can see that..." Speak for the full 40 seconds — stopping early loses marks.

Re-tell Lecture — Tips & Strategy

You listen to a 60-90 second lecture and have 10 seconds prep + 40 seconds to re-tell the main points. This item contributes to Speaking AND Listening.

Note-Taking Template

While listening, write shorthand notes in 3 categories: Topic (what is the lecture about?), Key Points (2-3 main ideas), Conclusion/Opinion (what does the speaker conclude?). Do not try to write everything — capture the essence.

Delivery Template

"The speaker discussed [topic]. They mentioned that [key point 1]. Additionally, [key point 2]. The speaker also highlighted [key point 3]. In conclusion, [speaker's main message]." This template ensures you speak for 35-40 seconds with structured content.

Answer Short Question — Tips

You hear a question and answer in 1-2 words within 10 seconds. These are general knowledge questions: "What do you call a doctor who specialises in children?" → "Pediatrician." The question bank is relatively finite — practicing the most commonly repeated questions covers most test scenarios.

Tip: Do not overthink. Answer immediately with the most obvious word. If you are unsure, say your best guess — there is no negative marking for Answer Short Question.

Speaking Enabling Skills Breakdown

PTE scores three enabling skills for Speaking: Oral Fluency (smooth delivery, natural pace, minimal hesitations), Pronunciation (correct vowel/consonant sounds, stress, intonation), and Content (relevant information delivered accurately). To score 79+ in Speaking, all three must be strong. The most common bottleneck for Indian students is Oral Fluency — eliminate "um," "uh," and mid-sentence pauses.

Common Speaking Mistakes Indian Students Make

1. Speaking too fast: Speed does not equal fluency. The AI measures smooth, natural pace — not words per minute.

2. Long pauses between words: Any pause longer than 3 seconds drops your Oral Fluency score significantly.

3. Not using the full time: In Describe Image and Re-tell Lecture, stopping at 20 seconds when you have 40 loses content marks.

4. Mother tongue pronunciation: Hindi/Gujarati sound patterns bleeding into English — especially retroflex consonants and missing final consonants.

5. Whispering or low volume: The microphone needs clear, confident audio. Speak at a normal conversational volume.

EEC PTE Speaking Practice Sessions

EEC's PTE coaching includes daily speaking practice sessions with recording and trainer feedback. Students practise Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, and Re-tell Lecture in small groups, then review recordings for pronunciation and fluency improvements. This targeted speaking practice is what turns a PTE 65 speaker into a PTE 79+ speaker.

“PTE Speaking is 100 percent AI-scored, which means pronunciation clarity and oral fluency matter more than vocabulary or accent. Indian students who focus on clear articulation see the fastest score gains.”

— EEC PTE Speaking Coach, Pronunciation Specialist

Related Resources & Further Reading

Ready to begin? Register for a free demo class. PTE is also accepted for study in New Zealand. Planning Canada? See our study in Canada options. Read our PTE Academic complete guide. Read our PTE fee structure in India. Read our PTE Academic vs PTE Core. Read our PTE scores for Australia PR. Read our PTE vs IELTS comparison. Read our PTE preparation tips for 79+. Also explore our IELTS complete guide. Also explore our IELTS vs PTE comparison. Also explore our IELTS Band 7 tips. Visit EEC Ahmedabad or EEC Surat for in-person guidance. Use our IELTS vs PTE comparison page for a side-by-side breakdown.

Frequently Asked Questions

PTE Speaking questions from students: