If you can listen to short English sentences and repeat them correctly, you can get a high score in this question type. This PTE Repeat Sentence question type is a simple test of how well you can listen, understand and then reproduce what you have just heard.

In the exam you will hear a short sentence and immediately afterwards you have to repeat it and record it in the microphone. Your score depends on how much of the sentence have you been able to repeat correctly i.e. how many words did you get correct. The remaining score depends upon your pronunciation and fluency.

You will get almost 10~12 PTE Repeat Sentence questions of this type. Together they can contribute substantially to your overall listening and speaking scores.

Let’s first look at the basics:

 Number of questions10~12 questions
 ScoringContributes to the PTE Speaking and PTE Listening section scores
 Negative markingNo
 Time to answer3 seconds before the audio starts. Microphone opens up 1 second after the audio ends. You will have 15 seconds to complete your response.

When you are listening, your focus should be on understanding the meaning of the sentence. If you understand the theme and the meaning, remembering words becomes easier.

This PTE Repeat Sentence Question type has partial credit. You will get marks for the words that you are able to repeat correctly. If you pause for more than 3 seconds, the microphone will close and you will not be able to complete your response. So, keep that in mind! There is no point hesitating and thinking too much in this PTE Repeat Sentence question type.

PTE Repeat Sentence MethodThere are only a few seconds before which the PTE Repeat Sentence audio will start playing. In these few seconds make sure to focus yourself on listening.

  • When the audio starts try to remember the sentence, the words in it and the meaning conveyed. It can occasionally help to take some notes, especially for longer sentences. But note taking should not be at the cost of understanding the sentence.
  • We also recommend our students to try to remember the sentence visually. That is, paint a picture in your mind corresponding to what you have just heard.
  • Once the audio ends, the microphone will open up. You should then try to repeat the sentence as correctly as possible. There is no time to think, remember or check yourself. The right approach is to give it your best shot right away. Even if you feel you have made a mistake, forgotten a word or mispronounced a word for example, just keep moving.
  • You will be judged on your pronunciation and fluency. If you think too much or if you haven’t practiced your vocabulary or English speaking skills beforehand, it will reflect in your pronunciation and fluency.

Listening to simple short sentences and repeating them is an easy task if you put in sufficient practice hours before exam. Follow these tips and tricks for getting a high score:

Focus on the meaning

If you understand the meaning you will be able to repeat the sentence much more accurately. Trying to remember each and every word on the other hand can become quite burdensome and difficult.

Don’t mimic the speaker

Don’t try to mimic the speaker. Instead try to understand and the tone and bring about the same expression in your voice. For example, if the speaker is emphasizing on a point, you can also put stress on it. But if you try to copy the accent, each and every up and down in the speaker’s voice, you will just get confused.

Remember visually

Try to see when you hear! Draw a mental picture and when repeating look at that mental picture. This along with taking a few notes is the best way to remember the sentence.

Abbreviate the sentence

We don’t recommend this as the preferred method but for some test takers who find it difficult to understand or remember the sentence, this might be the only practical option. In this approach, you try to write down the first letter of each word or the first few letters of each words. When you speak you will look at this short form and use it to reproduce the complete sentence.

Brush up your vocabulary

Go through the Academic word list and make sure you are familiar with the words that are most likely to appear in an exam like PTE. Knowing the words means you will easily recognize and remember them when you hear a sentence.

Get used to listening English audio

If you do not work or study in an English speaking environment or are new to it, you must get used to listening and speaking English in the days before your PTE Exam. Check out a resource such as TED Talks.

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