PTE speaking and writing sections are clubbed together, you will get the speaking and writing tasks in this section. The speaking & writing section has a duration of 54 to 67 minutes. The section has 7 different items or question types. Personal introduction is the first task, this task is not scored but it’s sent to the institutions of your choice with your scores. The speaking and writing section has the longest duration.
Personal introduction
You will get 25 seconds to read the prompt and 30 seconds to record your introduction. Prepare your introduction in advance and practice it until it is smooth, without interruptions or fillers(Ah, umm, etc.). Since this is the first task if you nail this correctly it will boost your confidence for the upcoming tasks.
Tip
From personal experience, I can tell you that If the introduction goes smoothly, it will set the context for your speaking tasks that follow next. I used to get into my speaking rhythm, intonation, and pace during my introduction which helped me ace the speaking section. Do the following during the personal introduction task.
- Set your speaking pace/speed – Your speaking speed shouldn’t be very fast or slow. You will make many mistakes If your pace is very fast. If it’s very slow you will not be able to speak in the proper intonation and rhythm so it’s best to be at the medium pace.
- Set your rhythm – Speaking at a medium speed will allow you to catch the correct rhythm.
- Pronounce clearly – Take time to pronounce each word.
It is critical to get your introduction correct to get the right start for the speaking tasks.
PTE speaking and writing sections can be divided into two parts based on task scores. The tasks that contribute to the speaking scores are –
- Read Aloud
- Repeat Sentence
- Describe Image
- Re-tell Lecture
- Answer Short Question
The tasks that contribute to the Writing scores are –
- Summarize Written Text
- Write Essay