It’s normal to be apprehensive at the thought of the PTE speaking section, where your communicative competence will be closely evaluated. Even native speakers feel nervous about the idea of speaking in front of an audience.
How then can you excel in the speaking section of the PTE exam?
Importance of Practice and Feedback
Consistent practice is crucial in PTE preparation, but it is not enough.
If you keep repeating the same errors while practicing, they will become a part of your speech pattern and affect your delivery.
Instead, you have to practice using the correct pronunciation, speed, and structure every time. You need to do this until they become automatic.
Work with a trained teacher or coach who will help you fix any habits or methods that interfere with your communication. A qualified teacher will listen and give advice on improving your speech before you take the PTE test.
This constructive feedback will boost your confidence and enhance your communication skills.
Here’s a look at how feedback during PTE test preparation can allow you to attain a higher score.
PTE Speaking Section
The PTE speaking section is perhaps the most difficult. Unlike in the writing section, there isn’t much time to prepare or think about what you will say.
What exactly is measured in this section? Examiners aim to establish your English fluency by asking you to:
- Answer a short question
- Describe an image
- Read a passage out loud
- Repeat a sentence
- Retell a lecture
Evaluation Criteria for Speaking
Your delivery will be assessed based on the following:
Pronunciation
This refers to the natural articulation and clarity of every word spoken. The test depends on voice-to-text software that scores you by determining whether regular English speakers can understand your speech.
Pronunciation can be extremely hard to master. Some of the phonemes (sounds) in English may not exist in your own language, so recognizing and producing them can be a challenge. Keep in mind that any mispronounced words will become ingrained if said too often.
That’s why it is helpful to have patient and experienced teachers who will point out any pronunciation errors and model how to say words correctly.
Content
Here, you need to demonstrate that you can express yourself with appropriate vocabulary in a grammatically correct structure. For example, you have to organize your thoughts logically and concisely when retelling a lecture or describing an image.
Feedback here will allow you to determine whether you successfully followed these criteria. A good teacher will also tell you if you lose your train of thought or repeat ideas.
Oral Fluency
Oral fluency describes the speed, flow, and grammar use in your response.
At times, you might be knowledgeable on a subject but can’t express your ideas out loud. You will lose points if you use fillers, hesitate because of ambiguity, or stop and then restart your answer.
During practice, your teacher or coach can tell you if your delivery is smooth and effortless. Remember, oral fluency revolves around how you can communicate.
While your speech shouldn’t be too fast, it must be quick enough so you appear as though you can respond with no hesitation.
Conclusion
Combined with other study tips, it is possible to attain high scores in the PTE test. Consistent practice and professional coaching will help you gauge and improve your fluency level through feedback. This helps you make positive changes where necessary.
