PTE Speaking guide
PTE Personal Introduction: What It Is and How to Prepare
AI feedback · not scored
PTE Academic & PTE Core
The Personal Introduction is the first thing you record in the test. You read a short prompt and then introduce yourself. It is not scored, but it is your first time speaking into the microphone, so it is a useful warm-up for everything that follows.
How the task works
- Preparation
- 25 seconds to read the prompt and get ready
- Response
- 30 seconds of recording, in one take
- Scored on
- Not scored
- Counts for
- No skill score
Strategies that help
- Prepare a short, natural introduction in advance: your name, where you are from, your studies or work, and why you are taking the test.
- Speak at the same steady pace you will use in Read Aloud — treat it as a microphone check for yourself.
- Keep to around 25 seconds so you finish comfortably before the recording ends.
- Use it to settle your nerves: breathe, sit comfortably, and keep the microphone at the same distance throughout.
Common mistakes
- Reading a long memorised speech that runs out of time.
- Rushing because it is the first task — it sets the tone for the rest of Speaking.
- Moving the headset microphone around while speaking.
Example
Hello, my name is Maria. I am from Manila, and I work as a nurse. I am taking this test because I would like to continue my career abroad. In my free time, I enjoy cooking and reading.
About 25 seconds at a calm pace: who you are, what you do, and why you are taking the test.
Related guides
More on this skill: PTE Speaking practice · All question type guides
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