PTE Speaking guide
PTE Re-tell Lecture: Format, Scoring and Note-Taking Tips
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PTE Academic
In Re-tell Lecture you hear a short lecture (sometimes with an image) and then retell it in your own words. It tests whether you can pick out the main points while listening and explain them clearly. It is part of PTE Academic.
How the task works
- Audio
- A lecture of up to 90 seconds
- Preparation
- 10 seconds after the lecture ends
- Response
- Up to 40 seconds of recording
- Scored on
- Content, pronunciation and oral fluency
- Counts for
- Speaking and Listening
Strategies that help
- Take notes as keywords only: the topic, two or three main points, and any example or conclusion.
- Use a simple frame: “The lecture was about… The speaker explained that… They also mentioned… In conclusion…”.
- Use the 10 seconds to number your points, not to write more.
- Speak smoothly at a steady pace; fluent speech with the main ideas scores better than hesitant speech with every detail.
Common mistakes
- Trying to write down full sentences and missing the next point.
- Long pauses while reading back your notes.
- Talking only about the first minute of the lecture and leaving out the conclusion.
Example
The lecture was about how bees communicate. The speaker explained that bees perform a “waggle dance” to show other bees where food is. The angle of the dance shows the direction, and its length shows the distance. In conclusion, this behaviour helps the whole colony find food efficiently.
Topic → main point → two details → conclusion, in about 35 seconds.
Related guides
More on this skill: PTE Speaking practice · All question type guides
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