Introduction to PTE Repeat Sentence

The Repeat Sentence task is a crucial part of the Speaking & Writing section in the PTE Academic test. In this task, you will listen to a short recording of a sentence and must repeat it exactly as you heard it.

Task Overview

• Prompt Length: 3-9 seconds
• Skills Assessed: Listening and speaking
• Time to Answer: 15 seconds

How to Answer

When the audio begins, it plays automatically. Once it finishes, the microphone opens, and the recording status box will show “Recording”. You will hear a short tone—start speaking into the microphone immediately.

• Speak naturally: Speak clearly and at a normal pace. There is no need to rush.
• Watch the clock: Finish your sentence before the progress bar reaches the end. Once done, the status will change to “Completed”.
• One try only: You cannot replay the audio, and you are only able to record your response once.

Expert Test Tips

1. Listen to the Phrasing

Your score relies heavily on producing correct word sequences. To make this easier, try to listen for meaningful phrases rather than just individual words. For example:

Next week’s tutorial / on Tuesday / has been cancelled.

By breaking the sentence into smaller, meaningful chunks, you have a much better chance of repeating it accurately.

2. Copy the Stress and Intonation

Make a mental note of how the original speaker stresses certain words and uses intonation. Mirroring these patterns helps convey the correct meaning and improves your pronunciation score. Speak calmly and clearly, applying stress to the same syllables and copying the rising or falling tone of the speaker's voice.

How This Question is Scored

Your performance on the Repeat Sentence task is evaluated based on three primary factors:

Content

Does your response include all the words from the prompt, and only those words? Your score is calculated by counting the number of correct word sequences. Missing the prompt entirely will negatively affect your score. Partial credit is available, but no credit is given for an irrelevant or blank response.

Pronunciation

Is your speech easily understandable to most regular English speakers? Top scores are awarded to responses that feature native-like vowels and consonants, along with correct word and phrase stress. PTE Academic recognizes regional and national varieties of English, provided they are clear and understandable.

Oral Fluency

Does your response demonstrate a smooth, effortless, and natural rate of speech? The best responses maintain a constant rhythm and appropriate phrasing. Try to avoid hesitations, repetitions, and false starts, as these will lower your oral fluency score.