Speaking is one skill that differs from one person to another. Different regions have different accents and styles of speaking.

What are the factors that affect your Speaking score in PTE-A?

1. You may speak too fast or too slow.
2. Your volume may be too loud or too low.
3. Your local accent may not be recognized by the computer grading system.
4. You may be feeling nervous, which is reflected in your tone.
5. Your sentences may not be grammatically correct.
6. You use slang that the grading system may not be able to register.

How to speak more clearly in the Speaking section?

• Use formal language

If you watch a lot of English movies and series, it is very natural that you picked up some of the slang like “lemme”, “gonna”, “wanna”, or abbreviations like “LOL” or “FYI”. What you need to keep in mind is that PTE-A tests your skills in an academic setting, and therefore, such slangs are not recognized by the grading system.

You need to use a much formal language, without slang and abbreviations. We recommend practising mock PTE online tests to practise real PTE questions. The more formal language you listen to, the more formal you will speak.

• Speak in a normal, audible and natural tone

It’s natural for you to be nervous while taking the PTE exam. This nervousness reflects in your speaking style. You might not realize that you are speaking too fast or too slow, too loud or too low. This will have a negative effect on your marks because your words might be incomprehensible, and the computer may not be able to record your response properly. If you pause for more than 3 seconds while recording a response, the recording will stop automatically, and you will lose points.

We recommend taking a deep breath before the exam begins, and remind yourself that you are well-prepared for the test. When you feel confident, you are more likely to perform better on the exam.

• Put emphasis on the keywords

Every sentence has some important keywords that need to be stressed upon while speaking. This is called intonation. Intonation is important to bring out the emotion of the sentence, eg. When you read “Hurrah!” in an excited and high-pitched voice, it gives the feeling of happiness and accomplishment. However, if it is read without any enthusiasm in the voice, it sounds like just another word. Intonation is what separates good storytellers from the bad ones. Proper intonation will convey the tone of your sentence, and the computer will record the keywords in your response, resulting in better marks!

• Do not rush to give answers

While speaking, it is important to first understand the question properly, gather your thoughts and organize them to make sense. Often, when we have many random thoughts, we feel the urge to speak them out all that once before we forget them. But while doing this, there is a much higher chance of committing a mistake. Unorganized thoughts do not give your sentence a proper flow, which might affect your overall score. This is where practice comes into play.

Fountainhead Prep gives all PTE aspirants the perfect platform to hone their skills by practising mock PTE questions. Not only that, but we provide online PTE mock tests to understand your strengths and weaknesses. Our expert PTE coaches will help you in every step of your PTE preparation.