PTE Re-Tell Lecture

Retell lecture is part of PTE speaking where the listening and speaking skills are assessed. The lecture you hear is up to 90 seconds. At the end of the lecture, you have to retell it in 40 seconds.

What happens in Re-tell Lecture Test?

  • For the assessment, the audio will begin to play automatically. In some cases, a related image is also shown along with the audio.
  • When the audio completes, you are given 10 seconds for preparation. This is given as a countdown in the recording status bar.
  • The microphone will open at the end of the 10 seconds and you will hear a tone for a short span.
  • When the tone ends, begin speaking. Avoid speaking before the microphone opens as your speech will not get recorded.
  • Speak clearly and slowly. Complete your speech before the time is up as shown by the progress bar and the word completed replaces recording.
  • You are given only one chance for the recording. However, the exercise allows you to take notes while you listen to the audio.

PTE Re-tell Lecture Tips

Since the time given is very short, you are bound to feel stressed about replicating the information verbatim. At the outset, you should avoid capturing every bit of information the audio provides.

Instead, treat the retell lecture as your normal conversation that takes place at your workplace or classroom. You need to grasp the main concept and a few of the significant facts to ace the test.

In general, if you take care of three fundamental steps you can easily attend the retell lecture. These include

  • Listening to the speaker
  • Writing the keywords
  • Retelling the lecture

Here are some tips that will help you score better in the PTE retell lecture for each of the above steps:

Listening tips

PTE Academic website has a collocation list that you should read carefully. Spend a few minutes on the list every day. Repeat the process at least two or three times a day. Instead of cramming it, learn how to use the list.

A practical approach is another crucial aspect of PTE speaking. For honing this skill, you should make a habit of reading English Newspapers daily.

Listening to BBC audio clips and audio formats such as Ted Talks will help enhance your listening capability. You will be able to focus on the speech, learn unfamiliar words and get acquainted with the pace of the speech. This makes sure you are able to speak about the topic easily.

Writing tips

To reach a decent score or even a perfect one, noting the keywords is absolutely necessary. Since the lecture is often complex and lengthy, you will not be able to remember every spoken word. The keywords help you to recall what is said.

While you are taking note of the keywords, make sure you do it in a simple way so remembering the lecture is easier. With complex keywords, this is not possible and at the same time oversimplifying the words can make you miss major keywords.

And use keywords in such a way that you can connect them suitably to form completely coherent statements.

Proper keyword use is vital in PTE to retell lecture because the main purpose of the task is to test your skills in repeating, informing and explaining what you have listened to. And if possible, you should be able to support your explanation with the appropriate examples.

Retelling tips

This is the final step of the task. Begin retelling using the standard template sentences. Use keywords to keep the continuity and make sure the sentences are properly interlinked

To score well you need to take care of three important aspects namely

Content: Ensure you use appropriate keywords and try to finish within the timeframe to avoid overlapping of content.

Cover all the significant facts, point out clearly how things are related, their implications and your conclusions.

Add examples and details.

Pronunciation: Avoid silent pronunciation. Instead, concentrate on speaking every word clearly and with proper stress on individual words and sentences.

Ensure the consonant and vowel sounds are heard with clarity.

Speak the next word only after completing the first.

Fluency: Your fluency will be checked on how smooth and natural your language flow is. Use phrasing appropriately with the right pause in between word groups.

Don’t hurry in voicing your thoughts. Instead stress on sentence interlinking.

Avoid repetitions or hesitations.

Other important re-tell lecture tips to remember

1. The accompanying image with the audio should be viewed with care as it helps you understand and get an overall picture of the entire lecture. You can describe the information in a better way with the visual.

2. Be alert and well-prepared as the chances for committing errors are high due to the short time span of the test.

3. Use erasable notepads for taking notes and write legibly. This will avoid confusion in understanding what you have written. Use shortcuts, abbreviations and flowcharts to increase the speed of your note-taking.

4. The keywords you note down can be in the form of verbs, adverbs, adjectives, nouns and you can also add contextual information.

5. Refrain from using one-word notations. Always use a group of words. This makes it easy to form a proper sentence structure.

6. While speaking, avoid pauses as the microphone will automatically stop, if you remain silent for over 3 seconds. Any word you pronounce will not be recorded.

7. Avoid sounds such as ‘aah’ or ‘uhm’ that show your hesitation and your unprepared state.

8.For connecting your sentences and to ensure proper flow add connectors in your speech such as firstly, moreover, furthermore and similar other fillers.

8. There are top quality templates available with basic retell lecture format. Having such templates can help you practice. You can listen with more focus, take down notes faster and retell efficiently when you practice with the templates.

Proper preparation is key to scoring well in a retell lecture. When you are well-prepared, you can think and frame your words carefully. Ensure your response lasts for about 35 seconds and finish the response at about 5 seconds prior to the end of the recording.

Good luck.