PTE Academic · Task guide 5 · 3 min read
PTE Repeat Sentence: format, scoring and tips
PTE Academic Repeat Sentence explained: short audio, about 15 seconds to respond, scoring for Listening and Speaking, and a routine.
What you see and do
You hear a short sentence, usually about three to nine seconds long. There is no text on screen. When the audio ends, the microphone opens and you repeat the sentence exactly as you heard it.
You hear each sentence once only. There is no preparation time between the audio and the recording.
Timing
| Stage | About how long |
|---|---|
| Audio | about 3–9 seconds |
| Preparation | none: recording begins shortly after the audio ends |
| Response | about 15 seconds |
As with all speaking items, the microphone closes if you are silent for about three seconds.
How it is scored
Repeat Sentence counts towards Listening and Speaking. It is judged on:
| Trait | What it means |
|---|---|
| Content | How many words you repeat correctly and in the right order |
| Oral fluency | A smooth, natural rhythm without hesitations or restarts |
| Pronunciation | Clear sounds, stress and intonation |
Partial credit applies. Repeating most of the sentence fluently scores far better than saying nothing.
Common mistakes
- Freezing when you miss a word. Silence closes the microphone. Say what you remember.
- Trying to remember single words. Long sentences are easier to hold as a few meaningful chunks.
- Hesitating at the start. Begin speaking as soon as the recording opens.
- Copying the speaker's accent. Use your own clear voice; just match the rhythm and stress.
- Changing the order of words. Content marks depend on word order as well as the words themselves.
A short routine
- Listen for meaning, not individual words. Picture what the sentence describes.
- Group the sentence into two or three chunks as you listen.
- Start immediately when recording begins.
- Copy the rhythm: where the speaker pauses, you pause.
- If you lose the end, finish with a sensible phrase and stop cleanly rather than trailing off.
Exam tip: some candidates find it helps to lip-sync silently or trace the words with a finger while listening. Try it in practice and keep it only if it helps you.
Illustrative example
This sentence was written for Fable Tests. It is not taken from any official material.
"The seminar on marine biology has been moved to the lecture hall next to the library."
How to hold it in three chunks:
- The seminar on marine biology
- has been moved to the lecture hall
- next to the library.
If you missed "marine", a fluent answer such as "The seminar on biology has been moved to the lecture hall next to the library" still earns most of the content marks and full credit for fluency.
Practice ideas
- Listen to short sentences from podcasts or the news, pause, and repeat them aloud.
- Start with five- to eight-word sentences and build up to fifteen words or more.
- Record yourself and compare it with the original for missing words and rhythm.
Key points
- You hear a sentence once and repeat it within about 15 seconds.
- It counts towards Listening and Speaking.
- Scoring traits are content, oral fluency and pronunciation.
- Chunk the sentence and never stay silent.
- A fluent, nearly complete answer beats a hesitant, perfect one.
For the official current format, see pearsonpte.com. More guides are on the PTE hub.