PTE Academic · Task guide 7 · 4 min read
PTE Re-tell Lecture: format, scoring and tips
PTE Academic Re-tell Lecture explained: a short lecture, 10 seconds to prepare, 40 seconds to speak, scoring and a note-taking routine.
What you see and do
You hear a short lecture, often with an image or the speaker's photo on screen. While it plays, you take notes on the erasable noteboard. When the audio ends, you have a few seconds to prepare, then you re-tell the main points of the lecture in your own words.
You hear the lecture once only.
Timing
| Stage | About how long |
|---|---|
| Lecture audio | up to about 90 seconds |
| Preparation | about 10 seconds |
| Response | about 40 seconds |
The on-screen timer and status box show when recording starts and how long is left.
How it is scored
Re-tell Lecture counts towards Listening and Speaking. It is judged on:
| Trait | What it means |
|---|---|
| Content | You report the main idea, key supporting points and their relationships accurately |
| Oral fluency | Smooth, steady speech without long pauses or restarts |
| Pronunciation | Clear sounds, stress and intonation |
You do not need every detail. The scorers look for the topic, the main points and how they connect, such as cause and effect or a comparison.
Common mistakes
- Writing full sentences in your notes. You will miss the next point. Note key words only.
- Retelling only the first half. Lectures often end with a conclusion or change of direction that matters.
- Reading out notes as a list of words. Turn them into connected sentences.
- Long silences at the start. Begin with a simple framing sentence while you look at your notes.
- Adding your own opinion. Report what the speaker said, not whether you agree.
A short routine
- While listening, write the topic at the top, then three or four key words for each main point. Use arrows for cause and effect.
- In the 10 seconds of preparation, circle the two or three most important points.
- Open with "The lecture was about…" or "The speaker discussed…".
- Give the main points in order, linking them with "first", "in addition", "however", "as a result".
- Close with the speaker's conclusion or a brief summary sentence.
Exam tip: abbreviations save time. Use "↑" for increase, "↓" for decrease, "→" for leads to, and "b/c" for because. Practice them so they feel natural on the day.
Illustrative example
This lecture summary and answer were written for Fable Tests. They are not taken from any official material.
Imagine a lecture in which a speaker explains that many towns once built their main markets beside rivers, because boats were the cheapest way to move heavy goods. When railways arrived, the speaker says, markets moved towards stations, and riverside areas often declined. Today, the lecture concludes, some cities are bringing those old waterfronts back to life as places for leisure rather than trade.
Notes might look like this:
- markets + rivers (boats = cheap transport)
- railways → markets → stations
- riverside ↓
- now: waterfronts revived → leisure not trade
A possible answer:
The lecture was about how the location of town markets has changed over time. The speaker explained that markets were first built beside rivers, because boats were the cheapest way to carry heavy goods. However, when railways arrived, markets moved closer to the stations, and many riverside areas declined. Finally, the speaker noted that some cities are now reviving their old waterfronts, but as places for leisure rather than for trade.
Key points
- You hear a lecture of up to about 90 seconds, then have about 10 seconds to prepare and about 40 seconds to speak.
- It counts towards Listening and Speaking.
- Scoring traits are content, oral fluency and pronunciation.
- Take key-word notes, not sentences.
- Cover the topic, main points and conclusion, linked into a clear spoken summary.
For the official current format, see pearsonpte.com. More guides are on the PTE hub.