What if there is a technical problem with my microphone?

Before the test begins, there is time allocated to test the equipment functionality. If one of the equipment isn’t working tell the examiners and you will get a change of equipment. Moreover during the examination, if your microphone isn’t recording anymore or there are some other problems, raise your hand immediately and report the problem. The examiner will come to your aid with a different microphone.

How can I position the microphone to increase audibility?

You would want to position your microphone at a position where breathing sounds cannot be recorded. Sometimes you might take those deep breaths to calm your nerves before speaking. If your microphone is positioned close to your mouth this may be recorded and counted as gibberish words affecting your speaking score. Positioning your microphone parallel to your chin or nose maybe an ideal place.

How do I test the microphone?

To test your microphone record yourself speaking. Just say anything even that mic check one two one two or testing, testing still applies. Or for better practice since you will be recording sentences, you can actually make out a clear sentence. After recording, listen to yourself and if you aren’t happy with what you hear adjust the volume for audibility.

What are the common mistakes people should avoid?

Avoid speaking fast no matter how nervous you are. Just calm yourself down and speak in a normal flowing tone like when delivering a presentation. Also, do not pause because after 3 seconds the microphone automatically switches off whether you are done recording or not. Moreover, avoid the filler words that do not add meaning to your content.

How will I know when it is time to start recording or speaking?

In most questions, there is a beep or sound which signals that it is time to speak. Moreover, there is a countdown that is displayed on your screen and when it stops you should start recording. On repeat the sentence, however, there is no beep or sound so you should start speaking immediately when the recording finishes playing.

Should I click next when you are done the recording?

The microphone switches off automatically after 3 seconds if you don’t respond or record. So the words you spoke before the recording cuts will be submitted for marking whether you click next or you don’t. However, it is advisable to click next since listening is the last section and there might be noise from other test takers leaving the test venue. The noise may be recorded and this will negatively affect your score.

How are the enabling skills scored in this section?

In repeat the sentence the ability to repeat all the words gets a score of 3 marks and it is awarded when the test taker repeats all the words in the sequence while marks such as 2 and 1 are partial scores. Zero is awarded if there was nothing from the prompt.

Will my accent affect PTE speaking test score?

The answer is no. If your accent doesn’t affect your communication ability then you can use any accent. For speaking skills, the trick is to be audible and have clear communication. Do not speak fast; just flow naturally with ease. Relax!