PTE Academic · Speaking · S1
PTE Academic Speaking: Read Aloud
Read Aloud is the first scored task in PTE Academic Part 1. A short text of up to 60 words appears on screen, you get 30 to 40 seconds to prepare, and then you read it aloud once into the microphone. It contributes to both your Reading and Speaking scores.
- Items per test
- 6–7
- Text length
- Up to 60 words
- Preparation
- 30–40 seconds
- Recording
- One attempt; the time allowed depends on the text
- Scores
- Reading and Speaking
How it works
- 1The text appears and a preparation countdown starts.
- 2When the countdown ends, the microphone opens and recording begins.
- 3You read the whole text aloud once; there is no second attempt.
- 4Recording stops when the time runs out, or after about 3 seconds of silence.
Sample task
Original sample · not from an official test
Read the text aloud. "Urban beekeeping has grown quickly over the past decade. Rooftop hives now appear on offices, schools and hotels, where they help pollinate nearby parks and gardens. However, researchers warn that too many hives in one district can leave bees competing for a limited supply of flowers."
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Outline: A steady reading in phrase groups: "Urban beekeeping / has grown quickly / over the past decade." A short pause at each full stop, a lighter one at commas, and stress on content words such as grown, rooftop, pollinate and limited.
The text is 47 words, typical of this task. A strong response keeps an even pace, pronounces every word, and does not stop to restart a sentence. Stumbling on one word and moving on costs less than going back.
Tips that work
- Use the preparation time to mark where you will breathe: at full stops and after long subject phrases, not in the middle of a noun group.
- Say difficult words silently during preparation, especially multi-syllable ones like 'pollinate' or 'infrastructure', so the stress is settled before recording.
- Start speaking within a second or two of the tone. A long silence at the start can close the microphone.
- Aim for natural conversational speed. Reading very fast to finish early tends to blur word endings such as -ed and -s.
Common mistakes
- Going back to repeat a word you stumbled on, which breaks fluency twice.
- Pausing long enough mid-sentence that the 3-second silence rule ends the recording.
- Adding or skipping small words like 'the' and 'of' because you read ahead too quickly.
Questions candidates ask
Does Read Aloud affect my Reading score?
Yes. It contributes to both Reading and Speaking, so accurate word-for-word reading matters as well as pronunciation and fluency.
What happens if I stop talking for a few seconds?
If the microphone detects about 3 seconds of silence, recording stops and you cannot continue. Keep going even after a mistake.
Should I use a native-speaker accent?
No. You are assessed on clear, intelligible pronunciation and smooth delivery, not on sounding like any particular accent.
Other PTE Academic Speaking tasks
PTE Academic overviewPTE Academic Speaking: all partsPTE Academic full mock testsPTE Academic articles on the blog