Speaking · Question type
PTE Re-tell Lecture
Re-tell Lecture plays an academic talk or audio-visual lecture once; you then retell the key points in your own spoken words within the time limit.
See it first
Watch Re-tell Lecture run.
This is the real sequence, sped up: the clock, the audio and the recording window. Press play, then read how to beat it.
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- Sleep is active, not passive
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- Well-rested students perform better
Listen once · 10s to prepare · 40s to retell
What it is
What you actually do.
You listen to a lecture excerpt (sometimes with a supporting image or slides). When recording begins, you summarize the lecture’s main ideas and important supporting points orally.
This is an integrated listening-to-speaking task: comprehension quality shows up in what you choose to retell, while delivery still needs fluency and clear pronunciation.
You are not expected to quote the speaker verbatim. A coherent paraphrase that preserves the lecture’s logic is the target.
How it’s scored
What the computer marks.
Typical focus areas: content coverage of the lecture, oral fluency, and pronunciation.
The task is commonly described as contributing to both Listening and Speaking. Confirm the exact trait labels and weighting on pearsonpte.com.
How to do it well
The moves that hold up.
Under the clock, these are the habits that keep you calm and on task.
Run a 3-step framework: Capture → Reorder → Retell.
Step 1 (Capture): write the topic at the top, then 3–5 keyword bullets (not full sentences), using arrow shorthand for cause/effect.
Step 2 (Reorder): plan the retell in the lecture’s order; if your notes are messy, group them by theme instead.
Step 3 (Retell): open with “The lecture discusses…” plus the core topic, then walk your notes with discourse markers, speaking for most of the recording window.
Include at least one concrete example or figure the speaker mentioned, if you caught it.
Use discourse markers: firstly, in addition, however, as a result, finally.
If audio is dense, prioritize big ideas over minor asides.
Common mistakes
What costs marks.
Most people lose points the same way. Know these before test day.
Writing long notes and then reading them robotically with poor fluency.
Retelling only the introduction and missing the speaker’s main argument.
Inserting personal opinions unrelated to the lecture.
Long silence while trying to recall a single forgotten term.
Copying phrases incorrectly and getting stuck mid-clause.
How to practice
Make it automatic.
Volume under exam conditions is what moves the score. Do this, not more reading.
Train note abbreviations (↑ ↓ → =) so your hand stays fast enough for the audio.
After each attempt, check: did I state topic, two supports, and a closing line?
Practice free on Wobzzy with lecture-style items; use AI scoring sparingly to audit content density.
Keep going
Related tasks.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
No. Keyword notes plus paraphrase is more reliable. Verbatim memory fails under length and speed.
Practice Re-tell Lecture free
Unlimited drills with real exam timing. AI scoring is optional when you want feedback.