Retell Lecture is one of the most essential parts of the Speaking section of the PTE exam. It evaluates both your speaking and listening abilities at once. To clear this, you have to begin by listening to a lecture, comprehending its main idea, and briefly describing the details in your own words. The motive of this section is to demonstrate your capability to listen and summarise verbally in a classroom setting.
In this task, you will listen to a short academic presentation or a lecture that typically will not be longer than 90 seconds.
The steps of the Retell Lecture task are summarised as follows:
- Listening: The lecture will be played on an audio recording. Paying attention to the lecture’s structure, content, and important concepts is essential throughout this phase.
- Taking notes: While listening, you must take notes of what is being said so you can listen to them later. It helps you remember all the relevant details for a brief. Taking notes is a valuable skill that can come in handy when you summarise the lecture later.
- Speaking: Once done listening, you’ll be given forty seconds to summarise what you’ve heard before the presentation or lecture.
The Retell Lecture task stands essential for these reasons:
- Communication Skills: This task is similar to a situation where you need to listen to complex information and share it shortly and clearly with someone else.
- Assessment of Speaking and Listening: It can assess all your language skills by evaluating your speaking and listening skills.
- Academic & Professional Relevance: The content of the task is similar to what you can learn in a corporate presentation or an academic lecture. This is especially important for working or studying in English-speaking environments.
Strategies to Excel in PTE Retell Lecture
Doing well in the PTE Retell Lecture task doesn’t have to be complicated! The following helpful PTE Retell Lecture pointers and techniques will help you do well on this test:
- Listening Actively: From the start of the lecture, pay close attention. Learn to listen for the key points and illustrative details.
- Methods for Taking Notes: Create a system of symbols and abbreviations to help you rapidly write down important information. Practice taking notes in English to increase your accuracy and speed.
- Make the Most of Your Forty Seconds: Organise your ideas and review your notes during the 40-second preparation period. Don’t try to repeat the lesson verbatim or commit it to memory.
- Be Brief: Make sure your response is succinct and direct. Sort the most important material first, and don’t become distracted or repeat concepts.
- Improve Your Fluency and Pronunciation: Work on your the way you speak to improve fluency and pronunciation. For the automated scoring algorithm to comprehend you, you must speak clearly. Improve your fluency and tempo. Also, don’t talk too quickly or too slowly.
PTE Retell Lecture Template to Follow
By applying a structured template to frame your PTE Retell Lecture response, you will be able to systematically frame ideas and produce a concise and comprehensible summary of the contents.
Here is an example that you can use:
Introduction (2-3 seconds):
- Start your response with a succinct statement that provides background information for your summary. It should contain the lecture’s primary subject as well as any pertinent background data.
Key Takeaways (30–35 seconds):
- List the major points and important information that were covered in the lecture.
- Refer to your notes as a reference and highlight the most important details.
- To create a cohesive summary, prioritise and logically arrange the points.
- To link concepts, use transitional words or phrases. For instance, “First,” “In addition,” and “Furthermore.”
Example (2–3 seconds):
- To support your summary, include any instructive examples used throughout the lecture. Conclusion (one to two seconds):
- Emphasise the importance of the information provided or restate the key idea as you wrap up your response.
- An illustration of how to use this template for a Retell Lecture task is provided here:
Overview (2–3 seconds):
- “The lecture covered how marine ecosystems are affected by climate change.”
Key Takeaways (30–35 seconds):
- The professor began by highlighting the effects of warming seas on coral reefs, which are dying and bleaching extensively. Second, he talked about how different fish species are threatened by changing ocean currents that alter their migratory and breeding habits. The presentation also discussed how the shellfish population is adversely affected by ocean acidification. The speaker concluded by outlining the significance of international cooperation in resolving these problems.
Example (2–3 seconds):
- “He used a particular case study involving oyster farms in the Pacific Northwest to illustrate the concept of ocean acidification.”
Conclusion (1-2 seconds):
- “To sum up, the talk emphasised the critical need for global cooperation to lessen the impacts of climate change on marine life.”
Sample Responses with Answers
The PTE preparation stress can be reduced by relying on a sample PTE Retell Lecture response. Consider these:
- The lecture’s core theme centres on what the presenter covered.
- The speaker first mentioned/delved into.
- The trainer then discussed and offered insights about.
- The speaker concluded by outlining and expanding on.
- The presentation provided insightful information about the topic and stated what it should be.
At Englishwise, we have everything you need if you’re looking for a PTE Retell Lecture with answers! You can now access a Retell Lecture PTE template with an example response based on the aforementioned guidelines.
Takeaway
With the correct techniques and regular practice, it is possible to master the PTE Retell Lecture task. When you focus and listen, take notes, and write in a set format, you’ll be able to answer all the questions in brief and seamless sentences. Also, by staying calm and following the format correctly, practising time management, and using correct pronunciation, you can improve your scores.
