P1. Re-tell Lecture evaluates students’ Speaking and Listening skills. We need to listen to a Lecture first and then re-tell it in our own words. To most students, this is one of the most challenging item types in the Pearson Test of English Academic because it requires applying multiple skills at the same time including Listening, Note-taking, Organising thoughts, and then Speaking.
To all Listening question types (we need to listen first and answer later), note-taking skills are TRULY VITAL, if students have great note-taking skills while listening, it will be easier to deal with this item type. Accordingly, we strongly recommend that PTE-takers follow our Note-taking strategies here before exploring this Re-tell Lecture Strategy for a better result.
In this unique Strategy, we will be guiding you step-by-step to face this question type successfully to aim for the highest score possible.
Fundamental information
Task: After listening to a/lecture/ interview, re-tell the lecture/ interview in your own words;
Prompt Length: up to 90 seconds;
Timer: 50 seconds after listening to the audio (10 prep seconds and 40 seconds to speak);
Frequency: 1-2 questions;
Skills assessed: Listening, Speaking.
A unique step-by-step strategy
Here is our four-step strategy to deal with Part 1: Retell Lecture. We already posted it on YouTube, if you are a video lover, go watch it, but please bear in mind that our article version is more detailed. Therefore, we strongly recommend you watch the YouTube version first and then read this article if possible for the best outcome.
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Step 1: Taking notes while listening
We already shared a super easy-to-follow strategy for taking notes while Reading and Listening, PTE takers please read that article first to follow our strategy here more easily.
Regarding our sample question, we will use Question number 1, Part 1: Retell Lecture.
If you already read our Note-taking strategies, please click the audio link above to listen to the lecture and take notes. Later, you can review our notes.
Here is the description of the lecture.
Jody: In sports, there's a lot of talk about a magical place called “the zone”. You've probably heard of it. That place where everything clicks, where no matter the weather or the crowd or the sweat in your eyes, nothing can break your focus, where you just do everything perfectly. You sink every shot. Nothing can stop you. Now, when I think about the zone, when I picture someone in the zone, I picture Steph Curry. Do you believe in the zone?
Steven: I do believe in the zone, ‘cause it's the one time that everything kind of goes autopilot. Steph Curry himself stated that in one of his recent interviews.
Jody: Well, if the greatest NBA shooter of all time says the legend is real, that the zone is real, it’s more than just a legend. How would you describe such a phenomenon?
Steven: There's just synergy with everything that you're trying to do, and even your intentions have been validated by the atmosphere around you, where it seems like everything else is going right at the same time. You kind of get lost in that moment.
Are your notes relevant to the lecture after checking the description? If your notes are, great job! If your notes aren’t, it’s okay because everything can be improved by practising. Now, let’s check our notes.
Magical place caled the zone
No matter the weather, nothing can break your focus
We can do things perfectly
Steff Cori? The speaker believes, Steff stated that the zone is real
You get lost in the moment – in the zone
We took all the above notes while listening to the lecture, and there is something you need to know in advance before putting effort into practice.
Firstly, wrong spellings such as “caled” are okay. They don’t evaluate your notes, and this is a speaking question after listening to the lecture, your pronunciation matters, not the spelling. PTE takers can even take notes by using acronyms or short forms of words to save time.
Secondly, if we have any particular names in the lecture, PTE takers should take notes on them even if they are not sure how they are spelt as long as you remember how they are pronounced so you can repeat them later. For example, in the lecture, we have Steph Curry but we took notes on Steff Cori. The spellings are wrong (again, it doesn’t matter) but the pronunciation is similar.
We can apply these note-taking rules to Part 3: Summarize Spoken Text as well because it also has audio that we need to listen to before summarising the text.
Step 2: Review your notes
In Part 1: Retell Lecture, we have a total of 50 seconds, the first 10 seconds are for preparation and the next 40 seconds are for speaking. In this step, we will need to utilise the first 10 seconds to review our notes and think of how to connect them together by using linking words.
There are sixteen linking-word categories that you can check in your Dashboard on the PTE Practice Platform. To name a few, we have “Addition”, we use linking words in this category such as “Additionally, In addition, Furthermore, Moreover, and so on” to add more information, ideas, points, etc. to previous ones. Regarding “Results”, we use some link words like “As a result, Consequently, Therefore, Accordingly, Thus, Hence, and so on” to conclude our message.
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Reviewing our notes and Brainstorming on how to connect all notes ensure that we don’t miss any of them and that we are able to deliver a more logical and smoother answer.
Step 3: Structure your speech
If PTE takers excel at articulating thoughts, we can combine Step 2 and Step 3 together. Nevertheless, lots of students aren’t that fluent and confident enough to do multiple tasks at the same time, so we divide them into smaller steps for following easier.
To apply this step effectively, we need to optimise the first 10 seconds in our 40 seconds of speaking. It’s okay as long as PTE takers commit to speak for at least 30 seconds. Besides, please DO NOT speak in that first 10 seconds because if you do, they will evaluate that part as well, which is not good as it’s just our preparation.
In this step Structure your speech, there are several tasks that PTE takers need to follow:
Task 1: Use an Opening statement: We need to come up with the main content of the lecture before using an opening statement to start our speech. As we already reviewed our notes in Step 2, it’s easy to conclude with the main content. Regarding the sample question, it’s obviously about a magical place called the zone in sports.
Here are some opening statements that PTE takers can use to practice. In each PTE Academic test, Part 1: Retell Lecture appears once or twice, so students only need to master using two statements if they don’t have enough time to practice all.
This is a lecture of …
This lecture is of …
This lecture is about …
The main content of the lecture is about …
Task 2: Apply linking words to connect all notes: Yes, we brainstorm on how to use linking words in Step 2, and in this step, we will be applying everything into practice. We simply practice speaking in our head, and please DO NOT speak aloud.
Let’s give it a try first, please use one of the above opening statements and use linking words to connect all your notes before checking ours.
Here is our sample answer for your study.
This is a lecture on a magical place called the zone in the sports industry that the female speaker initially shared. In detail, she said that if we are in that zone, no matter the weather and what is surrounding us, nothing can break our concentration because we totally focus on our tasks and are able to do things perfectly. Moreover, she asked the male speaker whether he believed in the zone or not, yes, he firmly believed in the zone as well. The male speaker even used Steph Curry as an example that Steph stated the zone is real, and people most of the time get lost when they are in that zone.
Step 4: Start speaking
After passing the first three steps, it’s time to use the last 30 seconds to retell the lecture. We already shared our sample answer in Step 3, feel free to recheck it at any time.
One last advice for PTE takers, every achievement needs practice consistently for a long time. It depends on your current level and desired scores to estimate how long you need to prepare for the Pearson Test of English. Take this as your first challenge to study abroad, and you surely will successfully overcome this challenge if you have the right study plan. Here is our 5-step Preparation strategy for any scores you want to achieve, go read it and apply it to your case thoroughly.
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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!
PTE takers have everything they need on our website including the PTE Practice Platform, Preparation Guides, and strategies to deal with all question types. If you have a great self-study skill, then they are all you need to start preparing for the PTE Academic.
With a Premium account on the PTE Practice Platform, students have access to all the following benefits to make their PTE Preparation more effective, transformative, and affordable.
Thousands of practice questions;
Full 2-hour Mock tests;
Instantly detailed feedback for all question types;
Same grading elements as Pearson;
Three supportive vocab lists;
An integrated dictionary;
And other supportive self-study features;
For example, this is sample feedback of a Re-tell Lecture question, we evaluate students’ practice answers based on Content, Oral Fluency, and Pronunciation, which are the same criteria that Pearson uses to assess test-takers skills.
