Timing at a glance
| Text length | A short paragraph, up to about 60 words |
|---|---|
| Preparation | About 30–40 seconds, depending on length |
| Speaking time | About 30–40 seconds |
| Silence | Recording stops after a short pause of about 3 seconds |
Timings are approximate and can vary slightly from question to question.
How it's scored
Scored onContentOral FluencyPronunciation
Content checks how many words you read as written: a word you skip, add or replace counts against you. Oral Fluency listens for a smooth, even pace with natural phrasing and no long hesitations or restarts. Pronunciation measures how clearly and recognisably you say each word.
Worked example
A practice passage we wrote
City rooftops are becoming home to an unlikely group of residents: honeybees. In several large cities, office workers now keep hives on flat roofs, where the bees feed on flowers in nearby parks and gardens. Supporters say the hives help local plants, but scientists warn that too many colonies can crowd out wild bees.
A strong approach
Read it in meaning groups, with a short breath at each slash: City rooftops are becoming home / to an unlikely group of residents: / honeybees. / In several large cities, / office workers now keep hives on flat roofs, / where the bees feed on flowers / in nearby parks and gardens. / Supporters say the hives help local plants, / but scientists warn / that too many colonies / can crowd out wild bees.
Notice the stress on the words that carry meaning (rooftops, honeybees, hives, warn, wild) and the slight fall in pitch at each full stop.
Common mistakes
- Starting to read before the microphone opens, so the first words are lost.
- Stopping to correct a slip and reading the sentence again. A restart costs more fluency than the slip itself.
- Reading word by word in a flat voice, with no grouping or sentence stress.
- Rushing the first sentence and slowing down badly by the end.
- Pausing for so long on a difficult word that the recording ends.
Tips
- Use the preparation time to read the passage silently once and mark hard words, names and numbers in your head.
- Read in phrases of three to six words, the way you would say them in conversation.
- If you stumble, keep going. One smooth slip is better than a halting repair.
- Aim for a steady, natural speed. Clear and even beats fast.
- Record yourself and listen back: most learners hear their own pauses for the first time this way.
Read Aloud FAQ
Neither extreme. A natural conversational pace with clear phrasing scores best. Reading very fast tends to blur pronunciation, and reading very slowly with many pauses lowers fluency.
Related guides
PTE Practice is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Pearson. Our scores are a calibrated emulation, not official PTE scores.