In order to evaluate the readiness of students whose mother tongue is different from English there are several tests, with Pearson’s being one of the more popular. With that, the student gets scored based on their English knowledge, and their readiness to apply to their desired university is evaluated.
The first question you will get on this test is precisely the reading aloud. You receive a text for which you have around thirty-five seconds to prepare and begin reading. Depending on how fluent you speak and the accurate pronunciation of the words, you are getting graded.
We know how troublesome this part of the test can be. For that reason, we made this article with some tips to help you prepare for the PTE test and get the highest possible score. Keep reading and find out more.
Elements you are graded on
The first element that your grade is based on is the composition of words you’ve covered from the included text. Any removal of words, or adding new ones is affecting your score. For that reason, be sure to read the composition as is. If you get everything correctly, you’ll receive five points.
The second element that affects your grade is how liquid and smooth you speak. If you can maintain fluent sentences without any long pauses or hesitation, and keep a good rhythm, you will be highly scored.
Be careful not to panic and mistake your words, and avoid repeating yourself. Just breathe, and take a neutral tempo of speaking, not too slow or fast.
Lastly, it is important how well your pronunciation is, and how well and clearly can you express yourself so everyone can understand. This means you need a natural approach to the words, but do not try to imitate a certain accent. This is where most people find difficulty, especially when there are difficult words included in the text question.
Put in a great time in preparation
After understanding what you are being graded on during the read-aloud phase of the test, you have to put in a great time in preparation. Look for past questions and practice on them. Be sure you are reading loud at home, so you can get comfortable and as natural for the day of the exam.
As ptemocktests suggests, there are sites that offer past tests and tutorials for your upcoming PTE. There, you can find not only questions about the reading but the remaining questions of the exam as well. By putting in time in preparation, you will surely feel more confident and will be a step closer to getting a 90.
6 Tips to maximize your score potential
During the preparation time, it is time to learn some of the tips that will help you maximize your score potential. For that reason, we prepared a short list of things you should and should not do and submitted answers worthy of a score of 90.
1. Use your time to the fullest
When you open the question, you have around thirty-five seconds until the sound goes off and you have to start reading. This is enough time to read the paragraph in your mind and prepare a strategy for the answer. Try to decompose large and difficult words, plan your tonality and determine where your pauses will be.
2. Be mindful of interpunction
Interpunction is used with a purpose, especially when reading out loud. For that reason, be sure to be mindful and use every interpunction symbol properly, so you can adjust your pauses. You don’t want to sound like reading everything monotonic and in one breath, instead, take your time and pause where it’s due.
3. Emphasize important words
Another important factor is your tonality while reading certain words. This is usually done on words that have a huge impact on the sentence, so be sure to raise or lower your voice when needed. A usual strategy would be to begin each sentence with raised one and end with a lower voice. The important words are placed in the middle of the sentence where you change your tone to add a bigger statement.
4. Do not begin before hearing the sound
The sound that goes off around thirty-five seconds after opening a question is there for a reason. That means that the microphone is activated and recording, so you should begin only after hearing the sound. If you get to reading before the sound, a part of the text will not be recorded which will result in an unneeded loss of points.
5. Be sure not to be quiet for more than a couple of seconds
Another mechanism you must acknowledge is being quiet for a couple of seconds means you’ve finished reading, and the recording turns off. For that reason, be sure you are considerate and keep on reading until you finish. Use pauses only for a second to catch a breath and add tonality.
In addition, you should look at the bar for progress, so you can finish when the bar is near the end. That way, you know everything has been recorded in the frame and you’ll be graded appropriately.
6. Increase your confidence
Lastly, during your preparation period, you have to work on your confidence. This is a huge factor that affects how well you read, and your score as well. The confidence improves your smoothness and even helps with pronunciation.
In addition, you have to understand that mistakes can happen, but instead of worrying about them, continue reading and giving your best until the end. It is always better to lose a point than lose a lot more due to the mistake getting in your head.
Conclusion
By knowing what you are getting graded for, you know what you should work on during the preparation period. With lots of past tests and tutorials you can find, practicing for this test should be a breeze. Just be sure you read out loud at home, and get comfortable. Lastly, work on your confidence and a score of 90 is surely within reach.