Here’s Why Your PTE Speaking Score is Low (hint: it’s NOT your pronunciation)

You practice every day. You focus on saying every word perfectly. You try to sound clear and correct. But when you get your score report back, your PTE Speaking score is stuck at 60… 65… 70… and you can’t figure out why.

So you start doubting yourself, and thinking:

“Is my accent the problem? Is my pronunciation just not good enough?”

Let me tell you the secret that most students don’t realize: your speaking score is probably low because you are trying too hard to be perfect.

The single most important factor for a high PTE Speaking score is not your pronunciation. It’s your Oral Fluency. And once you understand how the Pearson AI really thinks, you can change your strategy and see a massive jump in your score.

The PTE Speaking Score Myth

In a normal conversation or an IELTS test, clarity and correct pronunciation are everything. But the PTE is not a normal test; it’s a test against a machine. The computer doesn’t understand what you’re saying logically. It can’t judge the quality of your ideas.

So, how does it score you? It mainly listens for two things: Oral Fluency and Pronunciation.

But here’s the kicker: they are NOT weighted equally. In PTE Oral Fluency is KING.

Look at this old score report from one of my students, back when Pearson showed the detailed breakdown:

Her PTE Pronunciation score was a dismal 33/90. But her Oral Fluency was 90/90. The final result? An incredible 82 in Speaking.

How is that possible?

What the AI Actually Cares About: Oral Fluency

Oral Fluency simply means speaking continuously, smoothly, and without unnatural pauses. The computer isn’t listening to what you say; it’s listening to how you say it. It measures the rhythm and flow of your speech.

Think about it like this: when a beginner who is not confident in their English speaks, they often pause. “Hello… my name… is Alex. Can you… help me?”.

The computer detects these pauses and hesitations and thinks: “This person is not a fluent speaker. I must lower their score.”.

It doesn’t matter if your content is illogical or your pronunciation isn’t perfect. As long as you keep talking without major gaps, the AI will give you a very high fluency score.

This is why we teach students to use templates for Describe Image and Retell Lecture. The template is a tool that allows you to speak continuously for 30-35 seconds without having to think. You don’t need to use your brain; you just follow the format, fill in a few keywords, and keep your fluency at 90.

VERY IMPORTANT!
Since the changes in PTE Marking in November, 2024 – you CANNOT repeat the same format again and again. Since PTE added human scoring for those 2 questions.

What do you do instead? We still recommend memorizing and mastering a template – and when you do that, we train students how to modify it for each question to avoid repetition.

The lesson is clear: fluency is more important than logic, and it’s more important than perfection. You make a mistake? Don’t care, you keep going!

So, When Does Pronunciation in PTE Matter?

This doesn’t mean you should mumble. Pronunciation, or the clarity of your words, is still important, but primarily for one key task: Read Aloud.

Why? Because Read Aloud gives you points in two sections: Speaking and Reading.

1) Your Fluency in Read Aloud contributes to your PTE Speaking score.

2) Your Clarity (Pronunciation) determines whether the computer correctly recognizes the words you’re reading, which contributes to your PTE Reading score.

If you speak very fluently but the computer can’t understand the words, your reading score will suffer.

This is the one task where you must find a balance between a smooth, consistent pace and clear enunciation!

The Strategy for a 90 Speaking Score

If you want to dramatically increase your speaking score, you need to shift your focus.

• Prioritize Fluency Above All: Your number one goal is to speak smoothly and continuously. Do not have long pauses. Do not stop if you make a mistake. Do not hesitate for more than a second.
• Use Proven Formats: For Describe Image and Retell Lecture, memorize a solid format. This is your safety net that guarantees high fluency. The format does the heavy lifting so you can focus on your delivery.
  • Once again we recommend mastering a format, and once confident – switch it up a bit in every question – so there is no clear repetition of a template.
• Find Your “Sweet Spot” in Read Aloud: Practice Read Aloud to find a pace that is both fluent and clear. It should be slightly faster than your normal talking speed but not so fast that you start eating your words.

Stop stressing about having a perfect accent. The key to a high PTE Speaking score isn’t sounding like a native speaker; it’s sounding like a confident one.

Ready to Practice with Strategies That Actually Work?
The easiest way to guarantee high fluency is by using a template that is easy to remember and effective. At Dream English, our platform and courses provide you with the exact, proven formats our 90-scoring students use for Describe Image and Retell Lecture.
Feel free to reach out to us if you need extra help.

Good luck with your preparation!
Alex 🙂

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