PTE Speaking: Repeat Sentence Tips and Scoring Guide (2025)

PTE Speaking Repeat Sentence: Why It’s So Difficult

The PTE Repeat Sentence task is, without a doubt, one of the most difficult and frustrating parts of the exam. Many students with excellent English find their PTE Listening and Speaking scores are being dragged down by this single question type.

I often tell my students a story. When I first started taking the PTE exam to analyze it, the sentences were easy. Then one day, I showed up and got a sentence that was 17 words long. I thought to myself, if I can’t get this, how can I possibly teach my students to? It was clear the test had become much more challenging.

It was then we realized the game had changed. The marking for Repeat Sentence (2025) is no longer what it used to be. This guide will break down the new rules of this task and give you 5 expert tips and techniques, based directly on our in-class coaching, to help you master even the longest sentences.

Understanding PTE Repeat Sentence Scoring: Why Sequence is KING

First, you need to forget everything you think you know about scoring. It is no longer about the total number of words you get correct. It is now about how many words you can say in the correct sequence, uninterrupted.

Here’s what that means:

• The Old Way (WRONG): If the sentence was 10 words and you got 8 correct but made small mistakes in the middle, you used to get 80% of the marks. This is no longer the case.
• The New Way (CORRECT): The official PTE scoring system now gives you marks based on the longest chain of words you get right.
  • 3/3 Points: You get all words in the sentence perfectly correct and in sequence.
  • 2/3 Points: You get at least 50% of the words correct and in sequence.
  • 1/3 Points: You get less than 50% of the words in sequence.

This is a huge difference. A student who gets 8 out of 10 words but breaks the sequence might only get 1/3 of the marks, while a student who gets only the first 6 words perfect gets 2/3 of the marks. Your goal is not to be a hero and get every word; your goal is to secure at least 50% of the sentence in a perfect, unbroken chain.

5 Expert PTE Repeat Sentence 2025 Tips to Boost Your Speaking Score

Repeat Sentence Tip #1: Use the “Broken Record” Technique

If someone told you to remember the number 75862, you wouldn’t just say it once. You’d repeat it to yourself: 75862, 75862, 75862. We can apply this exact same psychological trick to PTE!

When the audio for a long sentence is playing, you need to train yourself to stop listening after about 6-7 words. Once you have that first chunk in your head, you ignore the rest of the audio and use the 1-2 second pause before the recording starts to repeat that chunk to yourself, either whispering or in your head. This locks the high-scoring sequence into your short-term memory.

Repeat Sentence Tip #2: Take Effective Notes with the “Initials” Method

This technique takes a few days of practice to master, but it is incredibly powerful. Instead of trying to write whole words, you only write the first letter of each word.

• Example: For the sentence, The financial report for the last quarter will be available this afternoon.
• Your Notes: T F R F T L Q W B A T A

This allows you to capture the entire sentence without falling behind.

Crucial Sub-Tip: Pay extra attention to plurals and past tense. If you hear the word “universities,” write a capital U and a small s next to it (Us) to remind yourself to add the “s” at the end. This small detail can be the difference between a perfect sequence and a broken one.

Repeat Sentence Tip #3: Use “Chunking” for Long Sentences

Most long sentences in PTE are actually two-part sentences joined together. For example:

Factors such as cost and function (Part 1) + influence the design of a bridge (Part 2).

You do not need to get both parts. Your goal is to identify your limit (usually 6-8 words) and focus exclusively on capturing that first “chunk” perfectly. Train yourself to recognize where the first main idea ends and focus all your energy there.

Repeat Sentence Tip #4: Train Your Memory with the “Half-Sentence” Drill

This is a powerful training exercise. When practicing, consciously turn off the volume or stop listening after about 5-6 words. Then, try to repeat only that first half.

This does two things:

1. It proves to you that you can remember 5-7 words perfectly when you’re not distracted by the second half of the sentence.
2. It trains your brain to automatically focus on the beginning of the sentence, which is the most important part to secure.

Repeat Sentence Tip #5: Don’t Get Greedy – Secure Your Points

The common thread here is to stop trying to be perfect. Getting a 79+ score in PTE is not about having a perfect memory; it’s about using a smart strategy to maximize your points within the new scoring system.

It is always better to secure 6 words in a perfect sequence for 2/3 of the marks than to try for 12 words, make one small mistake in the middle, and get only 1/3 of the marks.

A Real-Life Example: What a 17-Word Sentence Teaches Us About Scoring

To finish the story from the beginning, I was so shocked by the long sentence I got in my exam that I went and found it online afterwards. The sentence was:

“Red and Golden Delicious are two of the most commonly grown apple varieties in the world today.”

That’s 17 words. It’s completely unfair to expect anyone to get that perfectly. But using the strategy we just discussed, you don’t have to. If you just focus on the first half and say, “Red and Golden Delicious are two of the most commonly grown,” you have secured 11 words in a row. This is far more than 50%, and you would get almost all of the listening marks, even without saying the rest of the sentence.

This proves that knowing the scoring system and using a smart strategy is more important than having a perfect memory.

Good luck with your preparation!
Alex 🙂

PS: Ready to Practice These Techniques?

Knowing the theory is the first step. Now, you need to put it into practice. The Dream PTE Practice Platform has hundreds of real, repeated Repeat Sentence questions where you can drill these techniques. You can practice taking initials, use the “Broken Record” method, and see how many words you can consistently get in a perfect sequence.

👉 Access Our Full Bank of Real Exam Questions + AI-Scored Mock Tests at: https://platform.dreamenglish.com.au

👉 For classes, click HERE or text us on WhatsApp at: +61 423 058 115

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