PTE is a well-known English language proficiency test that measures your speaking, writing, reading, and listening skills. The speaking section can be particularly hard for many, as it requires clarity, fluency, and accuracy in a short amount of time. This is unnerving for non-native English speakers.
However, one can significantly improve their performance in this area by being aware of common pitfalls and understanding how to avoid them in their PTE exam in Dubai.
Let’s learn about them in this blog post.
1. Speaking Too Quickly
Speaking too quickly is a common mistake made by many candidates. They frequently rush through their responses in the hopes of covering more material or demonstrating fluency. Still, talking fast can prompt muddled elocution, loss of rationality, and an expansion in errors.
Tips to avoid it:
- Focus on speaking slowly rather than hurriedly.
- Articulate your words clearly, giving the automated scoring framework an exact comprehension of your discourse.
- Practice speaking slowly and clearly, making sure to correctly pronounce each word.
2. Pausing for Too Long
Overly long pauses between words or sentences can indicate to the scoring algorithm that you are unsure or having trouble with your response despite the importance of not hurrying. Long pauses can have a negative impact on your fluency score and disrupt the flow of your speech.
How to avoid it:
Use filler words like “well,” “you see,” or “let me think” to keep the speech moving if you struggle to find the right word or phrase. Notwithstanding, utilise these sparingly to try not to sound unnatural. You will become more fluent and reduce unnecessary pauses with practice.
3. Mispronouncing Words
In the Speaking section of your PTE exam in Dubai, mispronouncing words is a crucial component. In addition to affecting your pronunciation score, mispronouncing words can also result in an incorrect interpretation of your response, lowering your overall score.
Tips to avoid it:
- Spend some time practising how to pronounce common English words, especially difficult ones.
- Make use of online pronunciation aids, listen to native speakers, and try to imitate their speech.
- Find areas in which you can improve by recording yourself as you practice.
4. Ignoring the Time Limit
There is a time limit for each task in the PTE Speaking section. Candidates who are unable to effectively manage their time frequently run out of time or finish too early, resulting in responses that are either insufficient or incomplete.
Tips to avoid it:
- Look into the time limits of each undertaking and work on talking inside those time requirements.
- During practice sessions, use a timer to reenact the actual test environment. You’ll be able to respond to the questions in the allotted time because of this, which will help you pace yourself.
5. Over-Complicating Your Responses
Using overly complicated vocabulary and sentence structures in your responses is not going to help you in your PTE exam in Dubai. Some candidates attempt to impress the scoring system this way but fail. While rich jargon is significant, over-muddling your reactions can prompt blunders and make your discourse less lucid.
Tips to avoid it:
In your responses, focus on being clear and straightforward. Make use of familiar terms and ensure that your sentences are grammatically correct. It is preferable to give a concise, clear response rather than a complicated one.
6. Not Answering the Question Directly
In tasks like the Describe Image or Retell Lecture, some candidates don’t answer the question directly because they go off-topic or give information that doesn’t matter. Your content score could suffer significantly as a result of this.
Getting Rid of It:
Continuously guarantee that your reaction is pertinent to the brief. Focus on the most important parts of the image and structure your response logically for the Describe Image tasks. In the Retell Lecture, rather than providing unnecessary details, focus on summarising the main points.
7. Repeating Words or Phrases
Repetition of words or phrases is another frequent error that can lower your fluency score. Repeating words or phrases can make your speech sound stale and show that you need more ideas or vocabulary.
Getting Rid of It:
Extend your jargon by perusing and paying attention to an assortment of English vocabulary. Practice expressing the same idea differently by using synonyms and paraphrasing sentences. By doing this, you can keep your speech interesting and varied while avoiding repetition.
8. Speaking in an Unnatural Accent
Some candidates attempt to speak with a foreign accent in the hope that doing so will raise their scores. Nonetheless, this frequently prompts unnatural discourse and elocution mistakes, which can adversely affect your score.
Getting Rid of It:
Maintain your natural voice and concentrate on clear, precise pronunciation. There is no need to adopt a foreign accent because the PTE scoring system is designed to recognise a variety of accents. All things being equal, work on your lucidity and ensure it is effectively justifiable.
9. Not Practicing Enough
Not practising enough is one of the most common mistakes candidates make. Practical speaking skills, which can only be developed through consistent practice, are also required for the PTE Speaking section.
Getting Rid of It:
Spend enough time practising each speaking task. Use mock tests, internet talking sessions, and practice tools to reproduce the test climate.
Conclusion
The PTE Speaking section of the exam is a crucial component that evaluates your English communication skills. If you’re falling behind in this area, consider expert assistance in building your skills. EnglishWise PTE Exam in Dubai is one of the best to think of for coaching for the PTE exam.