PTE Retell Lecture Template 2026 + Every Speaking Task (Nepal)

PTE Academic Speaking Tasks and Timings at a Glance

PTE Academic's Speaking & Writing part runs 76–84 minutes. Since 7 August 2025 it has seven speaking tasks. A template only helps if it fits the task's clock, so start with the clock.

Source: Pearson, PTE Academic Speaking & Writing, Pearson's new-speaking-tasks test tips (July 2025) and the PTE Academic Score Guide. Last verified 2 October 2026. These are PTE Academic figures; PTE Core differs (for example, 20 seconds to prepare for Respond to a Situation).

Pearson's PTE Academic Score Guide gives a range for each task rather than a fixed number: Read Aloud 6–7, Repeat Sentence 10–12, Describe Image 5–6, Retell Lecture 2–3, Answer Short Question 5–6, Summarize Group Discussion 2–3 and Respond to a Situation 2–3. A site that quotes one exact number is guessing inside that range.

The three-second rule runs through the speaking part. If you wait more than three seconds before speaking, or stop for three seconds mid-answer, the recording stops and the item is marked Completed, even if you have not finished. Pearson states it under Answer Short Question and says it also applies to Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image and Retell Lecture. Pearson does not name Summarize Group Discussion or Respond to a Situation in that rule, so keep talking on those two as well. That rule is why templates exist: the first words need to be ready before the recording starts.

Download the Speaking templates (PDF) from our free study materials library to keep the frames from this page beside you while you practise.

Retell Lecture Template 2026 (PTE Academic)

Retell Lecture plays a lecture of up to 90 seconds, sometimes with an image. When it ends you get 10 seconds, then 40 seconds to speak. Pearson scores it on content, pronunciation and oral fluency, and a human expert reviews the content before the score is confirmed.

Pearson's content criterion is worth reading closely. The best responses "retell all the main points of the lecture and include possible developments, conclusions or implications", and "mentioning a few disjointed ideas will negatively affect your score". So two things count: the main points, and how they connect to a conclusion. That is why the template below ends on the conclusion box rather than a fourth fact.

Note-taking: the 5-box grid

Before the audio starts, draw five boxes on your notepad: TOPIC | P1 | P2 | P3 | CONCL. During the lecture, write nouns and verbs only, never full sentences. If you write a sentence, you miss the next point. The noun-verb note-taking strategy goes deeper on what to write.

The main template: five sentences in 40 seconds

"The lecture is about [TOPIC]. The speaker explains that [P1]. The lecturer then adds that [P2]. As a result, [P3]. In conclusion, the speaker suggests that [CONCL]."

One box becomes one sentence. Five sentences across 40 seconds gives you about eight seconds each. Change the linking words between practice attempts ("the speaker also points out", "another point is") so no two answers sound recited. Pearson gives no credit for an "unoriginal response", so the frame must stay a frame.

Worked example: notes to spoken answer

This lecture summary and answer were written by our team to show the method. They are not a real exam item or a student's response.

Imagine a 70-second lecture on urban heat islands. The speaker says cities are warmer than the countryside around them, that dark roads and roofs absorb heat by day and release it at night, that cities have fewer trees and so less cooling, that this pushes up air-conditioning use, and that green roofs and street planting can help.

The spoken answer (82 words, a steady pace for 40 seconds):

"The lecture is about urban heat islands, where cities become much warmer than nearby rural areas. The speaker explains that dark surfaces such as roads and rooftops absorb heat during the day and release it at night. The lecturer then adds that cities have fewer trees and plants, so there is less natural cooling. As a result, people use more air conditioning, which raises energy demand. In conclusion, the speaker suggests that green roofs and more urban planting could reduce the problem."

Look at what the notes did. Every content word in the answer (dark surfaces, absorb, release, trees, cooling, air conditioning, energy demand, green roofs) came from a box. The frame supplied only the linking words. "As a result" links P2 to P3, which shows the cause-and-effect chain Pearson's content criterion asks for, instead of three unrelated facts.

The backup template: when you caught only two details

Some lectures are fast, accented or on a topic you have never met. Do not go silent: after three seconds of silence the recording stops. Use the reduced frame:

"The lecture focused on [TOPIC]. One key point the speaker made was [DETAIL 1]. The speaker also mentioned [DETAIL 2]. Taken together, these points suggest that [a careful conclusion from the two details]."

The same lecture, with only two boxes filled:

"The lecture focused on urban heat islands in large cities. One key point the speaker made was that dark roads and rooftops absorb heat. The speaker also mentioned higher energy use for air conditioning. Taken together, these points suggest that the design of a city affects how hot it becomes."

That is 50 words. Spoken calmly it fills most of the 40 seconds, keeps your fluency intact and still carries real lecture content. A fluent partial answer beats a halting attempt at five points.

How to spend the 40 seconds

• Seconds 0–6: the topic sentence. Start as soon as the microphone opens.
• Seconds 6–30: one sentence per point, about eight seconds each.
• Seconds 30–38: the conclusion. Finish by about second 38 rather than being cut off mid-word.

Practise with this week's Retell Lecture questions

Our weekly PTE prediction file includes a Retell Lecture set, refreshed every week and free to use. Do five a day with the 5-box grid and the main template, and record each one.

Templates for the Other PTE Academic Speaking Tasks

Read Aloud: a chunking method, not a script

The words are given, so the template is how you say them. Pearson scores content (every word in the text and no others), pronunciation and oral fluency, and it counts towards Reading as well as Speaking. In the 30–40 seconds:

• Split the text into meaning chunks of three to five words, using the punctuation as a guide.
• Mark the two or three hardest words and say them once in your head.
• Stress content words (nouns, main verbs) and keep small words light.

Then read at an even pace with no self-corrections. A small slip costs less than stopping to fix it; see the flow-over-correction rule and how Read Aloud lifts Reading.

Repeat Sentence: rebuild from the spine

1. Listen for the spine: subject, main verb, object.
2. Hang the modifiers on it: adjectives, time phrases, numbers.
3. Start speaking immediately. A steady partial sentence beats a hesitant complete one.

Students often try to memorise word for word and freeze. Repeat Sentence memory tricks has more recall patterns.

Describe Image: five parts, fresh content

"This [bar chart / map / diagram] shows [topic]. The most noticeable feature is [highest value or main element]. In comparison, [second detail]. The image also shows [third detail]. Overall, this suggests [conclusion]."

Fill every bracket from the image in front of you, and keep going to about the 40-second mark. Read numbers with meaning ("the highest, at 40%") rather than reading every number. The full Describe Image formula has worked examples.

Answer Short Question: no template

Pearson marks it correct or incorrect on the words you use, and extra words earn nothing. In PTE Academic this task counts towards your Listening score, not Speaking (Pearson: "This question type affects your listening score"); it is in the speaking part because you answer aloud. Say the answer at once: "What do you call a doctor who treats animals?" → "A veterinarian." Answer Short Question tips lists the common topic areas.

Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation

Summarize Group Discussion plays three people discussing an academic topic for up to three minutes; you get 10 seconds to prepare and 2 minutes to speak. Respond to a Situation gives 10 seconds to prepare and 40 seconds to answer, and Pearson's advice is not to summarise the situation but to respond to it. Our Respond to a Situation sample answers cover that task in depth.

Common Mistakes Nepali Students Make Across Speaking Tasks

• Self-correcting mid-answer. Every restart is a false start, and Pearson's oral fluency rubric marks down hesitations, repetitions and false starts.
• One template for every task. A Describe Image frame forced onto Retell Lecture sounds odd and carries no lecture content.
• Reciting a memorised opening. Lines like "In today's modern world" add sound with no content.
• Thinking before speaking. On Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Retell Lecture and Answer Short Question, three seconds of silence stops the recording.
• Imitating an Australian or American accent. Pearson says it recognises regional and national varieties of English pronunciation that most regular speakers understand. Clear vowels and consonants matter; the accent itself does not.

Step-by-Step Practice Method (4 Weeks)

1. Week 1: Read Aloud and Repeat Sentence, recorded daily and played back.
2. Week 2: Describe Image, five images a day with the five-part frame.
3. Week 3: Retell Lecture, three lectures a day with the 5-box grid; record and compare your answer with your notes.
4. Week 4: Answer Short Question, Respond to a Situation and Summarize Group Discussion, then two timed Speaking sections.

Tips for Nepali Students

• Think in English during the test. Translating from Nepali in your head shows up as pauses.
• Drill the sounds Nepali speakers mix. v and w, the two th sounds, and f against p cost pronunciation marks across several tasks.
• Record on your phone and listen back the same day. You cannot hear your own pauses in real time.
• Keep your own accent. Smriti Simkhada, who scored 90/90 in PTE Academic, speaks with a Nepali accent. Clarity is the target.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Retell Lecture template?

A five-sentence frame that mirrors your notes: topic, three points, conclusion. "The lecture is about... The speaker explains that... The lecturer then adds that... As a result... In conclusion, the speaker suggests that..." Every bracket is filled with words from the lecture.

How long is Retell Lecture in PTE Academic?

Pearson lists audio of up to 90 seconds, 10 seconds to prepare and 40 seconds to speak.

Is it safe to use a Retell Lecture template in 2026?

Yes, if it is structural. Pearson gives no credit for an unoriginal response, so a frame of linking words filled with lecture content is fine; reciting memorised sentences that fit any lecture is not.

What if I understand almost nothing of the lecture?

Use the backup template, name the topic and build sentences around the two or three nouns you caught. Stay silent for three seconds and the recording stops.

Should I memorise templates word for word?

Memorise the structure, not the sentences. Vary the linking words and verbs between attempts so each answer is built from the prompt in front of you.

Does PTE penalise a Nepali accent?

Pearson says PTE Academic recognises regional and national varieties of English pronunciation to the degree that most regular speakers understand them. Work on clear sounds and steady rhythm, not on changing your accent.

Conclusion: A Frame, Not a Script

Templates exist so you never lose an item to the three-second rule. The marks come from what you put inside them: lecture words, image details, clear sounds, an even pace. Start with the Retell Lecture grid, run it against this week's questions until the five boxes feel automatic, then add Describe Image.

If your Speaking score has stalled, the fix is usually feedback on your actual recordings, not a better template. The team of Smriti Simkhada coaches PTE privately, 1-on-1, from Nepal, with sessions around Sydney and Melbourne work rosters. See the three 1-on-1 plans, or book a free score assessment. For the wider plan, see the stuck-at-75-to-79 Speaking strategy.

Last fact-checked on 2 October 2026 against Pearson's PTE Academic Speaking & Writing page, Pearson's new-speaking-tasks test tips and the PTE Academic Score Guide. Timings can change; check pearsonpte.com before your test.