- Listen: You’ll hear a short question played through your headphones. Questions are straightforward and focus on general knowledge or everyday situations.
- Answer: Once the recording status shows, you have 10 seconds to provide a clear, concise answer. Speak normally and directly address the question.
- Scoring: Your response is automatically scored based on these factors:
- Content: How accurately the answer addresses the question.
- Pronunciation: Clarity and accuracy of your pronunciation of individual sounds and words.
- Oral Fluency: Smoothness, pace, and naturalness of your speech.
You might encounter questions like these:
- General knowledge: “What is the capital of France?”
- Everyday situations: “How do you get to work?”
- Simple calculations: “What is five plus three?”
- Opinions: “Do you prefer to read books or watch movies?”
- Image-based: You might see an image and be asked a short question about it.
- Listen carefully: Pay attention to the wording of the question to answer it accurately.
- Answer directly: Provide the specific information requested. Don’t provide irrelevant details or ramble.
- Speak clearly: Enunciate clearly and maintain a normal conversational pace.
- Don’t Panic: If you’re unsure of an answer, give your best guess rather than staying silent.
- Practice: The more you practice answering different question types, the more confident you’ll become.
- PTE Practice Books and Websites: These often contain specific sections for Answer Short Questions with a wide variety of sample questions.
- General Knowledge Quizzes: Practice answering trivia or general knowledge questions online or with friends to improve your quick recall of information.
- “20 Questions” Game: Play this game to get accustomed to thinking quickly and responding under pressure.
- Answer Short Questions are generally easier than other speaking tasks, so use them to boost your confidence.
- You’re scored on the accuracy of the answer, not on elaborate explanations.
- You won’t be penalized for incorrect answers.