PTE Superior plan, week 1: Quick check and speaking fluency

This week's sessions

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1. Day 1 · ⭐ Mixed · about 35 minTake the quick checkDo every part of the quick check. Note which skills are furthest from the targets: for most people at this level, that's Speaking and Writing.
2. Day 2 · 🗣️ Speaking · about 25 minRead Aloud and Repeat Sentence fluencyRead this week's lesson, then do the set below. Record every answer and count restarts, fillers and long pauses.
3. Day 3 · 🗣️ Speaking · about 25 minRead Aloud: chunks and stressDo the Read Aloud practice. In the preparation time, mark the chunks and check the stress of every long word.
4. Day 4 · 🗣️ Speaking · about 25 minRepeat Sentence in meaning chunksDo the Repeat Sentence practice. If you miss a word, keep the rhythm and finish the sentence without stopping.
5. Day 5 · 🗣️ Speaking · about 25 minAll seven speaking tasks, recordedDo every task on the recorder with real timers. Write down your start time and longest pause for each one.

This week's lesson: fluency and pronunciation at the very top

In the 70s, most people already speak clearly and finish their answers. To reach the high 80s, your speech has to sound smooth from the first word to the last, in every task. Read Aloud and Repeat Sentence are the best place to build this, because the words are given to you and you can focus completely on delivery.

What a top-level answer sounds like

• No restarts. Going back to correct a word breaks the flow more than the small mistake did. If you slip, keep going.
• No fillers. Um, uh and er sound like searching for words, even when you aren't.
• Pauses in the right places. Short pauses at commas and full stops sound natural. Pauses in the middle of a phrase don't.
• Steady speed. Speaking fast doesn't sound fluent; it usually causes slips. Aim for a calm, even pace you can keep for 40 seconds.

Read Aloud: use the preparation time well

You have 35 seconds before you speak. Use them like this:

1. Read the whole text silently once for meaning. You'll stress words naturally if you understand the sentence.
2. Mark the chunks in your head: a chunk is a group of words that belongs together, such as along the eastern coast or which can be especially valuable.
3. Check the difficult words. Say long words silently with the stress in the right place.

Coastal wetlands | are among the most productive ecosystems | on Earth.

Each chunk is said as one smooth unit, with a tiny pause between chunks.

Word stress and word families

Advanced speakers often lose clarity on word families where the stress moves:

• eCONomy, ecoNOMic · PHOtograph, phoTOGraphy · deVELop, deVELopment
• conTRIBute, contriBUtion · aNALysis, ANalyse

Put the stress on the wrong syllable and a correct word can sound unclear. Pick five long words from each Read Aloud text and check their stress.

Endings and small words

At this level, small sounds matter:

• -ed endings: walked (t), played (d), wanted (id).
• Plural and third-person -s: researchers, it requires.
• Linking: an_area, most_of_them. Link small words smoothly instead of separating every word.

Repeat Sentence: remember meaning, not sounds

Sentences at this level are long and academic. Don't try to memorise a string of sounds. Listen for meaning in chunks, then say it back with the same rhythm:

Participants who withdrew from the study | were not included | in the final analysis.

If you miss one word, don't stop. Keep the rhythm and say the rest. A fluent answer with one missing word is better than a broken one.

Record, then listen like an examiner

For every answer this week, play your recording back and count three things: restarts, fillers and pauses longer than about a second. The goal by the end of the week is zero of each in Read Aloud, and no more than one in Repeat Sentence.

This week

Take the quick check, then do the fluency set and two focused sessions on Read Aloud and Repeat Sentence. Finish with all seven speaking tasks on the recorder.

Practice for this week

Read Aloud and Repeat Sentence fluency

Weekly check: PTE practice test

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