🔶 Part 1 — Tutorial

How to answer “Re-tell Lecture” (Step-by-Step Guide)

The “Re-tell Lecture” task in the PTE Academic Speaking test measures your ability to understand spoken content and then summarize it clearly. You will listen to or watch a short academic lecture, and after a brief preparation time, you must record a summary in your own words. The key is not to repeat every detail, but to capture the main ideas, supporting points, and overall message in about 35–40 seconds.

Step 1 — Active Listening

When the lecture begins, focus on listening actively. Pay attention to the main theme, repeated keywords, and transitions such as “firstly,” “in addition,” or “finally.” These signal important points. Don’t try to write full sentences in your notes — instead, capture key nouns, verbs, and numbers. For example, instead of writing “The lecture talks about climate change causing rising sea levels,” just write “climate change → sea levels ↑.”

Example Notes: “Causes → greenhouse gases; Effects → melting ice; Solutions → renewable energy”
Step 2 — Organize Notes Quickly

After the lecture, you have 10 seconds to prepare. Use this time to glance at your notes and decide on the logical order. A typical structure is: introduction → main ideas → conclusion. You do not need every example, but you must include enough supporting details to show comprehension.

Tip: Always start with a general sentence about the lecture topic, then mention two or three supporting points, and finish with a short concluding remark.
Step 3 — Deliver Clearly

When speaking, focus on fluency and intonation. Avoid long pauses, fillers like “um” or “you know,” and don’t worry if you miss a minor detail. Your tone should sound confident and natural. Use connecting phrases to make your answer sound smooth: “The lecture mainly discussed…,” “An important point highlighted was…,” “In conclusion…”

Example Sentence: “In conclusion, the lecture emphasized the importance of addressing climate challenges through collective global action.”
Universal “Fill-in-the-Gap” Template

This template can be memorized and adapted for any lecture:

  1. Introduction: “The lecture mainly discussed ________.”
  2. Main Idea 1: “The speaker explained that ________.”
  3. Main Idea 2: “In addition, it was mentioned that ________.”
  4. Main Idea 3: “Another key point was that ________.”
  5. Conclusion: “In conclusion, the lecture highlighted the significance of ________.”
Step 4 — Practice Regularly

Consistent practice is essential. Train yourself to listen for main ideas in podcasts, university lectures, or news reports. Practice summarizing them within 40 seconds. Over time, you will become faster and more confident at recognizing lecture structures and producing fluent summaries.

By following these steps, you will be able to produce structured, fluent, and well-organized responses that score highly in the PTE Academic Re-tell Lecture task.

🔷 Part 2 — Task

Task — Re-tell Lecture

Listen to the lecture, prepare your notes, then re‑tell the lecture in your own words. Aim for a clear, fluent 35–40‑second summary.

Lecture Audio

Listen Carefully.

Transcript
Timer & Recorder
Prep s
Speak s
Preparation 00:10
Submit Your Response
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The message includes: (1) exercise title, (2) the question, (3) your name, country, email, WhatsApp number, and (4) your short message.

🟣 Part 3 — Sample Answers

Model Answer (Using the Template)

Model Audio

Listen to the Sample Answer carefully.

Written Model & Template Mapping
Why this answer scores well (18 points)
1) Clear overall purpose: Opens with the lecture’s main topic, signaling task awareness and coherence.
2) Logical structure: Follows intro → key points → conclusion, matching PTE expectations for organization.
3) Coverage of main ideas: Mentions year‑round production, short supply chains, and water efficiency.
4) Balanced treatment: Includes both benefits (freshness, reliability) and limitations (energy costs).
5) Accurate details: Uses the “up to 90%” water saving figure, showing careful listening without over‑quoting.
6) Appropriate paraphrasing: Recasts the lecture in the candidate’s own words, avoiding verbatim copying.
7) Linking devices: Uses transitions like “in addition,” “another key point,” and “in conclusion” for cohesion.
8) Relevance: Omits minor examples and keeps focus on the central argument and evidence.
9) Register & tone: Academic but natural; avoids slang and over‑technical jargon.
10) Fluency planning: Length (~115 words) fits the 35–40s window, reducing pauses and fillers.
11) Pronunciation support: Sentence rhythm and chunking make key information easy to deliver clearly.
12) Vocabulary range: Varied lexis (e.g., “climate‑controlled,” “short supply chains,” “waste‑heat capture”).
13) Grammar control: Accurate complex sentences and appropriate tense/aspect for summarizing.
14) Specificity without overload: Selects 2–3 illustrative details instead of listing everything.
15) Critical nuance: Recognizes the sustainability caveat about fossil‑fuel electricity sources.
16) Clear conclusion: Positions vertical farming as a complement, not a replacement—mirrors lecturer stance.
17) Task fulfillment: Directly re‑tells the lecture; no personal opinions or off‑topic content.
18) Template alignment: Maps cleanly to the universal sentence‑by‑sentence template for easy practice.
🟢 Part 4 — Vocabularies

Key Words from the Lecture

1) Vertical farming
/ˈvɜː.tɪ.kəl ˈfɑː.mɪŋ/ (BrE), /ˈvɝː.tɪ.kəl ˈfɑːr.mɪŋ/ (AmE)
Noun Phrase — [pattern: *vertical farming of + crop*]
Definition: The practice of growing crops in stacked layers, usually in controlled indoor environments.
Example: “Vertical farming can supply fresh vegetables in crowded cities.” → Gloss: growing crops in towers inside cities.
Synonyms: indoor farming, stacked agriculture.
Common mistakes: Learners often confuse with “hydroponics,” but hydroponics is only one method used inside vertical farms.
2) Hydroponics
/ˌhaɪ.drəʊˈpɒn.ɪks/ (BrE), /ˌhaɪ.droʊˈpɑː.nɪks/ (AmE)
Noun [uncountable] — [pattern: *hydroponics system / grow sth hydroponically*]
Definition: A method of growing plants without soil, using nutrient solutions in water.
Example: “Hydroponics reduces the need for fertile land.” → Gloss: plants grow in water with nutrients.
Synonyms: soil-less cultivation.
Common mistakes: Students sometimes say “hydroponic farming” with “s” → Correct: “hydroponics is …” (uncountable).
3) Aeroponics
/ˌeə.rəʊˈpɒn.ɪks/ (BrE), /ˌer.oʊˈpɑː.nɪks/ (AmE)
Noun [uncountable] — [pattern: *aeroponics system / grown aeroponically*]
Definition: A method of growing plants by suspending roots in the air and misting them with nutrient solution.
Example: “Aeroponics allows efficient oxygen absorption for plant roots.” → Gloss: roots hang in air and are sprayed.
Synonyms: mist-based cultivation.
Common mistakes: Learners often confuse aeroponics with hydroponics; difference is water immersion vs. misting.
4) Sustainability
/səˌsteɪ.nəˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/ (BrE), /səˌsteɪ.nəˈbɪl.ə.t̬i/ (AmE)
Noun [uncountable] — [pattern: *sustainability of / ensure sustainability*]
Definition: The ability to continue over time without exhausting resources or harming the environment.
Example: “High electricity use raises questions about sustainability.” → Gloss: ability to last without damaging resources.
Synonyms: long-term viability, environmental soundness.
Common mistakes: Mispronounced stress (students say /ˈsʌs-/ instead of /sə-/).
5) Carbon footprint
/ˌkɑː.bən ˈfʊt.prɪnt/ (BrE), /ˌkɑːr.bən ˈfʊt.prɪnt/ (AmE)
Noun Phrase — [pattern: *reduce / calculate one’s carbon footprint*]
Definition: The total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly or indirectly by a person, organization, or product.
Example: “Transporting food long distances increases its carbon footprint.” → Gloss: the amount of CO₂ emissions.
Synonyms: environmental impact, CO₂ emissions.
Common mistakes: Learners sometimes pluralize (“carbon footprints”) incorrectly in general contexts.
6) Recirculating
/ˌriːˈsɜː.kjʊ.leɪ.tɪŋ/ (BrE), /ˌriːˈsɝː.kjə.leɪ.t̬ɪŋ/ (AmE)
Adjective — [pattern: *recirculating water/nutrient system*]
Definition: Describes a system where water or air is continually reused in a closed loop.
Example: “A recirculating hydroponic system saves water.” → Gloss: water is reused again and again.
Synonyms: recycling, closed-loop.
Common mistakes: Learners mispronounce /sɜː/ as /sk-/.
7) Viability
/ˌvaɪ.əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/ (BrE), /ˌvaɪ.əˈbɪl.ə.t̬i/ (AmE)
Noun [uncountable] — [pattern: *economic viability / viability of a plan*]
Definition: The ability of something to work successfully or be effective in practice.
Example: “The economic viability of vertical farms depends on energy prices.” → Gloss: whether it can work and succeed.
Synonyms: feasibility, workability.
Common mistakes: Confused with “visibility” due to similar sound.
8) Emissions
/ɪˈmɪʃ.ənz/ (BrE), /ɪˈmɪʃ.ənz/ (AmE)
Noun [plural] — [pattern: *greenhouse gas emissions / cut emissions*]
Definition: Substances released into the air, especially gases such as CO₂.
Example: “Local production reduces transport emissions.” → Gloss: gases sent out into the air.
Synonyms: discharge, pollutants, output.
Common mistakes: Misused as singular (“an emission” = one instance, not all emissions).
9) Arable
/ˈær.ə.bəl/ (BrE), /ˈer.ə.bəl/ (AmE)
Adjective — [pattern: *arable land / arable farming*]
Definition: Land suitable for growing crops.
Example: “Vertical farms can help cities with little arable land.” → Gloss: land that can grow crops.
Synonyms: cultivable, farmable.
Common mistakes: Learners often confuse with “edible.”
10) Profitability
/ˌprɒf.ɪ.təˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/ (BrE), /ˌprɑː.fə.t̬əˈbɪl.ə.t̬i/ (AmE)
Noun [uncountable] — [pattern: *profitability of vertical farms / ensure profitability*]
Definition: The degree to which something produces profit or financial gain.
Example: “Profitability depends on selling premium crops.” → Gloss: ability to make money.
Synonyms: money-making potential, return on investment.
Common mistakes: Pronounced incorrectly as /ˈprɒf-/ instead of /ˌprɒf-ɪ-/.
🟠 Part 5 — Phrases & Expressions

Phrases & Expressions from the Lecture

1) move from a niche experiment to (a serious proposal)
/muːv frɒm ə niːʃ ˌɛkˈspɛr.ɪ.mənt tuː/ (BrE), /muːv frəm ə niːtʃ ˌɛkˈspɛr.ə.mənt tuː/ (AmE)
Verb phrase — [pattern: move from A to B]
Definition: To develop in status or scale from something small/specialized to something mainstream or widely considered.
Example: “Vertical farming has moved from a niche experiment to a serious urban food strategy.”
→ Gloss: it grew from small trial to widely accepted plan.
Synonyms: evolve into, transition into, scale up to.
Common mistakes: Using “from… into…” with objects that require “to”: say “from X to Y,” not “from X into Y.”
2) stack crops (in tiers/towers)
/stæk krɒps/ (BrE), /stæk krɑːps/ (AmE)
Verb phrase — [pattern: stack + noun (+ in/on)]
Definition: To place layers of plants one above another to maximize vertical space.
Example: “Growers stack crops in towers to increase output per square metre.”
→ Gloss: put many layers of plants on top of each other.
Synonyms: layer, tier, arrange vertically.
Common mistakes: Writing “stacked crops” when a verb is needed in instructions; use “to stack crops” after “to.”
3) climate‑controlled (environment/tower)
/ˈklaɪ.mət kənˈtrəʊld/ (BrE), /ˈklaɪ.mət kənˈtroʊld/ (AmE)
Adjectival phrase — [pattern: climate‑controlled + noun]
Definition: Describing spaces where temperature, light, humidity, and CO₂ are regulated.
Example: “Plants grow in climate‑controlled environments unaffected by weather.”
→ Gloss: indoor settings with managed climate.
Synonyms: regulated, managed, conditioned.
Common mistakes: Hyphen omission (“climate controlled environment”); use the hyphen when used before a noun.
4) year‑round harvests
/ˌjɪəˈraʊnd ˈhɑː.vɪsts/ (BrE), /ˌjɪrˈraʊnd ˈhɑːr.vɪsts/ (AmE)
Noun phrase — [pattern: produce/get year‑round harvests]
Definition: The ability to harvest throughout the entire year, regardless of seasons.
Example: “Controlled lighting enables year‑round harvests of leafy greens.”
→ Gloss: pick crops all year long.
Synonyms: continuous production, all‑season yields.
Common mistakes: Writing “whole‑year harvests”; preferred collocation is “year‑round.”
5) (produce) close to consumers
/kləʊs tə kənˈsjuː.məz/ (BrE), /kloʊs tə kənˈsuː.mərz/ (AmE)
Prepositional phrase — [pattern: be/produce + close to + noun]
Definition: Situated near the people who buy and eat the produce, reducing transport time and distance.
Example: “Growing food close to consumers lowers spoilage and logistics costs.”
→ Gloss: near the buyers and eaters.
Synonyms: near end‑users, locally to customers.
Common mistakes: Using “near to” after “close”; say “close to,” not “near to consumers.”
6) shrink dramatically (reduce sharply)
/ʃrɪŋk drəˈmæt.ɪ.k(ə)li/ (BrE), /ʃrɪŋk drəˈmæt̬.ɪ.k(ə)li/ (AmE)
Verb phrase — [pattern: shrink + adverb]
Definition: To become much smaller in size/amount within a short time or by a large margin.
Example: “Transport distances shrink dramatically when farms are inside cities.”
→ Gloss: get much shorter/less.
Synonyms: drop sharply, plummet, contract significantly.
Common mistakes: Using “shrink” in the past with regular ‑ed (*shrinked*); correct past is “shrank” (past) / “shrunk” (pp).
7) reduce (something) by up to X percent
/rɪˈdjuːs … baɪ ʌp tuː/ (BrE), /rɪˈduːs … baɪ ʌp tuː/ (AmE)
Quantified verb phrase — [pattern: reduce + object + by up to + number%]
Definition: To lower an amount/level, with the maximum possible reduction indicated by a percentage.
Example: “Aeroponics can reduce water consumption by up to 90%.”
→ Gloss: cut water use, as much as ninety percent.
Synonyms: cut by as much as, lower by up to.
Common mistakes: Dropping “by”: say “reduce … by 90%,” not “reduce 90%.”
8) offset (some) sustainability gains
/ˌɒfˈsɛt/ (BrE), /ˌɔːfˈsɛt/ (AmE)
Verb phrase — [pattern: offset + noun]
Definition: To counterbalance or reduce the positive effects of something.
Example: “Fossil‑fuel electricity may offset the sustainability gains from local production.”
→ Gloss: cancel out some of the benefits.
Synonyms: counteract, negate, balance out.
Common mistakes: Using “compensate” incorrectly with the same meaning; “compensate for” ≠ “offset” in many contexts.
9) pair X with Y
/peə wɪð/ (BrE), /per wɪð/ (AmE)
Verb pattern — [pattern: pair + noun + with + noun]
Definition: To combine two elements so they work together for better results.
Example: “Firms pair vertical farms with rooftop solar or waste‑heat capture to cut energy costs.”
→ Gloss: combine farms and energy tech to improve results.
Synonyms: couple with, integrate with, match with.
Common mistakes: Using “pair to” instead of “pair with”; keep the preposition “with.”
10) complement rather than replace
/ˈkɒm.plɪ.ment ˈrɑː.ðə ðæn rɪˈpleɪs/ (BrE), /ˈkɑːm.plə.ment ˈræð.ər ðæn rɪˈpleɪs/ (AmE)
Set phrase — [pattern: A complements B rather than replaces it]
Definition: To add to or support something without taking its place entirely.
Example: “Vertical farming will complement rather than replace traditional agriculture.”
→ Gloss: support the old system, not take over from it.
Synonyms: augment (not supplant), support, sit alongside.
Common mistakes: Confusing “compliment” (say nice things) with “complement” (complete/add to).
🔺 Part 6 — Vocabulary & Expressions Review Quiz

Review Quiz (30-item bank → 10 random each attempt)

Test your knowledge of the vocabulary and expressions. Each time you start, 10 random questions will appear. After answering, you’ll get instant feedback with detailed explanations.