Okay… after repeat sentence, the next question type you will encounter in your PTE Speaking exam is Describe the Image.
In this task, you will have 25 seconds to look at the image and you should talk about the image for 30-40 seconds.
This is a difficult task if you don’t prepare for it well. Let’s move on to tips on how to get a good score in PTE Describe Image.
But before we dive into general tips, let’s do an example, to help you get an idea of what to expect and what to say in your exam with 1 simple technique.
The given bar graph shows the child mortality rate in different regions in 2015. From the graph, we can see that Africa has the highest child mortality rate at just over 8 percent while Europe has the lowest mortality rate at 0.58 percent. Overall, the average child mortality rate in the world is 4.5 percent. In conclusion, the graph shows the average child mortality rate in the year 2015 in various regions of the world.
Now, let’s breakdown the sample answer.
Introduction
We start our speech by introducing the key idea presented in the image.
Body
In the body of the sentence, we highlight/contrast/compare (depending on the graph or chart given) and discuss the points that stand out the most.
In our case, we compared between the highest and the lowest range. And then used the information in the chart to give more detail (average child mortality rate) about the image.
Conclusion
And finally, we concluded by re-emphasizing the topic of the image.
That’s the only technique you will need to get a good score in this question type.
Introduction– mention the contents of the image
Body– describe the key trends and ideas in the image
Conclusion– restate or summarize the contents of the image.
Now, let’s dive deeper into some tips to improve your score:
Talk about the key ideas from the image
Just like in the example above, use the 25 seconds you have to get a sense of what the key ideas and the most striking details of the image are. You can use the erasable board to take notes of the key ideas. Refer to them when you are talking to make sure that you’re covering the most important details in the image.
Try not to pause between sentences
Since this question type tests your oral fluency and pronunciation, try to speak at a natural pace without pausing. Using filler words like, “ummm….” is a big NO-NO. Avoid them at all costs.
The best way to improve yourself is to practice every day.
Describe the key trends in the image
Every image will have some trends that you can talk about. Let’s take a look at another example to illustrate this point.
Sample Answer:
The given chart shows us Index of Human Development from 1870 to 2015. According to the chart, Australia has the highest Index of Human Development while Nigeria has the lowest. From the chart, I can see that there is a continuous upward trend in Index of Human Development in different parts of the world like China, Nigeria, Australia, United States. In conclusion, this chart shows that the Index of Human Development is rising steadily from 1870 to 2015.
Here, we followed a similar pattern to the bar graph. Comparisons and discussion of key ideas. And in this case, we also discussed the key trend—the continuous rise in the chart.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to describing an image in PTE, the key is to keep practicing and speaking naturally. PTE tests your ability to analyze key relationships, ideas, and trends in the data. To get the best score in this section, you must discuss and logically connect key ideas in the image.
If you want our guidance to help you get a good score in PTE, contact us to book your place.