Best Microphone Position to Score High in PTE

Best Microphone Position to Score High in PTE. As we know more and more students are moving abroad each year for higher education and better career opportunities. However, you need to prove your English proficiency to study in an English-speaking country. All the universities have this requirement as a must for all courses. Therefore, there are several ways of proving your English proficiency, but the most accepted and the most convenient one is English tests like the IELTS, PTE, and TOEFL. Pearson Test of English(PTE) is one of the most popular English tests. It tests your English in 4 sections, one of which is the speaking section. You need to speak your answers in the microphone provided. Many students are confused about where they should place the microphone for best results.

In this blog, we will discuss the best microphone position to score high in PTE. But coming to the main topic let’s discuss some related content such as different sections in PTE, the importance of the best microphone position to score high in PTE, where to position the microphone for the best results, and some tips for improving speaking in PTE. So let’s dive into the article.

Note: Have a look at the top 9 PTE listening tips to boost scores

Different Sections in PTE

The Pearson Test of English(PTE) has 3 sections. Most English tests like the IELTS have 4 sections, but in PTE the speaking and writing sections are combined into one. So the first section is the speaking and writing section. Second is the Listening section and third is the reading section. Before we jump into the best microphone position to score high in PTE, let us first have an overview of the format of the PTE.

1. Speaking and writing section

This is the longest and the most weighted section. You will answer several types of questions. One of the tasks is Reading aloud, where you have to read aloud the written passages on the screen as clearly as you can. You get some time to first read them in your mind and then start speaking. You will also have to describe images or diagrams. Your analytical skills are tested when you describe a diagram or an image and the way you present your skills is governed by your fluency in English. Several other tasks such as re-telling lectures, repeating sentences, and answering short questions and texts are also there. 

2. Listening section

The listening section consists of tasks that require you to summarize spoken texts, highlight correct summaries, select missing words, write from dictation, etc. In short, every task in the listening section will require you to listen to some form of text and then you will answer some questions based on those recordings you heard. This is a relatively easy section, as you just have to focus on what’s being said and retain it as much as you can. 

3. Reading section

Many students consider the reading section as the easiest in the PTE. However, there are some tricky questions even in the reading section. In this section, you will encounter tasks like reordering paragraphs, filling in the blanks after reading a text, and answering single and multiple-choice correct answers. 

However, scoring good bands in this section requires practice. To do this, you need to read several good comprehension and text passages which are available on the internet. You can also give mock tests which train you and give you an idea of the type of questions you are going to encounter. This is usually a scoring section and with just a little preparation you can score high in this section. 

Importance of the best microphone position to score high in PTE

Now we will discuss the importance of the best microphone position to score high in PTE. The PTE is a computer-based test. This means when you go to the test centre to take the test, you will be assigned a computer and the equipment required for the exam. The equipment is a microphone and a headphone. Mostly, these two are combined into a single headphone. Your listening and speaking section solely depends on the equipment you have been given. If your headphones aren’t working properly then you may not hear the texts clearly and you may choose wrong answers. The microphone is even more important as you have to speak in it to record your answers. Any defect in the microphone will lead to low marks. 

Thus, it is crucial to check these two pieces of equipment as soon as you are assigned your place. You can check your microphone and your headphones by simply recording a simple sentence and then listening to it to have an idea of what your voice is going to sound like. 

While checking the microphone, make sure that it is not capturing your breath. When you speak, some words produce a lot of breathing sound which may be detected with your answer and it may cause a lower score. If you encounter any problem with the equipment given to you, ask for a replacement before the test starts. 

You don’t have to use single random words like ‘hello’, or ‘mic testing’ for checking the mic. You should use sentences to have an accurate measure of the efficiency of the microphone. These sentences should not be just random, they should contain all kinds of sounds and thus ensure that if the microphone catches these sentences properly then it is of good quality. Below are some sentences that you can use for testing:

1. The birch canoe slid on the smooth planks.
2. Glue the sheet to the dark blue background.
3. It’s easy to tell the depth of a well.
4. These days a chicken leg is a rare dish.
5. Rice is often served in round bowls.
6. The juice of lemons makes a fine punch.
7. The box was thrown beside the parked truck.
8. The hogs were fed chopped corn and garbage.

You don’t need to remember all of these, just remember any two or three sentences and speak them 3-to 4 times into the mic. Now that you have an idea of how to test your equipment, let us move to the best microphone position to score high in PTE. So this is all about the importance of the best microphone position to score high in PTE.

Note: Do read our other article on PTE exam duration and many more needed information.

Where to position the microphone for best results?

Till now we have discussed the best microphone position to score high in PTE. Now let’s discuss where to position the microphone for best result. As described above the main problem with wrong microphone positioning is the sounds of breath captured as voices by the computer. This can be avoided by positioning the microphone in the right place. Most of us place the microphone directly under our nose near our mouth, but this results in breath noises as it is near the nose.

You should place the microphone provided, parallel to your nose and with a little distance from your mouth. 

4 Tips for Improving Speaking in PTE

Apart from the best microphone position to score high in PTE, you will need to speak clearly to get a high score. Some common mistakes that students make while speaking are as follows. If you make these mistakes while speaking, try to consciously correct them every time you speak while practising for the exam. 

Here are some tips for improving speaking in PTE:

1. Do not speak fast

The first tip apart from the best microphone position to score high in PTE would be don’t speak fast. Many students think speaking fast is equal to speaking fluently. This is completely wrong. Your speed of speech should be fast enough to keep the listener engaged and slow enough for the listener to understand each word correctly. You should check whether you are speaking too fast or too slow while talking to others. If you encounter such a problem then work on it for at least a month before the exam. 

2. Avoid filler words

Filler words are nothing but the ‘ahhs’ and ‘hmms’ that we pause in between our speech to think of the next word. The only way to decrease these filler words in your speech is by practicing every day. When you have not practiced speaking enough English, your mind is not trained to think in English enough. As a result, you speak faster, your mind thinks slower and you use filler words. When you practice easily, your mind has enough words to use in sentences and this increases your fluency.

3. Never use informal words or phrases in answers

The English we speak in our day-to-day life is informal and thus you may use some informal words or phrases which result in low scores.

4. Think before you speak

The last tip apart from the best microphone position to score high in PTE would be thinking before speaking. This does not mean that you have to pause after every 2-3 sentences to think. Rather, think before you start your answer as a whole. In all the tasks you will get some time to think about your answer. Utilize this time not to frame each sentence but to frame the whole answer. Use this time to define how your answer is gonna look like.

For example, if you have been asked to speak about some organization, then first think about just defining the work of that organization, then go into detail about its working, and then conclude your answer with an appropriate reference. 

These are the four tips for improving speech so that you can utilise the best microphone position to score high in PTE in a more effective way.

Also Read: What is the Importance of the PTE Collocation List?

Conclusion

The best microphone position to score high in PTE as described above should always be kept in mind when you appear for your exam. This can highly increase or decrease your score. This position is the appropriate position for all kinds of English tests. Many students find it hard to score well in the speaking section as they are not as fluent in English. However, your fluency can increase only by practising daily. Try to speak and think in English. This is the only way you can get a full score on the speaking test. 

I hope the speaking tips included in this blog will also help you to increase your score and correct some of the common mistakes that you might be making. All the best for your exam! Do Remember, if you want to know about some related content, information and topics, you can visit CourseMentor.

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