PTE Speaking & Writing: Suitable Pitch and Word Count?

Pitch in PTE Speaking and word count in PTE Writing are two often overlooked aspects of the PTE exam. 

In this blog, PTE Magic will provide insights to help you achieve high scores in the PTE exam.

Stay tuned!

Key Takeaways

• The ideal pitch range for female students should be around 220-240Hz, whereas the pitch for male students is 130-150Hz.
• The word count for the essay should reach at least 200 words but not over 300.

Suitable Pitch in PTE Speaking

This section will show you the ideal pitch range and how to maintain it to enhance your speaking performance in the PTE test.

What is the Best Pitch Range in PTE Speaking?

In spoken language, pitch refers to how high or low your voice sounds. This factor can affect your score since it impacts the clarity of your speech.

The best pitch range in PTE speaking is not a specific number, as it varies based on each person’s voice. If your pitch sounds unnatural, it might affect your pronunciation scores.

You can use the Voice Tools application to help identify your pitch and adjust it accordingly. The ideal pitch range for female students should be around 220-240Hz, whereas the goal for PTE pitch for male students is 130-150Hz.

Tips For Keeping a Suitable Pitch During PTE Speaking

Here are some tips to help you maintain the ideal pitch:

• Practise frequently: Aim to keep the same pitch while you speak. Having an unnatural or inconsistent pitch will decrease your score.
• Adjust your pitch: If necessary, adjust your pitch to a deeper or thinner voice. Humming can help you control your pitch during the test.
• Place your microphone correctly: The microphone position can affect your PTE speaking score. For best results, PTE Magic recommends placing the microphone two fingers away from your mouth.
• Use a natural pace: Avoid rushing to make yourself sound fluent. A natural pace will help you keep a consistent pitch and avoid stumbling over words.
• Be authentic: You should not fake an accent to sound more like a native English speaker. Being authentic will help you consistently maintain a stable and natural pitch.

Related:

• Best tips and tricks for PTE exam preparation

Best Essay Word Count for PTE Writing

Next, we will discuss one of the most common concerns in PTE essay writing: essay word count. This section aims to guide you through strategies to manage word count effectively to achieve a high score in the PTE Writing section.

Why Word Count Matters

You will get a good score if you can show your idea logically and structurally within the word limit

One crucial task in the PTE Writing test is essay writing. This task evaluates your ability to write a convincing or argumentative essay within a specific word limit.

The word count for the essay should reach at least 200 words but not over 300. This is not a random number, as they determine your writing ability within the word range. Aside from testing your writing skills, word count also checks your ability to present logical thinking in a limited time frame.

Going under 200 or over 300 words will make you lose scores. Therefore, you should keep track of your word count while writing. You will find the “word count” feature at the bottom of the text box during the test.

Word count is not just about meeting the word count. It focuses on effectively structuring your thoughts and arguing a viewpoint while maintaining your language within a limit. Therefore, whether it’s 250 or 300, it’s not about the lengthier the better. You will get a good score in this section if you can show your idea logically and structurally.

How to Managing Essay Word Count Effectively

Below are our suggestions for better word count management:

• Plan your essay: You should have an outline before you write. The outline can be as simple as writing down the main points you want to discuss or drafting ideas for writing it. 
• Get to the point: Express your ideas straightforward. Avoid unnecessary repetition and wordiness, as every word counts in the PTE writing.
• Check for errors: Typo will decrease your score. You should recheck your essay before submitting it.  
• Practise with mock tests: Regular practice is the key to improvement. Use PTE Magic mock tests to improve your writing ability within the ideal word count. 

The Bottom Line

While often overlooked, pitch in PTE speaking and word count in PTE writing are the aspects that can significantly affect your score. Keep practising and improving – you will be well on your way to achieving high PTE scores. 

Check out our PTE courses to stay on the right track!

Last updated on 03/05/2024