What you'll see
Get familiar with the task.
This is a short-answer task that mixes listening and speaking. You'll hear a sentence ONCE through your headset. After the beep, you have 15 seconds to repeat it back — same wording, same word order, natural rhythm.
3 strategies that work
The mindset before the click.
- 1Strategy 1
Train your short-term memory
Don't translate — listen for meaning, then hold the words as small chunks (3–4 words each).
- 2Strategy 2
Track the sentence structure
Spot subject + verb + object. Notice openers like 'There…', 'It…', and active vs passive voice.
- 3Strategy 3
Speak it back clearly and on the beat
Pronounce every consonant + vowel. In English the last content word usually carries the stress.
Try each strategy
Guided practice you can do alone or with a partner.
1Train your short-term memory
Repeat Sentence is a memory + meaning test. Long sentences only fit in working memory if you chunk them and grasp the speaker's intent — don't treat it as parrot repetition.
- Chunk by meaning, not by counting: 'Most teaching staff / make their lecture notes / available online.'
- Build up the chain at home: start short, then add one piece at a time — 'Staff make notes available.' → 'Teaching staff make notes available.' → 'Most teaching staff make their lecture notes available online.'
- Practise with a partner: they read, you repeat. They tick correct repeats, cross out missed words, and mark added ones.
- Listen for meaning first; the words come back more easily when you understood what was said.
2Track the sentence structure
English has fixed word order. Knowing the common patterns helps you rebuild a sentence even if one or two words slipped — instead of substituting random words.
- Default order: Subject → Verb → Object. Add adverbs, adjectives and prepositional phrases around that spine.
- Spot the opener: 'There + be + noun' (There are some structural adaptations.) or impersonal 'It + be + that…' (It is estimated that 40% of energy comes from petroleum.).
- Active vs passive flips agent/object: 'The federal government advised people…' ↔ 'People were advised by the federal government…'.
- When you practise, grow sentences in layers: 'Adults learn.' → 'Most adults learn best.' → 'Most adults learn best when novel information is presented through a variety of experiences.'
3Speak it back clearly and on the beat
Pronunciation is scored. Aim for natural, not just intelligible. Focus on the sounds your first language struggles with, plus word and sentence stress.
- Identify your trouble sounds. e.g. many Chinese learners merge diphthongs in 'how/now' or 'phone/cone'. Drill minimal pairs like 'John / Joan'.
- Stress content words (nouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbs). Reduce function words (a, the, of, was, in).
- The last content word usually carries the sentence stress: 'Learners are actively involved in using LANGUAGE.'
- Practise without looking at the text — say it back from memory so the rhythm sounds natural, not read.
Do it under time
Simulate the real test.
Press play ONCE. As soon as the audio ends, repeat the sentence aloud in one go. You have 15 seconds — no pauses, no restarts. Record yourself on your phone, then compare with the samples below.
Reveal transcript (only after you've tried)
There will be a conference here next summer on using the web for academic research.
You will hear a sentence. Please repeat the sentence exactly as you hear it. You will hear the sentence only once.
Audio Status
Audio Recorder
Recording in 3
Compare & learn
Listen to sample answers and rank them.
Listen to all three responses. Try ranking them from weakest → strongest before reading the notes below each one.
Several hesitations, one repetition and one long pause. Rate of speech is uneven. Incorrect pronunciation of vowels and consonants makes several words unclear.
Some words are omitted and a few extra words added. Phrasing is uneven with a few hesitations and one repetition. Pronunciation errors blur several words.
Phrasing is slightly uneven, but spoken at a conversational rate. Minor pronunciation errors do not affect understanding.
Tick each box only when you can do it without looking back. This unlocks your next chapter.