PTE Describe Image – Know How To Score High

Score

Description

6

Fully accurate and detailed description. Explains relationships between features with depth. A wide range of vocabulary and expressions is used precisely. The listener can form a complete mental picture.

5

Main features are described accurately. Some relationships were identified but not detailed. Vocabulary varied and appropriate. A listener can form a mostly accurate picture with minor details missing.

4

Some accurate, simple descriptions with basic relationships. Not all main features are covered. Vocabulary is sufficient but repetitive. The listener can form only a basic picture.

3

Mostly superficial descriptions with some inaccuracies. Limited vocabulary; simple expressions repeated. The listener can imagine parts of the image but not a complete picture.

2

Minimal and superficial descriptions, some inaccuracies. Very limited vocabulary, dominated by simple expressions. The listener struggles to visualize clearly.

1

Disconnected points or lists without elaboration. Extremely restricted vocabulary. The listener cannot form a clear mental image.

0

Response relevant but too limited to evaluate.

Score

Description

5

Describes all elements of the image and their relationships, along with possible development, conclusion, or implications.

4

Describes all the key elements of the image and their relations, while referring to their implications or conclusions.

3

Covers most key elements of the image and refers to their implications or conclusions.

2

Addresses only one key element of the image and refers to an implication or conclusion. Shows basic understanding of several core elements.

1

Describes some basic elements of the image but does not clearly explain their interrelations or implications.

0

Mentions disjointed elements of the presentation and may not address the prompt properly, often due to reliance on pre-prepared or memorized material.

Score

Level

Description

5

Native Like

The speaker’s vowels and consonants are perfectly clear and natural to regular English listeners. Features of fluent speech, such as assimilation and sound omission, are used correctly. Word stress is always accurate, and sentence-level stress feels fully natural.

4

Advanced

Vowels and consonants are pronounced clearly, with only minor slips that don’t affect understanding. All words are easy to recognize, though a few sounds or sound clusters may be slightly distorted. Stress is correct on common words, and overall sentence stress is appropriate.

3

Good

Most sounds are pronounced correctly, but some consistent errors may cause occasional difficulty. Certain consonants may be mispronounced, left out, or altered in specific contexts. Stress-related reductions in vowels appear in a few words but do not heavily affect meaning.

2

Intermediate

Several vowels and consonants are regularly mispronounced in a way that sounds noticeably non-native. Speech is about two-thirds clear, but listeners may need time to adapt to the accent. Consonant clusters may be simplified or dropped, and stress placement can be uncertain on some words.

1

Intrusive

Many sounds are inaccurate, leading to a heavy foreign accent. About one-third of the speech is difficult to understand. Consonants may often be distorted, left out, or replaced, and sound patterns may not follow English rules. Stress is frequently misplaced, with missing or extra syllables making speech harder to follow.

0

Non-English

The pronunciation is strongly influenced by another language. A large number of vowels and consonants are incorrect, reordered, or omitted, making more than half the speech unclear. Stress and syllable patterns do not follow English, and words may contain the wrong number of syllables.

Score

Level

Description

5

Native Like

Speech flows naturally with smooth rhythm and phrasing. There are no hesitations, false starts, repetitions, or unnatural sound simplifications.

4

Advanced

The rhythm and phrasing sound natural, with correct word stress. There may be at most one hesitation, repetition, or false start, but overall fluency is not affected. No major non-native sound patterns are present.

3

Good

Speech is generally clear and paced well, though it may occasionally sound uneven. There could be more than one hesitation, but most words are grouped smoothly into phrases. Repetitions or false starts are rare. Pauses are short, and speech does not sound broken or choppy.

2

Intermediate

Speech may sometimes sound choppy or uneven. In utterances of six words or more, there is at least one smooth three-word phrase. Up to two or three hesitations, repetitions, or false starts may occur. One long pause might be present, but not more than that.

1

Limited

Speech often has irregular rhythm or poor phrasing, with a stop–start (staccato) style or syllable-by-syllable delivery. Multiple hesitations, repetitions, or false starts make the flow difficult to follow. Long utterances may include one or two lengthy pauses, and word stress may sound unnatural.

0

Disfluent

Speech is slow and effortful, lacking clear phrasing. It contains frequent hesitations, pauses, false starts, and strong non-native simplifications. Most words are spoken in isolation, and there may be several long pauses.