PTE Core Speaking · Respond to a Situation
PTE Core Respond to a Situation Template
Speak to the person as you would on a real call: say who you are and why you are calling, explain what happened, make your request or offer, and close politely. That is what Appropriacy rewards.
20 seconds to plan · 40 seconds to speak
The 4-step call: remember it as
- Acknowledge
- Explain
- Ask or offer
- Close
When to use it: Every Respond to a Situation item: apologizing, asking a favour, declining an invitation, rearranging an appointment, complaining politely.
The template
Each stage has a job and a time budget. Fill every blank with what you can see or what the situation says: recited lines that ignore the task score poorly.
- 1
Acknowledge
10sGreet the person, say who you are if needed, and name the situation.
Starters
- Hi blank, it's blank. I'm calling about blank.
- Hello, my name is blank. I'm calling about blank I made for blank.
- Hi blank, I'm really sorry to hear that blank.
Do
- The person's name or role, as the prompt gives it
- A greeting in the right register: "Hello" for a business, "Hi" for a friend
Avoid
- Jumping straight to the request with no greeting
Earns:AppropriacyFluency
- 2
Explain
11sWhat has happened, with a reason.
Starters
- Unfortunately, blank because blank.
- The thing is, blank, so blank.
- I've just found out that blank, which means blank.
Do
- The facts from the prompt, in your own words
- A reason (because, so, which means)
Avoid
- Reading the prompt back word for word
Earns:AppropriacyFluency
- 3
Ask or offer
14sThe request, apology, offer or alternative the prompt asks for.
Starters
- Would it be possible to blank? If not, blank would also work.
- I'd be happy to blank to make up for it.
- Could you please blank? I can blank if that helps.
Do
- Every action the prompt names (explain, apologize, ask, offer, suggest)
- A polite softener: would it be possible, I'd be happy to, could you
- An alternative or offer, which shows the detail Appropriacy's top band asks for
Avoid
- A one-line demand ("Change my booking.")
Earns:AppropriacyFluencyPronunciation
- 4
Close
5sThank them and end in the same register you opened with.
Starters
- Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it.
- Thanks again, and sorry for the trouble.
- Thanks, talk soon!
Do
- Thanks, plus an apology again if the situation calls for one
Avoid
- Stopping mid-sentence when the time runs out
Earns:AppropriacyFluency
What to do, what to avoid
Do
- A greeting and the person's name, as on a real call
- Every action the prompt names, in the order it names them
- A reason for what happened
- Polite softeners: would it be possible, could you, I'd be happy to
- A thank-you close in the same register
Avoid
- Pre-learned lines that could fit any situation
- Slang to a business, or stiff formality to a friend
- Demands without please or a softener
- Long apologies that leave no time for the request
- Talking about the person in the third person ("the restaurant should")
See it in action
A sample task and a model answer, grouped by stage.
The situation
You booked a table for six at a restaurant for Saturday evening to celebrate a friend's birthday. The celebration has now moved to Sunday. Call the restaurant, explain the change, and ask to move your booking.
- 1Acknowledge~10s
“Hello, my name is Alex Chen. I'm calling about a dinner booking I made for this Saturday evening, a table for six.”
- 2Explain~11s
“Unfortunately, the birthday celebration it was for has moved to Sunday, because a couple of our guests can't make it on Saturday.”
- 3Ask or offer~14s
“Would it be possible to move the reservation to Sunday at the same time, around seven o'clock? If that's fully booked, an earlier time would also work for us.”
- 4Close~5s
“Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it.”
Why it scores: It sounds like a real call: a polite greeting with a name, a clear reason, a softened request with an alternative, and thanks to finish. The register is right for a business, and the detail matches what moving a booking needs.
Make it stick
Three quick rounds: put the stages in order, spot the line that scores, then practise the timing out loud.
Put the stages in order
Tap the stage that comes first.
Say this, not that
1. Which scores higher?
2. Which scores higher?
3. Which scores higher?
4. Which scores higher?
Practise the timing
Look at the example above, press start and answer out loud. You get the test's 20 seconds to prepare, then the bar shows which stage you should be on.
Press start: 20 seconds to prepare, then 40 to speak
First up: Acknowledge
Hi blank, it's blank. I'm calling about blank.
Mistakes that cost marks
- Skipping the greeting and acknowledgement and opening with a demand.
- Using one register for everyone: casual with a landlord, stiff with a friend.
- Covering only one of the actions the prompt lists (explain, ask, offer).
- Using a memorized script that does not mention the actual situation.
- Running out of time before the close because the explanation ran long.
Free to try
Use this template on a real Respond to a Situation question
Open a question in the question bank. The template sits beside the task while you prepare, then shows which stage you should be on while you record, and you get a score on every answer.
Practise Respond to a SituationKeep going
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is it OK to use a template for Respond to a Situation?
Yes, for the structure. Appropriacy's lowest band is for short pre-packaged phrases that do not fit the situation, so fill every part with the real names, times and reasons from the prompt.
Should I sound formal or informal?
It depends on who you are speaking to. A business, a landlord, a clinic or a manager calls for polite and formal. A friend, a sibling or a close colleague calls for warm and informal. Decide this first in your planning time.