# PTE Respond to a Situation template

Speak to the person in the situation, using its own details. A memorised answer that ignores the specifics scores 0 for content. The frame is three moves: respond, give a reason, offer a way forward.

10 seconds to prepare, 40 seconds to speak

## The frame

### 1. Respond directly

Do what the situation asks: apologise, request, invite, refuse or explain.

- Hi ..., I'm really sorry, but...
- Excuse me, could I ask you about...
- Thanks so much for..., but unfortunately...

### 2. Give the reason

Why, using a detail from the situation.

- The reason is that...
- It's because...
- What happened was...

### 3. Offer a solution or next step

An alternative, a suggestion or a question that moves things on.

- Would it be possible to...?
- How about if I...?
- Could we maybe...?

## What costs marks

- The same opening for every situation: it's scored as pre-prepared material.
- Describing the situation back instead of speaking to the person.
- Written-style formality: everyday situations call for natural spoken English.

## Worked example

**Respond directly:** Hi, thanks for making time to see me. I'm thinking about doing a dual degree, and I wanted to check a few things before I apply.

**Give the reason:** The thing is, I'd like to widen my career options, but I'm not sure if I'm eligible, how heavy the workload would be, or who has to approve it.

**Offer a solution or next step:** Could you tell me the entry requirements and roughly how many units I'd take each semester? And who would I need to see to get it approved?

## Questions

**How formal should I be?**

Match the person: a friend gets everyday English, a manager gets polite but still natural English. Very formal written phrases sound unnatural here.

**What if I finish in 15 seconds?**

Add the reason and an alternative. Those two moves fill the 40 seconds naturally.

[Practise Respond to a Situation](https://testmigo.com/pte/practice/respond-to-a-situation)