Read Aloud(RA)
9% of SPEAKING30–40s prep, then record
Since Aug 2025 this feeds Speaking ONLY — chunk at punctuation and never re-read a flubbed word.
Research-seeded guide — verified method and traps included; a full live example is coming next.
The Format
- Text
- Up to 60 words on screen
- Prep
- 30–40 seconds — scan hard words, mark chunks
- Mic
- Starts after the beep; ~3s of silence can close it
The Scoring
per word
Content
Every replaced, omitted or inserted word = one error.
0–5
Oral Fluency
Smooth rhythm; restarts destroy it.
0–5
Pronunciation
Clear stress and natural intonation.
~9% of Speaking across 6–7 quick items — easy, repeatable marks.
The System
Chunk & Commit
1
SCAN
Use all the prep time
Find hard words; mark chunk boundaries at commas and periods.
2
CHUNK
Read in phrases, not words
Brief pauses at punctuation, stress the content words, natural rise-fall intonation.
3
COMMIT
Never go back
Misread a word? Keep going. A self-correction costs more fluency marks than the original slip.
Avoid
The 4 Traps That Cost You the Task
✕ Restarting a sentence
Fluency is scored 0–5 and restarts crater it.
✕ Waiting too long to start
The mic can close after ~3 seconds of silence.
✕ Racing
Slurred words count as pronunciation errors. Moderate, steady pace.
✕ Monotone delivery
Flat robotic reading caps your pronunciation score.
Daily Drills
- →Read 5 passages aloud daily, recording yourself — listen for chunking and stress.
- →Shadow native audio (news clips) to internalize rise-fall intonation.
Memory Hooks
SCAN → CHUNK → COMMITNever re-read a flubStart right after the beep