PTE Writing: Test Format, Samples, Strategies and Mistakes to Avoid

Introduction to PTE Writing

The PTE writing section is an integral part of the Pearson Test of English. This module assesses an examinee's ability to express their thoughts in written academic English. It contains two tasks in the form of summary and essay writing. It evaluates your grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, and coherence. Whether you are constructing an essay or summarizing a paragraph, the goal is to communicate your ideas clearly and logically. Strong writing skills are key components of achieving a good score in the PTE writing Task.

PTE Writing Test Format

The PTE writing section combines the speaking and writing modules of the exam. It further comprises two tasks: summarizing written text and writing an Essay. Together, both these questions require a total of 30 minutes. The 30-minute time frame of this part is further bifurcated into 10 minutes for the summary writing and 20 minutes for essay writing. The score range for this section is 10 to 90, with 90 being the maximum score. The following is a brief of the PTE writing format for you:

Now that you are familiar with the PTE writing format take a look at these samples.

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PTE Writing Task 1: Summarize Written Text

The summarize written text PTE is a task that measures the ability of an examinee to understand and formulate a summary of the main points of a passage or text. Further, the gist must comprise a single sentence with a word limit of 50 to 300 words. Also, the time restraint for this question is 10 minutes. Hence, you need to draft a summary that can showcase your vocabulary range and grammar within this time frame. Below are some of the summarize written text PTE template and samples for you to explore:

Sample 1

The one below is a PTE writing sample question and the response to it:

Prompt:

What makes online teaching special is that it utilises the Internet, particularly the World Wide Web, as its primary source of communication. However, when you teach online, you don't have to be in a specific location to teach. You don't have to drag your briefcase full of papers or your laptop to class, stand at a lectern, scrawl on a whiteboard, or grade papers in a stuffy room while your students take tests. You can hold "office hours" on weekends or at night after dinner.

You can do all these things while living in a small town in Birmingham or a big city like Thailand, even if you're working for a university whose managerial officers are located in another city. You can attend important meetings exclusively through online platforms.

Additionally, you can attend an important conference while teaching your class in the city where you live. Through the local cafe's Wi-Fi or your hotel room's high-speed network, you can join the meetings and conferences.

Online learning also offers students more freedom. They can search for courses using the Web or other sites to find classes and instructors that fit their needs within their institution. By finding an appropriate course, students can enrol, register, purchase books, listen to lectures, submit their assignments, and receive their final grades —all online. They can also engage in virtual classrooms and meet other students from different locations.

Full Answer:

Online teaching provides freedom to both teachers and students, as teachers don't need to be in a particular place, as they can use the Internet for communication. Meanwhile, students can enrol, register, submit assignments, and receive grades —all online. Thus, this makes online teaching unique and easy.

Sample 2

Here is another summarise written text PTE sample for you:

Prompt:

For millions of years, Mediterranean Sea turtles have been coming to the shore of southern Lebanon to lay their eggs. Every summer, their babies hatch and literally run for their lives on the strip of sand that separates their nests from the sea. An endangered species, they have been largely ignored in this part of Lebanon until two women set out to protect them.

Mona Khalil was inspired by a walk on the beach during a visit to her homeland when she first saw the turtles. Upon learning that they were on the verge of disappearing from her country, Khalil decided to "come back and do something about them."

The next year, 2000, she returned and teamed up with Habiba Fayed, who shared her passion for the environment. They opened a bed-and-breakfast in the Khalil family home to finance their efforts. Guests could simply vacation or, in the spirit of ecotourism, they could help the owners protect the turtles' nests and keep the beach clean.

Turtles travel to the exact spot where they were born to dig their nests in the sand, laying an average of 70 to 100 eggs. This is the moment when the women intervene. They protect the nests from predators by burying an iron grid in the sand above the eggs. The spaces on the grid are large enough to allow the baby turtles to emerge after a month and find their way to the sea, giving them a chance at life. 

Full Answer:

The text highlights Khalil and Fayed's initiative in southern Lebanon, conserving endangered sea turtles through a bed-and-breakfast. Stressing the importance of guest participation in ecotourism, they mediate during nesting, using an iron grid to protect the eggs and ensure the emergence of baby turtles. Importantly, the effort draws attention to conserving a neglected species, making it a significant endeavor.

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PTE Writing Task 2: Write Essay

The PTE essay writing is a question that requires you to write an essay on the topic given to you. The question prompt is given to you within a few lines. Further, you need to conclude your Essay with a word count of around 200 to 300 words. To complete this task, you will get 20 minutes. The scoring criteria also include coherence, vocabulary, grammar and written discourse. Thus, below is a PTE essay writing template that will help you understand the proper way to write an essay.

Sample 1

Here is a PTE writing sample that will help you understand how you can attempt the essay writing:

Prompt:

The majority of television news being reported is bad news: wars, famines, accidents and crime. Some people think that television news should be a mixture of good and bad news.

Full Answer:

Television news frequently bombards us with stories of violence, calamity, and disruption. Wars, famines, accidents, and murders dominate the airwaves, sparking discussion about whether television news should balance positive and bad news. I feel that television news should include both positive and negative news for the following persuasive reasons.

First and foremost, a steady stream of negative news can have a significant impact on our mental health. Being bombarded with information about catastrophes, natural disasters, and conflicts can make viewers apprehensive and melancholy. As a result, it is vital to balance this with uplifting stories that inspire hope and trigger positive emotions. Stories like scientific discoveries, heroic rescue missions, and personal success stories provide much-needed reprieve from the daily flood of unpleasant news.

Furthermore, offering a balance of positive and negative news provides a more truthful picture of our reality. While it is critical to address societal issues and adversity, it is also critical to note good advancements and acts of compassion that occur on a daily basis. Neglecting these uplifting stories affects our understanding of reality. For example, news stories about communities banding together during disasters or people making great contributions to society can act as potent motivators for others. These narratives inspire action and motivate people to get actively involved in attempts to change their communities and the world as a whole.

In conclusion, including both good and negative news in television broadcasts is critical for our emotional well-being, correctly depicting our world, and inspiring individuals to constructively participate to society. Striking this balance leads in a more optimistic, knowledgeable, and empowered audience, which contributes to a better and more empathetic society.

Sample 2

The following is an alternate PTE essay writing sample for you:

Prompt:

Recently, cases of capital punishment have raised the issue of human rights of the guilty. Though it has been criticized by human rights organizations, the death penalty is still a form of punishment in some countries. Should it be abolished? Give reasons and examples.

Full Answer:

Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is a term used when an individual is sentenced to death for a crime that is considered to be serious according to a country’s laws. Some people believe that everyone has the right to live, regardless of their crime. However, it can be argued in the case of crimes such as murder that offenders should be punished by death. This is my belief, too. Therefore, capital punishment should not be abolished.

Many people believe capital punishment is a justifiable penalty for serious crimes. Their belief is if you deliberately take the life of another human being, you forfeit their right to live, and then you should be put to death. People in favour of the death penalty also say their taxes should not be wasted providing for criminals to live their life in prison, especially if they are reckoned a permanent threat to society. Furthermore, supporters of capital punishment believe it acts as a deterrent to heinous crimes and is, consequently, an apt punishment for such wrongdoings.

Meanwhile, some people are completely against capital punishment, regardless of the crime committed. They say no one has the right to kill another human, and if a court of law sentences someone to death, it is just the same as murdering them. Those against the death penalty believe dangerous criminals should be jailed and given a chance to mend their wicked ways through rehabilitation programs set up for such people in prison.

In conclusion, capital punishment is deemed by many people to be absolutely necessary and justified in order to keep society safe, while others believe death by law is no different from death by unlawful means. I believe we need the death penalty. When someone deliberately kills another person, and the legal system has found them to be beyond rehabilitation, the death penalty is acceptable, rather than the offender spending the rest of their life in jail paying nothing for the betterment of society.

PTE Writing Scoring Criteria

Scores in the PTE Writing section are marked using automated scoring algorithms. These assess your responses based on predefined proficiency indicators and linguistic features. 

The scoring system will take into account the following factors in the marking process. 

1. Development structure

This aspect evaluates how well test takers elaborate on their ideas and arguments, their organization skills, and how accurately their ideas flow and connect throughout the essay.

• You'll get 2 marks if the answer exhibits a coherent organization of the essay and effective elaboration of ideas.
• 1 mark if the ideas are not in flow and are properly organized
• 0 if the paragraph is not in a logical flow

2. General linguistic range

This parameter evaluates how accurately the response communicates the test taker's thoughts or concepts. The score range is from 0 to 2:

• 2 marks if the paragraph conveys concepts, stresses key points, and avoids ambiguity.
• 1 mark if the paragraph demonstrates a fair language range, clearly states the position, and has strong reasons to back up the statement.
• 0 The response uses rudimentary language and lacks accuracy.

3. Grammar usage and mechanics

This aspect assesses how strong your English grammar is. It checks how you use verb tenses, words, subject-agreement verbs, and other grammatical aspects.

• 2 marks if the aspirant has excellent grammar usage.
• 1 mark if the test taker demonstrates quite good grammatical control and there are no errors.
• 0 if you make some basic mistakes or use a too-simple structure.

4. Vocabulary range

This is the most crucial part of the score frame. It evaluates your use of a wide range of vocabulary and your ability to use words appropriately.

• 2 marks if you use idioms, collocations, and phrases properly.
• 1 mark if you use a wide range of vocabulary connecting to the topics.
• 0 if you use simple words.

5. Spelling

This section assesses test takers' spelling accuracy. To get a high score, it is crucial to avoid spelling mistakes.

• 2 marks if there are no spelling mistakes
• 1 mark if there is one spelling mistake and responses have some typing errors.
• 0 if the response includes a lot of misspelled words.

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Tips and Strategies for High Scores

The following are some of the expert PTE writing tips and strategies that can help you ace the writing tasks:

• Identify the Main Idea: First, read the paragraph carefully and understand the main idea. Also, pay less attention to smaller details, as they will only consume your time. 
• Combine Key Points: Use linkers such as “and,” “because,” or “while” to combine important points into a single and coherent sentence. Also, use PTE writing practice to know the proper use of connectors.
• Note keywords: You can also highlight keywords that best determine the content. Additionally, incorporate these keywords into your summary.
• Stick to word limit: It is necessary to be concise and to the point. You need to focus on the facts. Also, avoid including lengthy explanations, inferences, or examples. To master this, you can also practice with PTE mock tests available online.
• Use complex sentences: You can include complex sentence structures to show off your linguistic skills, but also make sure that they are grammatically correct.
• Add your touch: Use your own words to express the ideas. Avoid using “I,” “Me,” or “We”; instead, use the third person.
• Be mindful of time: Allow yourself sufficient time to craft a summary or essay with a clear and effective structure. A lot of PTE writing practice can help with time management.
• Understand the prompt: First, take time to carefully read the essay question and identify the type of essay you need to write.
• Plan your writing: Always create an outline for your essay. Organizing your ideas logically will help you save time and earn more points. You can also use PTE writing mock tests to familiarize yourself with the planning. 
• Follow proper essay structure: Your essay should include an introduction, elaborate body paragraphs with supporting ideas, and a small conclusion.
• Stick to the topic: It is essential to stay focused on the given topic and avoid going off-topic or providing unnecessary information.
• Give examples and evidence: In PTE writing, it is crucial to support your arguments with relevant examples, research, statistics, or personal experiences in the body paragraphs to create an impressive essay.
• Maintain balance in arguments: When writing essays, present a balanced viewpoint, considering both sides of an argument, especially in opinion-based prompts.
• Proofread your work: Take some time to review and make any corrections before submitting your writing.

These are a few of the PTE writing tips that you can follow. Now, take a look at some of the mistakes to avoid in the writing tasks.

Key Takeaways!

• PTE Writing assesses a candidate's ability to effectively communicate thoughts, opinions, and information via writing activities and well-organized essays.

• The PTE Writing portion consists of two tasks: Summarize Written Text and Essay.
• PTE writing blunders might reduce the overall efficacy of your essays and summaries. The following are the four most common errors to avoid.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Below are the pitfalls that you need to bypass when appearing for the writing section:

1. Not Sticking to Word Limits: Many test takers fail to stick to the specified word limits for tasks like Summarize Written Text (5-75 words) and Write Essay (200-300 words). This is because writing more than or less than the limit can result in lower scores.
2. Using Informal Language: The PTE Academic Test requires formal, academic language. Using casual or informal language can lead to a lesser score.
3. Poor Time Management: Time management is important in the PTE Writing section. Test takers often rush through tasks, leading to errors. Thus, you need to allocate sufficient time for planning, writing, and proofreading.
4. Repetition of Words: Repeating words can mean that you have a limited vocabulary range and affect the score. Thus, using synonyms and paraphrasing can help avoid this issue. Moreover, practising with templates can also enhance fluency and reduce repetition.
5. Ignoring Grammar and Spelling: Grammar and spelling errors can significantly impact the score. Students need to focus on improving their grammar and spelling through regular practice using PTE writing sample papers and by seeking feedback from mentors or tutors.
6. Not Using Proper Structure: Essays should have a clear structure, consisting of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. If you do not do so, it can result in a disorganized response. You can further practice with PTE writing sample essays and follow a structured approach.
7. Writing Multiple Sentences in Summarize Written Text: Candidates often write multiple sentences in this task. However, as per the instructions, only a single sentence that starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop is required.
8. Not Proofreading: It is vital that you take time to proofread, which can result in overlooked errors. This further includes checking for punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

Conclusion

To conclude, by avoiding these common mistakes and using the suggested strategies, test takers can significantly improve their performance in the PTE Writing section. Moreover, regular practice, structured planning, and attention to detail are essential for success. Thus, you can also get help from PTE coaching online to prepare well for this exam.

FAQ’s

How much is 8.5 in PTE writing?

In PTE writing 8.5 of the IELTS exam is equivalent to around 88.1 in the score range.

Is PTE writing hard?

Writing a PTE essay or summary is not very hard. However, you do need to practice will for the PTE writing task and also pay attention to the correct techniques.

Which score is good in PTE?

The score for PTE writing section is ranged from 10 to 90. However, the good score is considered to be between 65 and 73.

How many tasks are in PTE writing?

In the PTE writing section there are a total of two tasks. These are summarize written text and essay writing questions. Both these tasks evaluate your ability to write in the English language.