PTE writing practice for every question type
Four question types make up your PTE writing score. Write Essay counts most, at about 31 per cent.
Start practising
By Thanh Tran, co-founder and PTE instructor
Updated
What to know about PTE writing
Write from Dictation, in the listening part, gives about 23 per cent of your writing score.
Summarize Written Text must be one sentence of 5 to 75 words, or it scores zero.
Memorised sentences score zero for content.
Where your writing score comes from
Pearson's figures for an average test.
- WEWrite Essay31%
- SWTSummarize Written Text28%
- WFDWrite from Dictation23%
- SSTSummarize Spoken Text18%
PTE writing question types
In the speaking and writing part
This part takes 76 to 84 minutes.
From other parts of the test
How to practise writing
Keep to the word limit
Write every answer for its prompt
Use capitals and full stops
Never write in all capital letters.Leave time to check
Keep the last minute or two for grammar and spelling.
The passage
About 250 words on working from home and what it changes for teams.
Your summary
Working from home saves time and money for many employees, but it can make it harder for teams to share ideas, so many companies now mix office days and home days.
Total Word Count: 31
- One sentence, with a full stop at the end, passed
- 5 to 75 words, passed
- Not in capital letters, passed
Form1 / 1
Form is checked first. A summary that fails it scores zero, however good the content is.
Once you've tried every question type, take a full mock. It's timed like the real exam, with a score for every skill. Take a free PTE mock test.
Common questions
How is PTE writing scored?
Four question types count towards writing. Write Essay gives about 31 per cent, Summarize Written Text about 28 per cent, Write from Dictation about 23 per cent and Summarize Spoken Text about 18 per cent. Pearson's scoring engine marks summaries and essays on content, form and language, and Write from Dictation on each correct word.
How can I improve my PTE writing score?
Keep to each word limit and write every answer for the prompt you're given, because memorised sentences score zero. Use capital letters and full stops correctly, and leave a minute or two to check your spelling. Practise Write from Dictation too: it's short, but it gives about 23 per cent of your writing score.
Is Write from Dictation part of PTE writing?
Yes. It comes at the end of the listening part, but Pearson counts it for both skills. It gives about 23 per cent of your writing score and about 13 per cent of your listening score.
Does Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks count for writing?
No, not in Pearson's current scoring. It counts only towards your reading score and your overall score. Older guides say it counts for writing too, so you may still read that elsewhere.
Can I use templates in PTE writing?
No. Pearson scores memorised material as irrelevant, and that makes the whole answer score zero. Plan a structure, then write every sentence for the prompt in front of you.
How many words should PTE writing answers be?
Summarize Written Text is one sentence of 5 to 75 words. Write Essay is 200 to 300 words for full marks, and Summarize Spoken Text is 50 to 70. An essay under 120 or over 380 words scores zero, and so does a spoken summary under 40 or over 100 words.
Can I practise PTE writing for free?
Yes. Write from Dictation is marked free every time. Summarize Written Text and Write Essay each give you free feedback on your first answer. You see your scores for content, form and language, and corrections on your own text. Pro gives feedback on every answer after that, and our engine will rewrite your answer to get full marks.
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