10 Essential Grammar Tips for PTE Essays

Grammar is one of the seven criteria in the Write Essay AI scoring. You can get up to 2 marks in the grammar section.

Excelling in the PTE Writing Test requires strong grammar skills and a thorough understanding of sentence structures. Writing clear and professional essays is not just about avoiding mistakes but also about showcasing your grammatical proficiency and ability to communicate effectively. This guide provides practical tips to improve your grammar and use sentence structures strategically.

1. Use a Mix of Sentence Types

In the PTE Writing Test, using a variety of sentences makes your essay more engaging and helps you showcase your grammar skills. Here’s how each sentence type can be used effectively in your essay:

  • Simple Sentences:
    These are short and clear, making them great for stating facts or main ideas.
    Example in an essay: Technology has transformed education.
  • Compound Sentences:
    These link two related ideas using words such as and, but, or so. Use them to connect equally important points.
    Example in an essay: Students use technology, and teachers rely on it too.
  • Complex Sentences:
    These add depth by explaining reasons, results, or conditions. They’re useful for providing explanations or showing contrasts.
    Example in an essay: Although technology helps students learn, it can also be distracting.
  • Compound-Complex Sentences:
    These combine multiple ideas for detailed discussions. Use them to handle complex arguments or provide in-depth analysis.
    Example in an essay: While technology improves learning, some argue it creates dependency, and they suggest balancing its use.

By mixing these sentence types, your essay will be more dynamic, clear, and professional—key qualities for a high score in the PTE Writing Test. What’s more, use of compound-complex structures is crucial in summarize written text question type as well.

2. Master Subject-Verb Agreement

Errors in subject-verb agreement can prove costly. Ensure singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs.

  • The team of students are attending. (wrong)
  • The team of students is attending. (right)

3. Avoid Making Tense Errors

Stick to a consistent tense throughout your essay. If you shift timeframes, make it clear and intentional.

  • Yesterday, I write an essay and discussed it today. (wrong)
  • Yesterday, I wrote an essay and discussed it today. (right)

4. Use Appropriate Articles (a, an, the)

Articles might seem small, but they can significantly affect clarity. Learn when to use “a,” “an,” and “the” correctly. One may assume that a human examiner may ignore or overlook an article mistake but with AI scoring, there is no such possibility.

Forms of Writing
“a” and “an” are indefinite articles.

  • Add “a” to the beginning of a single word that starts with a consonant sound.
    • There is a book on the table.
  • Place “an” in front of single words that begin with a vowel sound.
    • If you eat an apple every day, you’ll stay healthy.
  • Keep in mind that the sound, not the letter, tells you what the article is.
    • For example, an hour (with a quiet “h”) and a university (with a “yoo” sound initially).

Article that is clear: “the”

  • Use “the” to talk about words that the reader or listener already knows.
    • The book you loaned me is very interesting.
  • There is only one of something, so use “the” to talk about it.
    • The moon is very bright tonight.
PTE Practice

5. Keep Sentences Concise and Clear

Avoid overloading sentences with too many ideas. Short, concise sentences improve readability and clarity.

Due to the fact that technology has become an integral part of life, people are spending more and more time online, which is something that has significantly impacted daily activities.

Technology is integral to life, leading people to spend more time online.

 

6. Avoid Run-On Sentences

A run-on sentence occur when you combine two or more independent clauses without any punctuation or conjunction. It confuses readers and disrupts the flow of your essay. Use punctuation or conjunctions to fix them.

PTE essays require practice they also need understanding of grammar.

PTE essays require practice, and they also need an understanding of grammar.

 

7. Use Punctuation Correctly

Punctuation ensures accurate interpretation of a sentence or group of sentences. A misplaced comma or missing period can change meaning entirely.

Commonly Used and Effective Punctuations in PTE

  1. Period (.)
    • Marks the end of a sentence.
      Example: Technology has transformed education.
  2. Comma (,)
    • Separates items in a list: I bought apples, bananas, and oranges.
    • Adds a pause for clarity: After the exam, the students were relieved.
    • Allows for non-essential information: My teacher, who is very knowledgeable, explained it clearly.
  3. Semicolon (;)
    • Connects two closely related independent clauses. It is used more often in summarize written text than in an essay.
      Example: The essay was challenging; I managed to complete it on time.
  4. Colon (:)
    • Introduces a list or explanation. Its use is not very common but knowing about it ensures you don’t use it incorrectly.
      Example: The following items are required: a pen, a notebook, and a ruler.
  5. Apostrophe (‘)
    • Shows possession: The student’s essay was excellent.
    • Forms contractions: Example: It’s important to proofread.
  6. Quotation Marks (” “)
    • Encloses direct speech or quotations.
      Example: She said, “Practice makes perfect.”
  7. Exclamation Point (!)
    • Expresses strong emotion. Use sparingly in formal writing.
      Example: What an incredible achievement!
  8. Question Mark (?)
    • Ends a direct question.
      Example: What are your thoughts on the topic?

8. Check Spelling and Word Forms

Spelling mistakes and incorrect word forms can lower your score. For example:

He advice me to practice daily.

He advised me to practice daily.

9. Practice, Proofread, and Edit

Proofreading is a crucial step in the PTE Writing Test. Regularly practice with resources like PTE sample essays and use PTE essay templates to refine your skills.

RuleAdviceTypes/DetailsExample
1. Sentence StructuresMix sentence types for variety and flow. Simple: One independent clause.
Compound: Two independent clauses.
Complex: One independent + one dependent clause.
Compound-Complex: Multiple clauses.
Simple: Technology transforms education.
Compound: Students use technology, and teachers rely on it.
Complex: Although technology helps, it can distract.
Compound-Complex: While technology improves learning, some argue it creates dependency.
2. Subject-Verb AgreementAlways check if the subject and verb match in number. Singular subject + singular verb.
Plural subject + plural verb.
Singular: The team is attending.
Plural: The students are attending.
3. TenseStick to one tense unless the context requires a shift. Past tense.
Present tense.
Past: Yesterday, I wrote an essay.
Present: Technology plays a key role.
4. Articles (a, an, the)Use "a" or "an" for general nouns and "the" for specific ones. "a": Before consonant sounds.
"an": Before vowel sounds.
"the": Specific or known nouns.
"a": There is a book on the table.
"an": Eat an apple daily.
"the": The book you loaned me is interesting.
5. Concise SentencesBreak long sentences into shorter, clearer ones.Avoid overloading with too many ideas. ❌ Due to technology being integral...
✅ Technology is integral to life.
6. Run-On SentencesUse commas, semicolons, or conjunctions to separate clauses.Avoid combining clauses without proper punctuation. ❌ PTE essays require practice they need grammar.
✅ PTE essays require practice, and they need grammar.
7. PunctuationUse punctuation marks to clarify meaning and improve readability. Period (.): Ends sentences.
Comma (,): Separates items.
Semicolon (;): Links clauses.
Apostrophe ('): Shows possession.
Period: Technology transforms education.
Comma: I bought apples, bananas, and oranges.
Semicolon: The essay was challenging; I completed it.
Apostrophe: The student’s essay was excellent.

10. Conclusion

If you want to do well on the PTE Writing Test, you need to have good language and a variety of sentence patterns. There are many types of lines that can be used to make your writing clear, interesting, and well-organized. Visit EduBenchmark’s blog for more practice and tips, and start right away!

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