PTE Write Essay Task
For the PTE Write Essay task you are expected to write an essay formulating an argument or arguments in response to a prompt. Your essay should follow a formal essay format with an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion and should follow a logical order and sequence in terms of the information and opinions presented. Examples should be included, and your vocabulary use and grammatical awareness will be a core focus. You are given 20 minutes to complete the task and your essay should be between 200-300 words.
Quick Tips
• Make a short plan (this can be mentally if you wish)
• Use the introduction, 2 body paragraphs, conclusion format
• Have an idea of what basic information and key points will be included in each paragraph
• Be aware of the direction or journey of the essay and how it will end
• Sneak in some “wow” words and phrases that you have ready in advance
• Use some pre-prepared formal writing phrases
• Include an example (even if it is made-up!)
• Proofread and check your essay using a system rather than just reading though
PTE Summarize Written Text Task
For the PTE Summarize Written Text task, you will read through a passage of writing about a topic and you are then asked to summarize the passage in 75 words or less. This task is assessing both your reading comprehension skills and your writing ability. You will need to write in a succinct and concise manner and be sure to explain the key points and not linger too long on information which is not important as you do not have many words. You are given 10 minutes to complete the task which does not sound like a lot but remember, you will only be writing a few sentences.
Quick Tips
• Spend enough time reading the passage properly; if you miss the key point of the text, the whole task will go in the wrong direction
• Ask yourself: What is the main idea/ purpose/ argument?
• Make a mental list of the key points
• Copy as little of the original text as possible; it must be in your own words (there may be the odd word that is necessary to rewrite but choose these wisely)
• Make sure you have not used any unnecessary filler words
• Have an idea before hand from practice and revision what 75 typed words looks like
• Have an idea from your practice how many sentences you usually write in 75 words
• Use efficient opening clauses, interesting conjunctions, some engaging adjectives and adverbs and a range of punctuation
Have a go at trying out our quick tips next time you use some practice materials for the PTE writing tasks. There may be some tips that resonate more with you than others. And you may think of other tips yourself as you go along. In this way, you can personalise your tip-list so that you have the perfect tips to use when it comes to test day.
