Home · PTE Academic Preparation · Unit 03
Unit 03
Writing: Summarize Written Text & Write Essay
one-sentence summaries and 200–300-word essays
The Rules
If you break the form rule (for example, two sentences in Summarize Written Text, or fewer than 120 / more than 380 words in the essay), you can get zero for the whole response.
| Task | Time | Form rule |
|---|---|---|
| Summarize Written Text | 10 minutes | ONE sentence, 5–75 words, ending with a full stop. |
| Write Essay | 20 minutes | 200–300 words; an argument or opinion essay. |
Summarize Written Text: How to Build One Sentence
- Find the main idea of each paragraph and write a few key words for each.
- Join the ideas with connectors inside one sentence: while, although, because, which, and, so that, or a semicolon.
- Aim for 30–50 words: long enough to cover the key points, short enough to stay grammatical.
- Check: one capital letter at the start, one full stop at the end, no full stops in the middle.
Write Essay: A Four-Paragraph Plan
Introduction: paraphrase the topic and state your position. Body 1 and 2: one main reason each, with an explanation and an example. Conclusion: restate your position. About 250 words is ideal — it keeps you safely inside the 200–300 range.
PTE essays are scored on content, form, development and structure, grammar, general linguistic range, vocabulary and spelling. Because the test is typed, spelling mistakes cost points — leave two minutes to proofread.