PTE Academic · Writing
PTE Academic Writing: Summarize Written Text and Essay
PTE Academic has two dedicated writing tasks at the end of Part 1: Summarize Written Text, where you condense a passage into one sentence of 5 to 75 words in 10 minutes, and Write Essay, where you write 200 to 300 words in 20 minutes. Other tasks also contribute to the Writing score.
- Where it sits
- End of Part 1: Speaking & Writing
- Summarize Written Text
- 2 items, 10 minutes each, one sentence of 5–75 words
- Write Essay
- 1 item, 20 minutes, 200–300 words
- Also feeds Writing
- Summarize Spoken Text, Write from Dictation, Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks
- Score scale
- 10–90
How PTE Academic Writing works
Writing is not a separate section in PTE Academic. The two writing tasks come after the speaking tasks in Part 1. Summarize Written Text appears twice and Write Essay once. Each item has its own timer, so time you save on one does not carry over to the next. PTE Academic has no letter or email task.
Your Writing score also draws on integrated tasks in the other parts: Summarize Spoken Text and Write from Dictation in Listening, and Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks in Reading. Written answers are assessed for content, form (such as word limits and the one-sentence rule), grammar, vocabulary and spelling.
EnglishHub gives AI feedback on practice summaries and essays, covering content, structure and language. Treat that feedback as an independent practice guide, not a Pearson score.
PTE Academic Writing tasks
Tips that work
- Know the form rules by heart: one sentence for Summarize Written Text, 200–300 words for the essay.
- Spend two minutes planning the essay before typing, and keep three minutes to proofread.
- Practise Write from Dictation too; it is short but feeds your Writing score.
- Build accurate spelling of common academic words, since spelling is assessed.
Questions candidates ask
Is there a letter or email task in PTE Academic?
No. PTE Academic writing is Summarize Written Text and Write Essay. Write Email belongs to PTE Core.
Can I go over the word limits?
Staying inside the limits is part of the form requirement, so writing outside them can cost marks.
Which other tasks count towards Writing?
Summarize Spoken Text, Write from Dictation and Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks all contribute.
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