The PTE Summarize Written Text task is one of the most notorious topics in the PTE writing section. Since it requires you to summarize a long passage into a shorter one in a limited time, you may get discouraged. In this article, we help you succeed in this task by teaching you how to summarize written text in PTE in an organized and concise manner.
How Is Your Score Calculated?
For your response to be considered valid, it needs to have a word count between 5 to 75 words. You can check your current word count by observing the 'Total Word Count' under the response box.
If the response you submitted does not fall within the required word count range, you will not get a score. You can find this instruction on Pearson's website and must follow it.
Furthermore, you need to express your response in a single sentence, which means that you need to form a compound or complex sentence. You need to accomplish all the requirements mentioned above while still maintaining the main point of the passage.
PTE: Summarize Written Text Tips
With proper practice and determination, you can surely accomplish this task. Here are some useful tips to improve your PTE Summarize Written Text scores.
Keep Your Sentences Simple
To effectively summarize the given paragraph, you need to reduce it to a single compound or complex sentence with only the key point included.
However, expressing your responses in an overly complicated manner will attract mistakes more. That's why I advise you to keep your sentences simple. One good tip is to use no more than three commas per sentence, since using more commas will make it hard for you to maintain proper grammar and sentence structure.
Complete Your Summary in a Single Sentence
Some candidates may forget to summarize the given paragraph to a single sentence, briefly stopping and then starting a new sentence. As mentioned above, Pearson will not give you a score if you write more than one sentence!
Use Synonyms to Your Advantage
It is not advisable to mix things up in your summary. Instead, you can start by identifying the main idea, grabbing key points, and including them in your response. While you can use the same words from the given text, it would be better to do some substitutions using synonyms.
Remember the General Connectors (FANBOYS)
Keeping the general connectors in mind will help you convey your thoughts better and prevent sudden breaks in your sentence. In constructing a compound or complex sentence, you use connectors to join two ideas together. The general connectors for sentence construction are listed below:
- For
- And
- Nor
- But
- Or
- Yet
- So
Attempt Practice Examinations
Now that you understand how the scoring system works, you can practice your key-point-identification skills by taking PTE practice examinations. These tests can greatly improve your writing skills, helping you prepare for the actual test.
Conclusion
The tips provided throughout this article are guaranteed to help you prepare for your PTE Summarize Written Text examination. As long as you apply these suggestions and practice persistently, you are on your way towards getting a high score.
