Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) Writing Syllabus

Writing syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Writing in Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Summarize Written Text

   4 topics

   • Task Requirements
     • Single sentence of 5 to 75 words
     • 10-minute time limit per item
   • Identifying the Main Idea
     • Locating the topic sentence and key supporting points
     • Filtering out examples and minor detail
   • Single-Sentence Construction
     • Combining ideas with conjunctions and relative clauses
     • Avoiding multiple sentences that lose marks
   • Scoring Criteria
     • Content, form, grammar and vocabulary
2. 2

   Write Essay

   4 topics

   • Essay Prompt Types
     • Argumentative and opinion prompts
     • Problem-solution and advantage-disadvantage prompts
   • Essay Structure
     • Introduction with thesis statement
     • Body paragraphs with topic sentences and support
     • Conclusion restating the position
   • Word Count and Timing
     • 200 to 300 words within 20 minutes
   • Coherence and Cohesion
     • Linking words and logical progression
     • Paragraphing and written discourse
3. 3

   Written Enabling Skills

   4 topics

   • Grammar and Sentence Control
     • Subject-verb agreement and tense consistency
     • Complex and compound sentence variety
   • Spelling and Conventions
     • British and American spelling consistency
     • Punctuation and capitalisation
   • Vocabulary and Register
     • Academic word choice and collocation
     • Formal tone appropriate to the task
   • Time Management Under Pressure
     • Planning, drafting and proofreading allocation

Writing flashcards for Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic)

19 of 50 cards from the Writing deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the two task types in the PTE Academic Writing section?

   Summarize Written Text (SWT) and Write Essay (WE).

2. In Summarize Written Text, what is the strict structural requirement for your response?

   It must be written as one single complete sentence (no full stops in the middle), containing between 5 and 75 words.

3. What is the word-count range for a PTE Summarize Written Text response, and what happens if you fall outside it?

   5–75 words. Writing fewer than 5 or more than 75 words scores 0 (zero) for the Form trait.

4. What is the required word-count range for a PTE Academic Write Essay response?

   200–300 words. Essays outside this range are penalized, and far outside it can score 0 for Form.

5. How much time is allocated for each Summarize Written Text item in PTE Academic?

   10 minutes per SWT item to read the passage and write the one-sentence summary.

6. How much time is allocated for the Write Essay task in PTE Academic?

   20 minutes per essay.

7. In the SWT 'Form' scoring trait, define what counts as a single sentence.

   A single sentence has one main subject and verb (one independent clause), may include subordinate clauses, contains no full stop or semicolon ending it early, and begins with a capital letter.

8. What are the scoring traits used to grade a PTE Summarize Written Text response?

   Content, Form, Grammar, and Vocabulary.

9. What are the scoring traits used to grade a PTE Write Essay response?

   Content, Form, Development/Structure/Coherence, Grammar, General Linguistic Range, Vocabulary Range, and Spelling.

10. In SWT, how are the Content and Form traits scored on a points scale?

    Content: 0–2 points; Form: 0–1 point; Grammar: 0–2 points; Vocabulary: 0–2 points.

11. What is the single most important first step when tackling a Summarize Written Text passage?

    Identify the main idea (thesis/central claim) of the passage so the summary is built around it rather than around minor details.

12. Where in a typical academic passage is the main idea most often found?

    In the first sentence (topic sentence) or last sentence of the opening paragraph, and often restated in the concluding sentence.

13. What grammatical technique lets you combine multiple key points into one sentence for SWT?

    Use coordinating conjunctions (and, but, so), relative clauses (which, that, who), and subordinators (because, although, while) to join independent ideas into a single complex sentence.

14. Give a reliable single-sentence template for SWT that links a main point with supporting detail.

    'The passage explains that [main idea], because/while [supporting point], and [secondary point], which [consequence].' — one subject-verb spine with subordinate clauses.

15. In SWT, why should you avoid copying long verbatim chunks from the passage?

    Heavy verbatim copying can reduce the Vocabulary score and may flag the response; paraphrasing key points using synonyms demonstrates vocabulary range while preserving content.

16. What is the difference between 'coherence' and 'cohesion' in PTE Writing?

    Coherence is the logical flow and organization of ideas so the whole text makes sense; cohesion is the use of linking devices (connectives, pronouns, conjunctions) that tie sentences and clauses together grammatically.

17. List four categories of cohesive devices used to improve essay flow.

    Addition (moreover, furthermore), contrast (however, in contrast), cause/effect (therefore, consequently), and sequence (firstly, finally). Reference words (this, these, such) also create cohesion.

18. What is the recommended paragraph structure for a 200–300 word PTE essay?

    Four paragraphs: an introduction, two body paragraphs (each developing one idea), and a conclusion. Some use a five-paragraph structure if time allows.

19. What three elements should a PTE essay introduction contain?

    (1) A general background/hook sentence on the topic, (2) a paraphrase of the prompt, and (3) a clear thesis statement stating your position or what the essay will cover.

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