PTE Essay Writing Tips: How to Write Essay in PTE?

How to Write Essay in PTE: The PTE exam comprises four key sections: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The speaking and writing tasks are intertwined in the initial part of the examination. While your writing skills are assessed throughout the test, there are two specific writing tasks: summarizing a written text and composing an essay. 

The PTE essay writing task aims to evaluate the test taker's grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and written communication abilities. Thus, it is crucial to grasp this segment thoroughly and comprehend its expectations before entering the exam. For those seeking tips and guidance on approaching this particular section, you are in the right place. Read on to discover more about the PTE essay writing task, strategies to tackle it, and the criteria that examiners consider.

The PTE exam is one of the most trusted English tests for Indian students looking to apply to universities or countries abroad that use English as their primary source of communication. The PTE exam pattern consists of 20 different question types, which test the Speaking and Writing skills (54 – 67 minutes), Reading skills (29 – 30 minutes), and Listening skills (30 – 43 minutes) of candidates looking to take the test to study abroad.

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PTE Essay Writing Format

In the essay writing task, test takers will be presented with a concise prompt, typically consisting of 2 to 3 lines, conveying an opinion or statement. These prompts can take various forms, such as discussing problems or solutions, arguing for or against an opinion, or expressing agreement or disagreement with a statement.

Following the prompt, the candidate's objective is to craft an essay comprising 200-300 words that effectively addresses the question. Pearson PLC Group, the conducting body of the PTE exam has mentioned the desired format of the essay. The ideal PTE essay should contain an introductory paragraph, two main paragraphs that develop the idea, and a concluding paragraph. So, the desired PTE essay writing format is:

• Introductory paragraph: In this paragraph, the candidate should ideally introduce the topic and any information surrounding it 
• 2 paragraphs that develop the idea: In the first paragraph, the candidate is advised to talk about one idea supporting his/her argument. In the second paragraph, the candidate is required to write about another idea supporting their argument / or offer a counter-argument 
• Conclusion paragraph: Finally, the last paragraph is a short summary of the test taker's ideas that have led to the conclusion and reasons why.

PTE Essay Writing Tips 

The total time provided to candidates for this part of the test is 20 minutes during which they have to plan, write and review their essays. Hence, test takers must practice for this part of the exam by conducting timed practice sessions and writing on various topics and subjects, to improve their speed. Test takers must also note that as this part of the PTE exam assesses their overall grammar, vocabulary and written discourse skills, they must do the rigorous practice of the writing task before the exam.

There are some easy steps for successfully writing a good PTE essay in the writing task.  

Steps for Writing a Good PTE Essay

Now that we know the format and the time given to attempt the PTE essay writing section, let us check out the steps (tips and tricks) to complete this task effectively within due time in the exam. 

1. Analyse the Prompt: Before starting to write your answer, make sure you read and understand the prompt properly. Focus on what is being asked in the prompt - whether you have to agree/disagree with a statement. At the same time, you must note all the important points, ideas or arguments that you should cover in the essay. 
2. Decide Your Side of the Argument: After you have read and understood the prompt and decided which side of the argument you will write about in your PTE essay writing task, it's time to create a rough idea of the content and the structure of the essay. This type of planning will help you write quickly and effectively but make sure you don't waste too much time on planning.  
3. Start Writing the Essay: Make sure you write in a way that impresses the examiner with your academic writing skills with clear descriptions and effective idea conveyance. Use complex sentences accurately to showcase your vocabulary and grammar, enhancing your score. Use idiomatic expressions sparingly to maintain an academic tone, and incorporate academic terminology while minimising repetition with appropriate synonyms.

   Provided on the official website, test takers can refer to these expressions and linkers when writing their essays:

   Expressions	Linkers
   Useful phrases to introduce a point	In view of; in light of; considering
   Introducing the views of an author	According to X; X stated that; referring to the views of X
   Adding a point	Moreover; furthermore; in addition;
   Offering an opinion	In my opinion; From my point of view; My conviction is that
   Concluding	In summary; To sum up; In conclusion

   Table Information Source: Official PTE website
4. Proofread: Lastly, re-read your essay before moving on to the next tasks of the PTE exam. Ensure that there are no spelling or grammatical mistakes in your essay to make sure you receive the best possible marks. Lastly, check the flow of your essay and that the total word count comes to somewhere around 200-300 words.

   Utilize a checklist to confirm the coverage of all essential points. Before submission, the following pointers should be looked into:

   1. Have you addressed the prompt? If not, you will score zero. 

   2. Have you organized the text well, used linking words, and taken a logical approach to the essay topic? 

   3. Have you included four paragraphs: an introduction, 2 body paragraphs each developing an idea, and a short conclusion summarizing your ideas?  

   4. Have you included examples, explanations, and facts to support your point of view?   

   5. Have you written between 200-300 words?

Also Read:

• PTE Exam Registration
• PTE Test Dates

How is PTE Essay Writing Task Scored?

The PTE Academic Write Essay task assesses your capacity to construct an argumentative essay, showcasing critical thinking and the ability to link ideas logically. It is evaluated based on seven traits, each representing a distinct facet of essay quality:

1. Content (Maximum score: 3)
2. Formal Requirement (Maximum score: 2)
3. Development, Structure, and Coherence (Maximum score: 2)
4. Grammar (Maximum score: 2)
5. General Linguistic Range (Maximum score: 2)
6. Vocabulary Range (Maximum score: 2)
7. Spelling (Maximum score: 2)

Of these traits, 'Content' carries the utmost significance and the highest score potential. If your response diverges from the prompt, you'll receive a score of zero for this trait, resulting in a zero overall score for the essay. Similar cases leading to a score of zero include responses not in English, excessively brief or lengthy essays, absence of punctuation, utilization of bullet points or overly brief sentences, writing entirely in capital letters, or failure to provide a written response. In conclusion, diligent practice of the PTE essay writing task is crucial prior to the exam. Keep this guide close at hand during your preparation, and with dedicated practice and readiness, you're poised for excellence in this task. 

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