One of the challenging sections in a PTE Core test is the Summarise Written Text or SWT. It tests your ability to comprehend, condense, and rehash a passage into a single crisp sentence. Achieving this requires a significant amount of linguistic skills, which many fail to grasp.
However, it’s not rocket science. All you need is the right understanding of the task and consistent practice. That is why, to make things easier for the PTE Core aspirants, we’ve compiled this detailed guide on the said topic.
Read and understand every point we share, and it will reflect in your performance. First things first—
Task Overview:
‘Summarise Written Text’ is an important part of the PTE Core. It requires the candidate to study a prompt, which can be as long as 200 words, and summarise it in 25 to 50 words. For this, the given time is 10 minutes.
This task primarily evaluates the candidate’s reading and writing abilities.
How to Begin:
First, check the bottom of the screen to know the exact word count. It will help you track your performance more easily. Now, read the passage and jot down the most crucial points. Then you logically arrange the points. You are given cut, copy, and paste options to help you write the summary quickly and effectively.
Scoring Criteria for SWT:
Your summary will be evaluated based on four distinct aspects.
- Content – Does your answer cover all key points and deliver the same message from the original prompt? If you fail to convey the main idea, you will not receive any credit for the task. But you will earn 1 point if you only missed one or two details.
- Form – The permitted length for your summary is 25 to 50 words. Going beyond this limit will result in a lower score or even no score. Typically, 0 points will be given if it’s less than 5 words or more than 60 words.
- Grammar – Is your summary grammatically correct? Delivering the idea effectively, despite any grammatical errors, will gain you 1 point; otherwise, it’s 0. An ideal answer will have a main and a subordinate clause.
- Vocabulary – Your choice of words should be appropriate for an academic setting. Use of synonyms is highly appreciated, as it conveys your capacity and flexibility in the language.
PTE Core vs. PTE Academic:
Many confuse PTE Core with PTE Academic, but they’re different. Both exams have a Summarise Written Text task, and they differ in the following ways.
| PTE Core | PTE Academic | |
|---|---|---|
| Prompt Length | < 200 words | < 300 words |
| Summary Length | 25 – 50 words | One sentence under 75 words |
| Scoring | – 2 points for a summary of 25 to 50 words – 1 point for a summary of 5 to 24 words or 51 to 60 words – 0 points for a summary of under 5 words or over 60 words | – 1 point for a complete sentence – 0 points for a sentence over 75 words or under 5 words – 0 points for not writing in one sentence |
Tried-and-Tested Tips for ‘Summarise Written Text’:
After understanding the format of the task, it’s time to get down to the practice. The more you practice for SWT, the better your answers will get. Here are some pointers to help you get the maximum out of your efforts.
1. Stick to the Rules
Whether it’s the word limit, grammar, or the time limit, make sure to follow the rules. More importantly, double-check if every sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop. Otherwise, the AI scoring system can consider it as an incomplete sentence.
2. Practice Skimming Through a Passage Quickly
Imagine you have a 200-word prompt, and you’re feeling the pressure. It can make you overlook the key points and reduce your summary’s efficiency. So, make sure to practice skimming through a passage in your preparation and keep track of your progress. With time, you will get better at it.
The key points to note down first:
- The central argument of the prompt
- Supporting details
- Examples
- Concluding statements
3. Use Complex or Compound Sentences
Writing simple sentences may sometimes seem basic when writing a summary. Use a mix of simple, complex and compound sentences instead, and convey your ideas in a much more compelling way. Varying sentence structure like this allows you to include supporting details effectively.
4. Do Not Copy From the Prompt
Since your response should be within 25 to 50 words, copying and pasting from the prompt will not work. You must understand the core ideas and combine them into a concise paragraph.
Alternatively, you can copy and paste them, and paraphrase or combine them without altering the meaning.
5. Use Correct Grammar
Grammatical errors can be a big mistake in the SWT section. One or two trivial mistakes are acceptable, but it will affect your score if they alter the whole meaning of your summary. So, pay attention to your grammar, be it tenses, conjunctions or adverbs.
6. Take Mock Tests
Lastly, ensure that you take enough mock tests before appearing for the real exam. This will sharpen your reading and writing skills, and help you score well in the Summarise Written Text task.
Final Word:
PTE Core assesses your proficiency in the English language for academic and immigration purposes. If you wish to hone your linguistic skills for this exam, you can reach out to our tutors at English Wise. We have years of experience in assisting thousands of students for various competitive exams, including PTE and OET. Call us if you want to learn more about our results and teaching methodologies.
