Struggling to write a clear summary of spoken content in PTE Listening?

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Instructions 

PTE Summarize Spoken Text tests your ability to understand high-level English content (usually a lecture or an interview).

After listening to an audio, candidates need to write a summary of 50 to 70 words. 

The audio’s length is about 60-90 seconds, and there will be 1-2 questions of this type.

You can only hear the recording once and have 10 minutes to complete the task.

Taking notes while listening is highly recommended.

Practice question:

 

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Related:

• Learn about the PTE Academic
• FREE PTE Academic test simulations
• The correct way to prepare for PTE Academic

Mistakes To Avoid

Forget About Word Limit

Word count is an important criterion for getting a high score.

Yet, some students are too focused on writing and neglect word limits.

Remember, your summary needs to be 50-70 words.

Therefore, extend your content by adding information or repeating a point to meet the minimum word requirement.

If you write more than is needed, delete less important points or connect some parts to make your content shorter.

Jump Directly To Writing Without Reviewing Your Notes

Avoid making this mistake so that you can have a well-organized writing structure.

You’d better spend some minutes before writing to recall information and details to add to your summary.

Then, quickly organize it into a logical order to ensure your answer goes smoothly.

Use Nonsense Complex Sentences

Complex grammar can show your level of English, but it may expose your mistakes if they are used incorrectly.

You’d better focus on correct spelling and structure instead of struggling with complicated sentences.

Candidates can use a template to ensure a neat summary. 

Don’t Check Your Summary After Writing

Double-checking your work is always important to minimize possible mistakes. 

Thus, don’t rush to submit your answer without checking for spelling errors, grammar mistakes, punctuation, etc.

Plus, read your content carefully to ensure it matches the audio and has no irrelevant information.

Summarize Every Point

Many candidates don’t understand how to summarize. 

They often add all information, yet some do not necessarily need to be in a summary. 

You don’t need to use all the details in your notes.

Instead, choose only the useful and main ones and discard the unimportant or small details. 

FAQs 

What Scores Does The PTE Summarize Spoken Text Affect?

The task affects your score in listening and writing. 

It includes a maximum of 13 marks and 12 marks for each skill, respectively. 

How Is The Section Scored?

Your score in the PTE Summarize Spoken Text will be based on 3 criteria: form, content, and grammar.

Form: You’ll receive:

• 0 points: if your answer falls short of 40 words or exceeds 100 words 
• 1 point: if your summary is shorter than 50 words or longer than 70 words
• 2 points: if your summary is between 50-70 words 

Content: Your score will be: 

• 0: if you misinterpret or provide irrelevant information
• 2: if your content includes the main idea and supporting key points

Grammar: You’ll get a maximum of 2 points if there are no grammatical mistakes. 

How Do I Decide My Time During The Task?

You have only 10 minutes, so it’s important to allocate it wisely to complete the task on time and avoid mistakes. 

Here’s how you can divide your time:

• After listening, spend 1-2 minutes reading your notes.
• Then, use the next 5-6 minutes to write your summary.
• Lastly, the last 1-2 minutes are for reviewing and correcting mistakes, if any. 

Why Is A Template Important In The PTE Summarize Spoken Text?

Using a template is a helpful way to ensure your summary is in a well-structured order.

With it, you don’t need to spend too much time organizing your thoughts.

Plus, it guarantees no essential elements are missing from your answer. 

What’s An Example Of A Template?

It can be something like this:

The speaker was discussing <main idea>. He first talked about <key point 1> and <key point 2>. Then, he mentioned <key point 3> and <key point 4>. In the end, he gave his idea about <key point 5>.