- Task : After listening to a recording, write a 50-70 word summary.
- Skills assessed : Listening and writing.
- Prompt length : 60-90 seconds
For this item type you hear an audio recording and need to write a 50-70 word summary on what you heard.
You have 10 minutes to write your summary.
The audio begins to play automatically. You are only able to listen to the audio recording once.
The Word Count at the bottom of the screen counts the number of words you write. Make sure to write a minimum of 50 words, but no more than 70 words.
There are also cut, copy and paste buttons which you may choose to use while constructing your summary.
Cut: Select text from your answer that you wish to remove and left-click “Cut”.
Copy: Select text from your answer that you wish to copy and left-click “Copy”.
Paste: Place the cursor where you wish to paste the cut/copied text and left-click “Paste”.
PTE Academic – Listening: – Summarize spoken text – Test tips
1- Make sure you summarize the main point and include the supporting points
When you take notes using an erasable noteboard booklet, whilst you listen to the recording, make sure you note down the supporting points as well as the main idea. From your notes, you can then summarize the main point and refer briefly to the essential supporting points, which will gain you good marks for content.
2- Remember to check grammar, spelling and punctuation
In your 50-70 word summary, you will be scored on the enabling skills of grammar, spelling and vocabulary. So leave yourself 1-2 minutes after you have written your summary to check your sentences for things like subject/verb agreement, tenses and word order.
Use grammatical structures that you can use confidently, and words that you are sure you have spelled correctly. Finally, check your punctuation: check full stops and commas, and make sure you have begun each sentence with a capital letter:
How this question is scored
Your response for Summarize Spoken Text is judged on your ability to comprehend, analyze and combine information from a lecture, and then summarize the key points in writing and on the quality of your writing and on how well your response presents the key points in the lecture. Your score is based on five factors:
Content: Does your response summarize the main points in the lecture?
Content is scored by determining if all the key points of the lecture have been addressed without misrepresenting the purpose or topic. If your summary misinterprets the topic or the purpose of the lecture, you will not receive any score points for your summary on any of the five factors. Your summary will be scored zero. The best responses clearly summarize the main points and condense essential supporting points. They focus on the topic, including only key information and essential supporting points.
Form: Does your response meet the length requirement of between 50 and 70 words?
Form is scored by counting the number of words in your response. You will receive full credit if your response is between 50 and 70 words. Writing less than 50 words or more than 70 words will decrease your score. If your summary contains less than 40 words or more than 100 words, you will not receive any score points for your summary on any of the five factors. Your summary will be scored zero.
Grammar: Does your response demonstrate correct grammatical usage?
Grammar is scored by determining if the basic structure of the sentences is correct. The best responses use concise sentences that clearly communicate the intended meaning.
Vocabulary: Does your response demonstrate correct and appropriate word choice and Usage?
Vocabulary is scored according to its relevance to the lecture and its appropriateness in an academic environment. The appropriate use of synonyms is also scored. The best responses use words from the lecture appropriately, demonstrate an understanding of the context and use synonyms effectively to show variety in language use.
Spelling: Does your response demonstrate correct and consistent use of a single spelling convention?
PTE Academic recognizes English spelling conventions from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. However, one spelling convention should be used consistently in a given response.
Note
- Partial credit scoring applies to Summarize spoken text. No credit is given for no response or an irrelevant response. This question type affects the scoring of the following: listening; writing; grammar; spelling and vocabulary.
- Your speaking skills are not tested by this question type, and your reading skills are only used to read the instructions.
- For more information download the Score Guide.
Test Format
This listening module of PTE Academic consists of an audio recording. The test takers have to write a summary of the spoken text in minimum 50 words and not more than 70 words. The time allowed to complete the task is 10 minutes. The recording is placed only once and runs automatically. The test takers cannot replay it.
The computer screen displays a box for writing the summary. As you start writing, you can see the word count below the box. You have also options of cut, copy and paste, given at the bottom of the box. You can use these options to re-construct your summary.
Useful Tips
- Focus your attention on the Spoken Text
The very first tip to write the summary of the spoken text is to be fully attentive to the recording and understand clearly what is being spoken. If you lose your concentration, you may lose the text or a part of it. As a result you cannot write the summary, having all points. - Take Notes
Take your notes while listening to the recording. Note the main idea and the supporting arguments. They will be useful in creating the summary of the spoken text. - Re-create All Important Points
While writing down the summary use your notes and bring all the important points including the main idea. Make sure also that you put ideas in the logical sequences as you they were spoken in the recording. Remember if you miss the main point or misrepresent the supporting arguments, it will award you zero. - Format
Write summary in the format of a passage and not in disjointed sentences with bullets. Use punctuation wherever necessary. - Grammar and Spellings
Language accuracy is the essential part of your summary. Be careful about grammatical errors, spellings and punctuation. Your summary having mistakes will fail to obtain score.
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