Useful tips for PTE Part 1 Item type 7 – Summarise a written text

Here are some useful tips for PTE Part 1 Item type 7 – summarise a written text.

You will need to be able to compose complex sentences in order to complete this part of the test, so make sure you have a lot of practice.  When you have written your response, check to make sure that it is only one sentence, with a capital letter at the beginning and only one full stop (at the end of your sentence).

The key to this question is to be able to use good punctuation – accurate use of semi colons, for example, will help you increase the length of your sentence and cover more of the information from the text.

Your response must be expressed within one sentence, within which you need to summarize the main point of the passage and also briefly mention the supporting detail. A common error is to focus too much on the supporting details and not cover the main point of the passage.

Another common error is overusing words (or even phrases) directly form the text. It is important to use synonyms where possible to avoid repeating too much of the vocabulary used in the text.

You are scored on the ability to identify key points. If you misunderstand the main point, your response will be scored at ZERO You are also scored on the ability to condense supporting points.

You will be scored on whether you have stayed within the word limit, whether you have used good grammar, whether you have used a range of vocabulary (including synonyms).

Here are some of the most common reasons candidates do not score well on this part of the test:

• Over copying from the text
• The answer is either too long or too short
• Wrong tense is used in the summary
• An excessive focus on supporting points
• Punctuation errors
• More than one sentence