PTE Summarize Written Text Guide
About
Task: Read a passage and condense it into one sentence.
Passage length: Usually around 300 words.
Answer word limit: Between 5 to 75 words.
Number of questions in the test: 1 to 2.
Exam Hints
SWT is a simple question type with two steps:
1. Find important sentences in the passage.
2. Connect these sentences to make one correct sentence.
Follow these 3 Rules to find key sentences:
Rule #1: Focus on sentences related to the passage topic.
Rule #2: Avoid choosing examples or extra details.
Rule #3: Pick sentences that conclude or introduce topics without repeating information.
You do not need to paraphrase any sentences when connecting them. Check that proper conjunctions are used. Words like “however / therefore / additionally” are not conjunctions. They cannot be used to combine two sentences into one. Also, please be mindful of punctuation and spacing.
Answer Time
For every SWT task, you get 10 minutes. It’s timed task, meaning if you finish early, like in EIGHT minutes, those extra TWO minutes won’t be given for the next question. So, take your time and check your answers carefully before you’re done.
Practice Objective
Until you can get nearly full marks, practice on the OnePTEĀ app onĀ AndroidĀ orĀ iOS, or on ourĀ website. You must achieve perfect scores in Grammar, Vocabulary, and Form.
