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PTE Summarize Spoken Text

In PTE Summarize Spoken Text you listen to a lecture or report and then write a summary of it. PTE Academic asks for 50 to 70 words in 10 minutes; PTE Core asks for 20 to 30 words in 8 minutes. It is scored on content, form, grammar, vocabulary and spelling, and it contributes to both the Listening and the Writing score, so it repays practice twice over.

Timing
PTE Academic: 10 minutes, 50–70 words. PTE Core: 8 minutes, 20–30 words.
Contributes to
Listening and Writing scores

How PTE Summarize Spoken Text is scored

  • Content
  • Form (word count)
  • Grammar
  • Vocabulary
  • Spelling

How to score higher in Summarize Spoken Text

  1. 1

    Take notes in keywords while listening — you only hear the audio once, and you cannot summarise what you did not capture.

  2. 2

    Listen for the structure, not every word: the topic, the two or three main points, and the conclusion.

  3. 3

    Respect the word count exactly. Outside the range, form scores zero.

  4. 4

    Reuse the speaker's key terminology; those are the content words being marked.

  5. 5

    Leave a minute to check spelling and subject–verb agreement — both are separately scored traits.

PTE Summarize Spoken Text template

A compact three-part structure captures a lecture inside the word limit while hitting the content, form and grammar criteria.

  1. Topic

    Open with what the recording was about in one sentence.

  2. Key points

    Add the two or three main points the speaker made, in order.

  3. Close

    Finish with the conclusion or implication, staying inside the word range (50–70 for Academic, 20–30 for Core).

Note key words as you listen — the audio plays once. Accurate spelling and staying in the word range matter as much as the content itself.

Common mistakes in Summarize Spoken Text

  • Trying to transcribe the lecture instead of noting keywords.
  • Writing outside the word range and losing form marks.
  • Including a small example while omitting the main argument.

Summarize Spoken Text — frequently asked questions

What is the word limit for PTE Summarize Spoken Text?

In PTE Academic it is 50 to 70 words, written in 10 minutes. In PTE Core it is 20 to 30 words, written in 8 minutes. Writing outside the range scores zero for form.

Does Summarize Spoken Text count towards Writing?

Yes. It contributes to both the Listening and the Writing score, which makes it one of the more valuable tasks to practise.

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