The PTE exam is a test for English competence that has seen a surge in recent times. It comprises three parts, each testing the language skills of a student aspiring to study or work abroad. However, many test takers seem to find the PTE listening section to be more tedious than the rest. Further, they get overwhelmed by the task, where they need to summarize a spoken text. Therefore, in this article, the experts from online PTE coaching are sharing a few tips for this question.
PTE Summarize Spoken Text Task Explained
Before getting ready with the tips, it is crucial to understand the format of the task. Although it is a part of the listening segment, it also assesses the writing skills of a student. In this, first the test takers will hear an audio prompt of around 60 to 90 words. Secondly, they will have to write a summary of the audio in their own words (50 to 70). Usually, they will get 10 minutes to complete the question. In addition, there are cut, copy and paste options which you can use while drafting your summary.
Tips to Ace the Spoken Text Question
How well you perform on each task can have an effect on your PTE exam result at the end. Therefore, you must focus on every task to improve your overall score. The same is true in the case of the summarize spoken text question. When you use the following expert tips, you will be able to master this task for the actual test. So, let’s get started.
Stay Focused
If you want to successfully write a summary of the audio, then pay attention to what you hear. Further, try to grasp the main idea and its supporting pointers for your summary.
Take Notes
In the PTE listening tasks, the recording will only be played one time. Therefore, you need to have note-taking skills. Further, only write down the main and essential details from the audio.
Practice Mock Tests Regularly
Regular practice with the help of mock tests is also vital to excel at this task. Moreover, also make sure to get feedback from your tutors. It will further help you in overcoming any mistakes you make.
Word Count Limit
According to the online PTE coaching experts, you need to stay within the word limit if you want a good score in this task. Therefore, make sure that your summary is not less or more than the required word count.
No Complex Sentences
You need to use proper grammar to write your sentences. However, avoid writing longer or complex lines, as they increase the chances of making an error.
Proofreading
After you finish writing the summary for the PTE listening task, make sure to check it. Look for any spelling or grammar mistakes and see that you have included all the key points.
Time Efficiency
Students attempting the task will only get 10 minutes for it. Therefore, you must divide your time wisely between each step of the summarising spoken text question.
Now that you know the tips, let’s understand the scoring method for this question.
Scoring criteria for the Summarize Spoken Text Task
It is a task in the listening part that checks the ability of a student to grasp, analyze and then combine the details from an audio file into a legible summary. As per the mentors at the online PTE coaching, this question further assesses the quality of your writing. Moreover, this task does not use a partial method for scoring the candidates. The following are some criteria that are applied to score the summary.
Form
It scores the candidates by counting the number of words they write in the summary. The scores they will get are the following:
- 2 points: Summary of 50 to 70 words
- 1 point: If the words are less than 50 or more than 70.
- 0 point: When the term count is more than 100 or less than 40.
Content
In this PTE listening task, if you include all the key features, then your content score is not deducted. However, for writing irrelevant details and pointers, there will be no points.
Grammar
Two points are awarded to a summary without any grammar errors. In addition, pay attention to the terms you use and their spellings. You can further make use of synonyms instead of writing the same terms again.
Conclusion
In conclusion, by using the above expert tips, you can easily master the spoken text task. Moreover, when attempting the task, remember to write your response according to the scoring criteria. In addition, to learn more about tips for other tasks to improve your PTE exam result, consult a good coaching centre. For example, experts like Gradding.com have amazing counsellors and mentors to help you in preparing for the test. Along with that, they provide resources like mock tests free of price to their students.
