PTE Summarize Written Text (SWT): rules, scoring, sentence frames and practice
In Summarize Written Text, Pearson says you read a text of up to 300 words and write a one-sentence summary. You have 10 minutes. The sentence must have no more than 75 words, and Pearson says a response of fewer than five or more than 75 words scores zero. The Pearson pages we read give no template, and its score guide treats pre-prepared or memorised material as irrelevant, so write your sentence from the passage in front of you.
Summarize Written Text is often shortened to SWT. It is the one writing task in PTE Academic where one sentence is the whole answer, which makes it easy to lose marks on form before anyone reads your ideas. This page gives you Pearson's rules in Pearson's words, how the task is marked, sentence frames and the risks of using them, an original passage with a model and three weak versions to compare, and a way to practise.
What the task asks you to do
Pearson's own words and limits.
"After reading the text, write a one-sentence summary of the passage."
| Detail | What Pearson says |
|---|---|
| Length of the text | Prompt length Text up to 300 words |
| Time | Time to answer 10 minutes |
| The rule that matters most | You have 10 minutes to write your summary. Make sure to include the main points of the reading passage in a full, single sentence of no more than 75 words. |
| Word counter | The word count at the bottom of the screen counts the number of words you write. |
| Form check | 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. |
| Lower and upper limits | Your response must be between 5 and 75 words so check the word count using the ‘Total Word Count’ counter below the response box. |
Pearson also says what happens outside the limits:
"If you write fewer than five words or more than 75 words, your response will not be scored"
Pearson's tip for fitting everything into one sentence is to use a complex or compound sentence:
"Your response must be expressed within one sentence, so you will need to use a complex or compound sentence to be able to summarize the main point of the passage and also briefly mention the supporting detail."
A complex sentence is one with a main clause and a subordinate clause, joined by a word like 'although', 'because' or 'which'. A compound sentence joins two main clauses with 'and' or 'but'. Our Summarize Spoken Text page covers the listening version of the task, which is not limited to one sentence.
How Summarize Written Text is marked
Four factors: content, form, grammar, vocabulary.
| Factor | What Pearson says |
|---|---|
| Content | Content is scored by determining if all key points of the passage have been addressed without misrepresenting the purpose or topic. |
| Form | If your summary contains fewer than five words or more than 75 words, you will not receive any score points for your summary on any of the four factors. Your summary will be scored zero. |
| Grammar | Grammar is scored by determining if the basic structure of the sentence is correct. The best responses usually consist of a main clause and subordinate clause. |
| Vocabulary | Vocabulary is scored according to its relevance to the passage and its appropriateness in an academic environment. |
The two ways to score zero
"If your summary misinterprets the topic or the purpose of the passage, you will not receive any score points for your summary on any of the four factors. Your summary will be scored zero."
"If your summary contains fewer than five words or more than 75 words, you will not receive any score points for your summary on any of the four factors. Your summary will be scored zero."
The score guide's form and language rows
Pearson's score guide marks form as pass or fail. To pass, the response must be a single, complete sentence within the word range, and not in capital letters.
| Form | What Pearson's score guide says |
|---|---|
| Pass | Is written in one, single, complete sentence |
| Fail | Not written in one single, complete sentence or contains fewer than 5 or more than 75 words. Summary is written in capital letters. |
| Language | Top level | Middle level | Lowest level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grammar | Has correct grammatical structure | Contains grammatical errors but with no hindrance to communication | Has defective grammatical structure which could hinder communication |
| Vocabulary | Has appropriate choice of words | Contains lexical errors but with no hindrances to communication | Has defective word choice which could hinder communication |
What good and weak content looks like
For content, the score guide describes the top level like this:
"The source text is summarised comprehensively, demonstrating full comprehension of the source text."
"Summary flows smoothly and makes skilled use of appropriate and varied connective devices."
And these are the lines that describe a weaker summary:
"There is no discernment between main points and peripheral detail."
"are identified, but the response relies heavily on repeating excerpts from the source text without synthesizing ideas and reformulating in own words."
Pearson also says a person reviews the content, in addition to the AI:
"Summarize Group Discussion, Summarize Written Text, Write Essay and Summarize Spoken Text)) also include a human expert review of the Content before the final score for the task is finalized."
A warning if you are booked for PTE Core
The limits are different.
PTE Core also has a Summarize Written Text task, but Pearson sets different limits:
"Read the text. Then write a short 25–50 word summary."
"If you write fewer than 25 words or more than 50 words, your response will not be scored"
Everything else on this page, including the one-sentence rule and the Academic word limit, is for PTE Academic. If you are booked for PTE Core, use the limits above and see PTE Academic vs PTE Core.
A method for writing one good sentence
Three passes, then a count.
Our method. It fits inside the ten minutes Pearson gives you, with time left to check.
- Pass 1, topic (about 1 minute): read the passage once and write the topic in two or three words.
- Pass 2, main idea and supports (about 2 minutes): find the main claim and the two or three supporting points. In most passages the main claim is near the start and the end, and the supports are in the middle.
- Pass 3, build the sentence (about 3 minutes): write one sentence that states the main claim, then add the supports with connectors. Use a comma and a conjunction instead of a full stop.
- Count (about 1 minute): check that the sentence is under 75 words. A good target is half to two thirds of that limit, so you never risk going over.
- Check (about 2 minutes): one capital letter at the start and one full stop at the end, no other full stops, no spelling slips, subject and verb agree.
- Keep about 1 minute spare for anything that went wrong.
Avoid abbreviations with full stops, such as e.g. or U.S., because Pearson tells you to check for only one full stop, at the end. Our reading: use commas, conjunctions and relative words (which, who, where) to link ideas.
Connectors that make one sentence work
| Job | Words and phrases |
|---|---|
| Contrast | although, while, whereas, but; however (only inside a clause, as in 'the tools, however, wear out') |
| Addition | and, as well as, together with |
| Cause | because, since, which means that, due to |
| Result | so, which leads to; therefore and as a result (inside a clause, or after a semicolon) |
| Condition | only when, provided that, if |
| Relative clause | which, who, where, whose |
Is there a Summarize Written Text template?
Pearson gives no frame. A memorised summary is the clearest risk.
A Summarize Written Text template is often a sentence frame: a pattern with gaps that you fill with the passage's ideas. Pearson publishes no frame and no list of allowed patterns. Its score guide says:
"Responses that contain pre-prepared or memorized material are classified as irrelevant responses."
Pearson's integrity paper adds that any template that relies on long passages of memorized pre-scripted material is considered gaming. Pearson's test integrity paper (November 2024) says its detection system was designed for Write Essay, Describe Image and Retell Lecture, and it does not mention Summarize Written Text, so it says nothing about our frames either way. Our reading is that a short frame whose content comes from the passage carries less risk than a memorised paragraph, but nobody outside Pearson can promise it is safe. A frame is a thinking aid that you fill with your own content.
Here are the frames we use. They are our suggestion, not Pearson's. Each one builds a single sentence with a main clause and a subordinate clause, which is the pattern Pearson describes for good grammar.
| The passage is mostly about | Frame | Example (our own topic) |
|---|---|---|
| Advantages and drawbacks | [Subject] offers [advantage 1] and [advantage 2], but [drawback], so it works best when [condition for success]. | Tool libraries save money and bring neighbours together, but they depend on volunteers, so they work best when well staffed. |
| Cause and effect | [Subject], which [cause], leads to [effect], although [limit]. | Cheap tool hire, which lowers costs for households, leads to less waste, although some tools wear out quickly. |
| Problem and solution | Although [problem], [solution] shows that [result]. | Although tools often go missing, a clear borrowing record shows that libraries can keep their stock. |
| Two views | While [view 1], [view 2], so [conclusion]. | While supporters value the savings, critics worry about availability, so organisers stress good management. |
| Process or sequence | After [first step], [second step] follows, and [result]. | After members register, they borrow tools for a short loan, and the library tracks each item. |
Notice that each frame has no content of its own. The ideas have to come from the passage. Learn two or three frames well, and choose the one that fits the passage. Do not try to force a passage into the frame you know best.
An original practice passage, with a model
Written by us. Treat its details as illustrative.
Read the passage, set a timer for 10 minutes, and write one sentence of no more than 75 words. Then compare it with the key points and the model.
Tool libraries, where residents borrow drills, ladders and gardening equipment instead of buying them, have spread quickly in towns across several countries over the past decade. Supporters point to three advantages. First, borrowing saves money: a household may need a power drill only twice a year, so owning one is rarely worthwhile. Second, tool libraries reduce waste, because fewer unused tools sit in garages and fewer cheap tools are thrown away when they break. Third, they bring neighbours together, since members often meet at workshops where volunteers teach basic repair skills. However, running a tool library is not easy. Most depend on volunteers, and tools wear out or go missing, which creates ongoing costs. Some libraries charge a small membership fee, while others rely on donations or support from the local council. Critics also note that people who need a tool urgently may find it already on loan. Despite these problems, organisers argue that the model succeeds when a library is located in a busy place, keeps a clear record of what is borrowed, and recruits enough volunteers to share the work.
The key points to cover
- Topic: tool libraries, where residents borrow equipment instead of buying it.
- Advantages: they save money, reduce waste and bring neighbours together.
- Problems: they depend on volunteers, and tools wear out, go missing or are already on loan.
- Conclusion: they work best in a busy location, with clear records and enough volunteers.
A model summary (our example)
Tool libraries, which let residents borrow equipment instead of buying it, save money, cut waste and bring neighbours together, but they depend on volunteers and face costs and availability problems, so they succeed mainly when they are well located, carefully managed and well staffed.
- It is 44 words long and is one complete sentence.
- It names the topic, the three advantages in short form, the main problem, and the condition for success.
- It uses 'which', 'but' and 'so' to build one sentence from several ideas.
- It does not copy long phrases from the passage.
Three weak versions and what is wrong with each
| Version | Words | What goes wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Tool libraries let people borrow tools. They save money and reduce waste but need volunteers. | 15 | It is two sentences. Pearson's rule asks for one. |
| Tool libraries, where residents borrow drills, ladders and gardening equipment instead of buying them, have spread quickly in towns across several countries over the past decade, and supporters say that borrowing saves money because a household may need a power drill only twice a year, and that tool libraries reduce waste because fewer unused tools sit in garages, and that they bring neighbours together because members often meet at workshops where volunteers teach basic repair skills, but most depend on volunteers and tools wear out or go missing, which creates ongoing costs for them. | 94 | It is one sentence but it runs over the 75-word limit, so it would score zero. It also copies the passage. |
| Many households own a power drill that they use only twice a year. | 13 | It is one correct sentence but it picks one small detail and leaves out the main idea. That is what the score guide means by no discernment between main points and detail. |
Check yourself
- Is my answer one sentence, with one capital letter at the start and one full stop at the end? Reason: Pearson's form rule.
- Is it under 75 words? Reason: going over means no score at all.
- Does it name the topic and the main claim? Reason: a summary that misses the main point can score zero.
- Are the supporting points short and in my own words? Reason: copying excerpts reads as a weak summary.
- Did I check spelling and punctuation? Reason: a simple slip costs marks you had already earned.
How to practise Summarize Written Text
A routine that builds speed and judgment.
Pearson says many candidates prepare for 2 to 4 weeks, but some need more or less time. Here is a practice routine we use. It works at either length.
| Stage | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Daily, 10 minutes | Take one passage of 150 to 300 words from a news feature or a textbook. Write one sentence in 10 minutes. Count the words. | It trains the timing you will have on test day |
| Every second day | Rewrite the same summary in fewer words, aiming for half the length. | Compressing builds the habit of keeping only the main points |
| Twice a week | Write the same summary with a different frame, and pick the better one. | It teaches you to choose a frame to fit the passage |
| Once a week | Swap a summary with a friend and ask them to find the main point from it alone. | If they can, it works |
| Last week | Do three timed summaries in a row with no pauses. | It builds stamina |
Common mistakes
What we would fix first.
- Writing two sentences. Pearson says one.
- Going over the word limit by copying detail. A response over the limit is not scored, as quoted at the top of this page.
- Using a full stop inside the sentence, for example in an abbreviation.
- Copying the passage's phrases instead of reformulating.
- Summarising the example rather than the main idea.
- Misreading the purpose of the passage. Pearson says a summary that misinterprets the topic or purpose scores zero.
- Memorising a template paragraph, or filling the same frame every time without reading the passage.
- Writing all capital letters or no punctuation. The score guide's form row mentions capital letters as a fail.
Official practice
Free first.
"Smart Prep is our preparation portal which hosts all of our preparation resources – both free and paid."
"There are 9 Guided Practice Tests within Smart Prep for PTE Academic including 4 full versions, 4 skill versions and one short version."
"You can complete the following items in the free version of Official PTE Academic AI Practice:"
- 1 Speaking and Writing diagnostic.
For books and paid options, see PTE books, courses and tips. For the other writing task, see our PTE essay template page. This page is not immigration advice, and Pearson's pages decide the rules.
Common questions
Pearson says: “After reading the text, write a one-sentence summary of the passage.” The text can be up to 300 words, and you have 10 minutes.
Pearson says to write a full, single sentence of no more than 75 words. Fewer than five or more than 75 words is not scored.
No. Pearson's rule is a one-sentence summary, and its score guide marks form on whether the response is a single, complete sentence.
Pearson gives no frame in the pages we read. Its score guide says: “Responses that contain pre-prepared or memorized material are classified as irrelevant responses.” Its integrity paper says any template that relies on long passages of memorized pre-scripted material is considered gaming. Our frames on this page have gaps for the passage's own ideas, but a frame is only a thinking aid, so build every sentence from the passage in front of you.
Take a passage, set a 10 minute timer, write one sentence under 75 words, then compare it with the key points and fix one habit. Our routine on this page also uses rewriting to half the length. Pearson also has free guided practice tests in Smart Prep.
Pearson says: “If you write fewer than five words or more than 75 words, your response will not be scored”. Keep a margin below 75 so a miscount does not cost you the whole task.
Pearson says it is scored on content, form, grammar and vocabulary. Content checks the key points, form checks the one-sentence rule and word limits, grammar checks the basic sentence structure, and vocabulary checks the use of words and synonyms. A person also reviews the content.
No. Pearson's PTE Core page gives a 25–50 word range and says fewer than 25 or more than 50 words is not scored. The one-sentence 75-word rule on this page is for PTE Academic.