PTE Summarize Written Text template

One sentence in four parts for each of the 7 kinds of passage, with the joining words that link them.

By Thanh Tran, PTE and IELTS coach
Updated October 2026

Page 2 of the Summarize Written Text template PDF

Page 4 of the Summarize Written Text template PDF

The first page of the Summarize Written Text template PDF

What shape is the passage?

The cheat sheet has a page for each of the 7 kinds of passage. Find yours here, then turn to its page.

A problem and a solution
Says something is wrong, then how to fix it
Page 4
Reasons
Gives the reasons something happens or is true
Page 5
An idea explained
Explains a new idea, a field or a term
Page 6
Two sides
Gives two views on a plan or a question
Page 7
An old belief and the truth
Says what people believed, then shows it is wrong
Page 8
A change over time
Tells how something changed over time
Page 9
A study and what it found
Reports a study and what it found
Page 10

Also in the PDFOne sentence, or zeroHow it's markedYour 10 minutesJoining wordsTwo sentences into oneKeep the key words, build the sentence yourself

How to use it

Read the passage. Write the main idea of each paragraph in a few words.
Find the passage's shape in the table below. Pick one option for each part of the sentence.
Fill every blue gap from the passage. Keep its key words, and build the rest yourself.
Write one sentence: one capital letter at the start, one full stop at the end, 40 to 60 words.
Before you finish, count your words and your full stops.

The a problem and a solution template

Page 4 of the cheat sheet, as it prints. Pick one option for each sentence and fill the blue gaps.

Blue: take it from the passage.Bold: a linking phrase.

A problem and a solution

Page 4

The problem
- Name the problemThe problem is a growing concern for who or what,
- Something we doAn everyday activity causes the problem,
Why it happens
- One causebecause the cause,
- Two causesas cause one and cause two,
What it leads to
- A resultso the result,
- A riskwhich could lead to the danger,
The fix
- The writer's fixand the writer argues that the fix is needed.
- Two fixesand fix one or fix two could solve it.
- A warningunless what the writer asks for.

Your summary

¹Greenhouse gases from everyday activities such as driving are a negative externality, ²because most of the cost of global warming falls on other people, ³so individuals do more of these activities than is efficient, ⁴and the writer says government regulation or taxes can make people pay the full cost of what they do.

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Common questions

Are templates allowed in PTE Summarize Written Text?

Pearson tells you not to use memorised answers or templated sentences, and an answer learned by heart can score 0 for content. The cheat sheet gives you sentence plans with gaps, and you fill every gap from the passage. Learn the shape, not the sentences, and every answer you give is about the question in front of you.

How many words in Summarize Written Text?

One sentence of 5 to 75 words. Aim for 40 to 60, which leaves room for every main idea. Two sentences, or every word in capital letters, scores 0 for the whole answer.

Do I need a semicolon to make one sentence?

No. A joining word such as and, while, because or which does the job, and it is easier to get right.

How should I use the 10 minutes?

Read for about 3 minutes and write the main idea of each paragraph in a few words. Write for about 4 minutes. Keep 3 minutes to count your words and your full stops.

Is the PDF free?

Yes. Enter your email and it downloads at once. Your email also opens a free Leap Exam account, where you can practise with real exam questions and get a score for your answers. Every free PDF on this site is open to that account.