PTE Core Summarize Written Text practice

You get 10 minutes to sum up a short text in 25 to 50 words. In PTE Core, you can write more than one sentence.

By Thanh Tran, PTE and IELTS coach
Updated October 2026

SWTWriting, Summarize Written Text

06:12

Read the text. Then write a short 25 to 50 word summary.

From 1 March, Greenfield Library will stay open until 9 pm from Monday to Friday. Many people asked for longer hours, because they work during the day and can't visit before 5 pm. In the evenings, the library will run homework clubs and computer classes. To do this, it needs ten more volunteers. Anyone over 18 who can give two hours a week can apply at the front desk.

Greenfield Library will stay open until 9 pm on weekdays from March, because working people asked for longer hours. It plans evening clubs and classes, but it needs ten more volunteers.

31 words25 to 50 words

Key facts

Time

10 minutes

Passage

Up to 200 words, on an everyday topic

Your answer

25 to 50 words, in one or more sentences

In a test

1 or 2 texts

Skills scored

Reading and writing

Scores zero if

Off the topic, under 5 or over 60 words, all in capitals, with no punctuation, or in bullet points

Questions to practise

79, reported from real PTE Core tests

How it's scored

Pearson marks four things. If content or form gets zero, the whole summary gets zero.

Leap Exam marks the same four, with PTE Core's rules, and shows the fixes on your own summary.

Your first Summarize Written Text feedback is free.

Writing, Summarize Written Text

Question 4 of 10

Graded

7 / 8

Content: 2 / 2
Form: 2 / 2
Grammar: 1 / 2
Vocabulary: 2 / 2

An example grade: all the main points, with a few grammar mistakes.

Content
You give the main point and the key details.
Form
2 marks for 25 to 50 words, 1 mark for 5 to 24 or 51 to 60.
Grammar
Correct sentences. Small mistakes that don't hide the meaning get 1 mark.
Vocabulary
Words that fit the text, with few mistakes.

Practise Summarize Written Text

How to write the summary

Give the main point, then the key details. One sentence or two both work.

Read the text and find the main point.
Note two or three key details in a few words.
Write the main point in your own words.
Add the key details, in the same sentence or a new one.
Start each sentence with a capital letter and end it with a full stop.
Check you have 25 to 50 words.

Common mistakes

Writing too much
A PTE Academic summary can go to 75 words. In PTE Core, over 60 scores zero.
Missing the main point
Get the topic wrong and the summary scores zero.
Copying long parts of the text
No full stops
No punctuation, or all capitals, scores zero for form.
Bullet points
Write full sentences. A list scores zero for form.

常见问题

How many words should a PTE Core summary be?

25 to 50 words gets full marks for form. 5 to 24, or 51 to 60, gets one mark. Under 5 or over 60 scores zero.

Can I write more than one sentence?

Yes. In PTE Core you can write one or more full sentences. In PTE Academic, the summary must be one sentence.

How long do you get?

10 minutes for each text. A test has 1 or 2 texts, each up to 200 words.

How is it scored?

On content, form, grammar and vocabulary, each out of 2, so 8 points in all. It counts for reading and writing.

Is it the same as Summarize Written Text in PTE Academic?

No. The name is the same, but the rules aren't. PTE Academic has a longer text and one sentence of 5 to 75 words. So practise the version for your test.

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