Hello everyone! Welcome back. In this post I am going explain how to respond for PTE Summarize Spoken Text. This is the first task in listening section. However, you will be given 10 minutes optional break before this task begins. Please utilise this time and relax yourself. Because when you start the speaking section you have to continuously attend the test for around 2 hours till you complete the reading section.
Our brain needs some rest so that we can concentrate well in listening section. So take atleast 5 minutes rest, ensure your marker is working properly and keep your textpad ready. Take a deep breath and start the listening tasks.
Understanding the task
Let us understand PTE summarize spoken text task first. Write a summary of about 50 to 70 words. Not more or less than that. You will get 2 to 3 questions with 60 to 90 seconds audio prompt. Sometimes you will get more than 90 seconds. You will have 10 minutes to write the summary. This is very easy task. You can write even in 5 minutes but utilize entire 10 minutes to review your response to avoid any mistakes.
Remember that for entire listening section you will have 45 to 57 minutes, which depends upon the number of questions and audio length for each task. For summarize spoken text alone, each question will be given 10 minutes time. Suppose, say if you get 2 questions: 20 minutes out of 45 minutes total time will be given to PTE summarize spoken text.
You cannot use this time for other tasks. That said completing this task in 5 minutes and saving some time for other tasks cannot be done. You can utilize the entire 10 minutes time only for this task. The rest of the tasks will share the remaining time. This task contributes for both listening and writing section.
Use cut/copy/paste buttons on the screen instead of keyboard shortcuts – We have already discussed this in SWT. Don’t use keyboard shortcuts as it will not work properly. Use the buttons displayed in the screen.
Scoring Structure
For listening, the score carries 13 marks and for writing it carries around 12 marks. The points will be awarded based on the following factors.
Content
If you identify the main idea and many supporting key points, you will get 2 points. Zero points will be given if you mention irrelevant points. The software will not check any of the below factors if it is not related to the content and you will get zero marks for that.
Form
If you write between 50 to 70 words, 2 points will be given. You will get only 1 point if you write less than 50 words or more than 70 words and zero marks for less than 40 words or more than 100 words.
Grammar, Vocabulary and Spelling
If you write without any grammatical errors, 2 points will be given. Grammar is scored by examining the sentence structure, punctuation and capital letters, wherever is required. Use variety of academic vocabularies but if you don’t know the exact meaning then don’t use them, and avoid repetition of same words.
Most importantly PTE Academic recognizes English spelling conventions from United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. But use only one spelling convention consistently in all your responses. Don’t mix the spelling content from different countries. Otherwise, your spelling marks will be affected negatively.
PTE Summarize Spoken Text – Tips and Strategies
If your typing speed is good, you can directly type in the textbox, which appears in the screen, instead of taking notes in the textpad. This way you can capture many key points. If you write in the textpad, you can capture only few keypoints. Moreover, if your handwriting is not good, you cannot understand what you have written.
And while typing try to use abbreviations wherever is possible, ignore if you make spelling mistakes, but make sure you can understand and able to correct it finally. But if you feel you are comfortable in writing, make sure that the marker and notepad are ready. Try to capture atleast 6 to 7 key phrases to get more marks.
If you don’t understand the name of the person whom the speaker mentions or don’t know the spelling, just write his designation such as the researcher said, in scientist point of view, but don’t mention their names wrongly. Don’t recall if you don’t hear the phrase. Just ignore and keep hearing the audio. Otherwise you may miss hearing the further prompt.
PTE Summarize Spoken Text – Template
The lecture was about <main topic>. The speaker firstly provided information on <key point1>, <key point2> and <key point3>. Furthermore, he mentioned <key point4>, <key point5> and <key point6>. Finally, he concluded that <key point7>.
This is the template we can use for SST. We can use any template, but I suggest that the number of words in the template should be less and properly structured. Hence, we can capture many key points and stick to the word limit. Moreover, if we use the template, we can simply include as many key points as possible without worrying about the grammar. Like the one that we are seeing above.
Identify the topic sentence and supporting points as much as possible and include them in the template. Also make sure the text is grammatically correct. If you are able to capture more key points, include them appropriately but keep in mind that it should not exceed 70 words. On the other hand, if you capture only 2 to 3 key points, then write a lengthy phrase using those key points until it exceeds 50 words.
Finally, review it and make sure you have written an error free text. Spend atleast 2 to 3 minutes for proofreading yourself. In the video shared above, I have worked out a sample exercise using this template with one of the most repeated question. I have explained this sample as how we can do in real exam.
Here is the audio prompt
“But what are the dangers of keeping these drugs at home?”
There are a number of dangers. Parents should know that leftover drugs are dangerous because they may be accidentally ingested by children.Either adults don’t keep the bottles properly closed and stored or because even many kids can sometimes open childproof lids.To divert children from committing such dangerous activities parents can the find the best nursery in worsley as they can guarantee children well-being. Patients may use the drugs after their expiration date. The leftover drugs may be taken for the wrong reasons.
For example, someone may have a viral infection and self-prescribed to left over into microbial that was prescribed for a bacterial infection. But that drug will have no effect as the viral infections. Without knowing about the NHP Disease Models, any kind of drugs that are left over might be given to or taken by someone else who may have a serious allergy to the medicine and who for that reason would not be prescribed to medicine under the supervision of a physician. Finally, inappropriate use of drugs promotes drug resistance if the drug is taken for the wrong indication, the wrong duration, or in the wrong dosage.
“Todd, what can people do about this how can the situation be improved?”
“I think physicians, patients and parents of patients can take steps to improve the situation. First of all, physicians should prescribe the drug only when appropriate, only in the correct amount and only for the correct duration. Also, the physician must stress to the patient that the full course of the drug like the delta 8 near me must be taken. This is recommended even if symptoms resolved before the end of the prescription and parents of children on antibiotics need to ensure they complete their course as well.”
We can take the notes as below in the textbox appears in the screen.
How to take notes for PTE summarize spoken text
dangers of keeping drugs at home
leftover drugs – ingested by children
properly closed – child proof lids open by child
after expiration date
left over wrong reason, viral but bacterial infection
might be given to taken by someone else serious allergy
prescribed under the supervision of physician
drug resistance – wrong dosage
improved – patients take steps – appropriate, correct duration
physician stress full course must be taken
symptoms resolved before prescription ends
parents on antibio – complete course
This is how we can take notes directly in the screen. So I was able to capture many key points now. Don’t worry about the spelling, we can correct it later. Now type the template and incorporate the points into the template.
How to write using template
The lecture was about dangers of keeping drugs at home. The speaker firstly provided information on children ingesting leftover drugs, people using drugs after expiration date and for wrong reason. Furthermore, he mentioned drugs taken by someone else may cause allergy and wrong dosage of drugs causes drug resistance. Finally, he concluded that patients should take full course of antibiotics even if symptoms are resolved.
Drug resistance – Here, I was not able to capture the entire phrase about this keyword but I know this is an important one. Therefore, I just framed this with some simple phrase. Don’t ignore the keywords if you heard it. Just phrase it without grammar errors.Here full course, complete course both are same. So I just mentioned it only once without repeating.
Finally, review the content and make sure the word count is within 50 to 70 words. Also check the starting letter is capital, commas, full stop, spelling mistakes and grammar errors if any. Because even if we use the template, unknowingly we may do some spelling mistakes. Hence, double check each and every word to ensure that your response is error free. For this response I got the word count 65.
Conclusion
So that’s it for PTE summarize spoken text. Using this template I am sure that you will get 79+ (read my post on how to get 79+ in PTE to score more than 79). Once again, use the 10 minutes optional break, take a deep breath and start the task. Hear the audio with full concentration and take notes as much as possible. Use the template, include the keywords and make sure the word limit is between 50 to 70 words.
Utilize the time properly and check grammar, spelling, capital letters and punctuations if any. Before moving on to the next, read the sentences again and again to make sure that you have written an error free text. I hope you like this post. Thank you all for following all my tips.
