Summarize Spoken Text

Students are often confused about the many different types of questions in each section of the PTE. Often it is difficult for many test-takers to understand the requirements of each question and how their responses will be scored. Therefore, it is essential to tackle each question type individually.

In this article, we will cover the Summarize spoken text type question. So, what is the “Summarize Spoken Text” in the PTE and how to score the maximum possible marks in this question type? To find out the details of SST PTE, read below. Then, find the most effective strategies to gain a perfect score in the SST PTE section.

What is PTE Summarize Spoken Text?

Summarize Spoken Text is a question type in the third part of the PTE – i.e., the Listening Section. The candidate is given a 60-90 seconds audio clip to listen to. Following this, the candidate is required to write a short paragraph of around 70 words to summarize the content in the audio.

Some key details of the PTE SST to remember are:

• This question type tests both your Listening and Writing skills in English.
• The total time allotted for this question is ten minutes.
• The candidate can only listen to the audio recording once. It will begin to play as soon as you click on the question.
• You are required to write a minimum of 50 words and the maximum number of words accepted is 70.
• There are CUT, COPY and PASTE options available to use, which you may utilize to construct your summary faster.

Tips on attempting the PTE Summarize Spoken Text Question type:

While listening to the recording, make a note of the central point of the passage being narrated. Follow this by noting down the secondary points and supporting details, as well as any examples provided. This will be the skeleton of your summary paragraph. You can use it as an outline and fill in the relevant connectors as necessary to ensure that the paragraph reads in an elegant, concise manner and there are no grammatical or punctuation errors in the answer text.

How is the PTE Summarize Spoken Text answer scored?

The answer provided for the PTE SSE question type is scored on three verticals, which are as mentioned below:

• The candidate’s ability to comprehend, analyze and combine the information from the audio recording.
• The candidate’s capability to summarize the key points in 70 words or less.
• The candidate’s proficiency in writing – grammatically as well as stylistically.

How to score the maximum possible points on the PTE Summarize Spoken Text?

By writing engaging answers, you can score more points in this section. To do so, focus on the two key elements:

• Subject matter: The content of the audio recording must be summarised entirely and precisely. All the main points should be included in the answer without changing or misrepresenting the overall objective essence of the material given to the candidate.
• Summary Form: The summary must be provided in a form that meets the mentioned requirements of the question type, i.e., between 50 to 70 words. It must be punctuated correctly and must be grammatically flawless as well. To ensure full points are awarded for the PTE SST question type, ensure that all the words are spelt correctly. All vocabulary words must be used in their proper context.

Tips for writing summaries:

• To begin with, spend the first few minutes of your answer time framing your response.
• Understand the core theme of the text which has been read to you and ensure that you maintain the characteristic features and objective in your final answer.
• Come up with an idea for and practise a shorthand technique to take notes faster and effectively.
• Make sure that your sentences are appropriately connected and flow well into each other. Do not jumble the order of the main points that were mentioned in the audio recording.
• Use certain key original words and phrases from the audio. Where possible, you can use synonyms to convey the same points but ensure that they are framed in an engaging way.
• Do not unnecessarily complicate the structure of the summary, as you will only have 70 words maximum. Do not add any extra details from your end.
• If there are any words, names, or places mentioned that you do not know how to spell, use replacement descriptors such as “the Scientist” so as to avoid losing points for misspelling.

Thus, by following the above guidelines, you can attempt the SST PTE with confidence and score well in this question type. Here are some practice questions to get you started:

Question 1:

Listen to the audio and write your answer.

Question 2:

Listen to the audio and write your answer.

Answer 1:

The lecture was about small business management, which comprised producing products and creating jobs. The spokesperson described serving customers’ needs, and the essence of writing understandable business plans emphasized the significance of stating and fulfilling business purposes. Ultimately, although both replacing bad plans and wasting limited resources could be inferred evidently from high production costs, the impacts of selling high-quality products at an affordable price were acknowledged.

Answer 2:

The lecture was about modern art, which comprised Charles Csuri as a pioneer in computer art. The spokesperson described creating art in the dark, and the essence of working without monitors emphasized the significance of learning computer programming. Ultimately, although both exploring possibilities and receiving grants could be inferred evidently from training students and keeping issues of art in focus, the impacts of getting caught up in the technology were acknowledged.