PTE Writing: Write Essay | SUPER METHOD!

Summary

Jay, an expert teacher from E2 Language, explains the structure for writing a high-scoring argumentative essay for the PTE exam. The video provides a step-by-step guide, emphasizing clarity, structure, and on-topic writing. Key tips include planning, writing within the 200-300 word limit, and using a clear structure for the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Jay also discusses the importance of staying on topic, using diverse sentence structures, and how to support arguments with examples. He highlights the benefits of E2 Language’s resources, including mock tests and personalized feedback.

Takeaways

• ✏️ Pearson's PTE exam might give you two essays, but only one will be marked; the other is for training their algorithm.
• 📝 Essays should be between 200 and 300 words, with 20 minutes allocated for writing, planning, and revising each essay.
• ❗️ Staying on topic is crucial—writing off-topic results in a score of zero.
• 🔍 Essays are scored based on content, structure, grammar, vocabulary, and coherence.
• 🗣 The PTE exam requires writing an argumentative or persuasive essay on a controversial topic.
• 💡 The introduction of the essay should have three parts: background information, restating the question prompt, and stating your argument.
• 🧱 Body paragraphs should follow a clear structure: introduce the main idea, give additional information, provide an example, and conclude.
• 🖋 When writing the essay, clarity and precision are more important than using fancy vocabulary or complex sentences.
• 🧠 Planning is essential—think of two key ideas for each body paragraph and stick to them to ensure coherence.
• 📚 The conclusion should summarize your main points and restate your argument, ending with a strong statement.

Q & A

What type of essay is required for the PTE Academic Writing task?

The essay required for the PTE Academic Writing task is an argumentative or persuasive essay, where you need to choose a side on a controversial topic and argue for or against it.

How many essays do you need to write during the exam, and why is one not marked?

You will need to write one or two essays. If there are two essays, only one will be marked, while the other will be used to train Pearson's computer algorithm. However, you don't know which one will be marked, so both essays must be well-written.

What happens if you write off-topic during the PTE exam?

If you write off-topic during the PTE exam, you will receive a score of zero for the entire essay, so it's crucial to stay on topic.

What is the recommended word count for the essay, and why is it important?

The recommended word count for the essay is between 200 and 300 words. Staying within this range is important because writing too few (199 words or fewer) or too many (301 words or more) could negatively impact your score.

What are the main scoring criteria for the PTE Writing task?

The main scoring criteria include content, development structure and coherence, essay length, general linguistic range, grammar, vocabulary range, and spelling.

How should you structure your argumentative essay for the PTE?

The essay should follow a clear structure with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction should provide background, rephrase the prompt, and state your argument. Each body paragraph should introduce a main idea, give additional information, provide an example, and conclude the paragraph. The conclusion should summarize the two main points and restate your argument.

What is a key tip for choosing which side to argue in your essay?

A key tip is to choose the simplest side to argue for, even if you don’t personally agree with it. This helps ensure clarity and coherence in your argument, which is more important than the specific stance you take.

Why is clarity important in writing the PTE essay?

Clarity is important because the PTE Writing task is evaluated on how well you can articulate your ideas precisely and clearly. Complex or long-winded sentences can lead to confusion and lower scores.

How does personalization in learning relate to online exam preparation?

Online exam preparation allows for more personalized learning compared to classroom-based learning, where teachers have limited time to focus on individual student needs. This makes online learning more effective for targeting weak areas.

What is one benefit of online learning mentioned in the video?

One benefit of online learning is flexibility, which allows students to access classes and study materials from anywhere at any time, making it more convenient for those with busy schedules.