PTE Core writing: Write Email and Summarize Written Text, word limits, scoring and plans
Writing is often the skill that holds a PTE Core result back: in Pearson's CLB chart, CLB 9 in Writing needs 88, against 78 in Reading. Two tasks are written answers, Write Email and Summarize Written Text, and both are scored first on content and form. Get the form wrong, by writing too few or too many words, and the answer can score nothing at all, however good the English. This guide gives the scoring from Pearson's PTE Core Score Guide (January 2026), the word limits, and a plan for each task.
The rule that matters most: form
| Task | Full form marks | Partial | Zero |
|---|---|---|---|
| Write Email | 50–120 words | 30–49 or 121–140 | Under 30 or over 140, all capitals, or no punctuation |
| Summarize Written Text | 25–50 words | 5–24 or 51–60 | Under 5 or over 60, all capitals, no punctuation, or only bullet points |
| Summarize Spoken Text (Listening) | 20–30 words | 5–19 or 31–40 | Under 5 or over 40 |
Pearson's guide is explicit: when content or form is scored 0, the response gets no points. Aim for the middle of the full-marks range, about 80 to 100 words for an email and 30 to 45 for a summary, and check the word counter on the screen before you move on.
Write Email (2–3 tasks)
You read a situation and write to a named person, covering three points in the prompt. Pearson scores:
| Trait | Points | What earns the top mark |
|---|---|---|
| Content | 0–3 | Deals with all the requirements of the task |
| Email conventions | 0–2 | Greeting, closing and register right for the reader |
| Form | 0–2 | 50–120 words |
| Organization | 0–2 | Clear structure, ideas in a logical order, good transitions |
| Vocabulary | 0–2 | Words suited to the situation |
| Grammar | 0–2 | Consistent control with only occasional errors |
| Spelling | 0–2 | No more than two spelling or typing errors |
A plan that fits every prompt (about 90 words):
- Greeting that matches the reader: "Dear Ms Patel," for a manager or landlord; "Hi Sam," for a friend or colleague.
- Opening line saying why you are writing.
- Point 1, point 2, point 3: one or two sentences each, in the order the prompt gives them.
- Closing line with a next step: "Please let me know if Thursday suits you."
- Sign-off: "Kind regards," / "Thanks," and your name.
Example prompt, written for this guide: Write to your landlord, Mr Brooks. The heating in your flat has stopped working. Say when it stopped, how it is affecting you, and when someone could come to repair it.
Dear Mr Brooks,
I am writing to let you know that the heating in my flat stopped working on Sunday evening. Since then the rooms have been very cold, and my young son has had to sleep in two jumpers. I have checked the thermostat and the fuse, but neither seems to be the problem. Would it be possible for an engineer to come on Wednesday or Thursday after four o'clock? I will make sure someone is at home.
Kind regards, Ana Ruiz
That is 83 words with the greeting and sign-off, covers all three points in order, and uses a polite, formal register for a landlord. Pearson warns that large amounts of memorised material that do not deal with the prompt score 0 for content: the plan is a shape, not a script.
Summarize Written Text (1–2 tasks)
You read a short text and write a summary in 10 minutes. It is scored for reading and writing on content (0–2), form (0–2), grammar (0–2) and vocabulary (0–2).
Method:
- Read the text and find its main point: usually what is changing, being proposed or decided.
- Note two supporting details: the reason, the result, the date or who is affected.
- Write it in one or two well-punctuated sentences: main point, then "because" or "so that" plus the details.
Example: a 150-word notice about a library starting evening opening on Thursdays could be summarised as "The library will open until 8 p.m. on Thursdays from March, because many residents who work during the day asked for later hours, and it will add a quiet study room for students." (33 words.)
The other tasks that build your writing score
Writing is not only Write Email and the summaries. In the Score Guide these also count for writing:
- Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks (5–6 passages, one point a gap)
- Listening Fill in the Blanks (one point for each word spelt correctly)
- Write from Dictation (3–4 sentences, one point for each word spelt correctly)
- Summarize Spoken Text (listening and writing)
So spelling and typing accuracy pay off across the whole test. A missed letter in Write from Dictation loses a writing point and a listening point.
A two-week writing routine
| Days | Practice |
|---|---|
| 1–3 | One email a day on everyday situations (a landlord, a colleague, a service), 90 words, then count and check the three points |
| 4–5 | Two Summarize Written Text a day, 30–45 words, one or two sentences |
| 6–7 | Ten Write from Dictation sentences a day; check each word's spelling |
| 8 | One full PTE Core mock test |
| 9–14 | Repeat, working on the trait you rated lowest |
Our mock tests include Write Email and Summarize Written Text with Pearson's word ranges shown, and a checklist to rate your own answers. To see what writing score you need, use the PTE Core to CLB chart.
Useful links
- PTE Core Speaking and Writing format (pearsonpte.com)
- PTE Core Score Guide, January 2026 (pearsonpte.com, PDF)
- Free PTE Core mock tests
- PTE Core syllabus
- PTE Core speaking tips
- PTE Core vs PTE Academic
Frequently asked questions
How many words should a PTE Core email be?
50 to 120 words earns full form marks. Under 30 or over 140 scores 0 for form, and then the whole email scores nothing.
How many words for Summarize Written Text in PTE Core?
25 to 50 words for full form marks; 5 to 24 or 51 to 60 gets partial marks.
Is there an essay in PTE Core?
No. PTE Core has Write Email instead; the essay is in PTE Academic.
Does spelling matter in PTE Core?
Yes. Write Email allows at most two spelling or typing errors for full marks, and Write from Dictation and Listening Fill in the Blanks give a point only for each word spelt correctly.