In the PTE exam, Summarize Written Text is a crucial section under the Speaking & Writing module. This task assesses your ability to effectively convey information from a passage in a concise and clear format. Often, the topic involves real-world issues or insights into popular subjects, such as business and technology, which are increasingly relevant in today’s digital age. One of these common topics relates to the Benefits Of Automation In Small Businesses.
Automation has become a fundamental tool in enhancing business efficiency across various industries. Let’s explore this topic through a sample Summarize Written Text exercise, resembling what you might encounter in the actual PTE exam.
Sample Summarize Written Text Exercise
Passages
You are asked to summarize the passage below in one sentence. Your response should include the main points and be between 5 and 75 words.
“What used to be a tedious and time-consuming process, running a small business, has now become significantly more efficient due to automation. Tasks like accounting, inventory management, and customer relationship management (CRM) have benefited the most from automation technology. These tools not only save time and reduce errors but also allow business owners to focus on growth and innovation. While initial investment might seem high, the long-term benefits in terms of productivity, scalability, and streamlined operations are undeniable. Moreover, automation technologies can be customized according to the specific needs of a business, making them accessible and beneficial even to small businesses with limited resources.”
Instructions:
Summarize the passage in one sentence. Write between 5 and 75 words.
Sample Responses
Band Score 90 (Perfect Response)
Automation has significantly improved the efficiency of small businesses by reducing time spent on tasks like accounting, inventory, and CRM, enabling focus on growth, while providing scalable and customizable solutions that outweigh the initial investment.
- Content: Perfect. Captures all aspects of automation, including examples and long-term benefits.
- Form: Within 75 words.
- Grammar: No errors, grammatically well-structured.
- Vocabulary: Excellent use of terms – “efficiency,” “scalable,” “customizable.”
- Spelling: Excellent, no errors.
Band Score 80 (Very Good Response)
Automation improves small businesses by saving time on tasks like inventory and CRM, reducing errors, and offering scalability, despite requiring an initial investment.
- Content: Good. Key points covered but lacks mention of the business owner’s focus on growth.
- Form: Within word limit.
- Grammar: Good, error-free.
- Vocabulary: Adequate, could use richer terms like “efficiency” or “streamlined.”
- Spelling: No errors.
Band Score 70 (Good Response)
Automation helps small businesses by managing tasks like accounting and CRM more efficiently by saving time and reducing errors.
- Content: Satisfactory, but misses deeper insights like scalability, initial investment, and focus on growth.
- Form: Within word limit.
- Grammar: Simple but correct.
- Vocabulary: Basic, lacks variety and depth.
- Spelling: No errors.
Band Score 60 (Average Response)
Automation helps small business work faster and with fewer mistakes.
- Content: Marginal. Misses many key details such as specific examples, scalability, and long-term benefits.
- Form: Meets word constraint.
- Grammar: Correct but overly simple.
- Vocabulary: Very basic.
- Spelling: No errors.
Analysis of the Passage
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Content: The passage highlights how automation positively impacts small business operations, specifically mentioning tasks like accounting, inventory management, and CRM. It stresses that time savings and error reduction allow for more focus on business growth, with additional benefits like scalability and customization.
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Form: Summarizing in one sentence requires students to condense information while retaining critical points. Responses must not exceed the 75-word limit.
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Grammar: Usage of appropriate sentence structures and conjunctions is crucial for a strong response. For example, combining clauses to mention “time-saving” and “scalable solutions” coherently will improve clarity.
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Vocabulary and Spelling: Using specialized vocabulary like “efficiency,” “scalability,” and “customization” demonstrates a good understanding of the topic and propels a response into higher scoring bands.
Small Business Automation Enhances Productivity and Growth
Vocabulary and Grammar Insights
Here are 10 important vocabulary words from the passage to improve your comprehension and response quality:
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Automation /ˌɔːtəˈmeɪʃn/ – The use of technology to perform tasks without human intervention.
Example: “Automation enables businesses to reduce manual errors and improve efficiency.” -
Efficiency /ɪˈfɪʃənsi/ – The ability to accomplish a task with minimal waste of time and effort.
Example: “Automation tools greatly enhance the efficiency of business operations.” -
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) /ˈkʌstəmər rɪˈleɪʃənʃɪp mænɪdʒmənt/ – Technology used to manage a company’s interactions with current and potential customers.
Example: “A good CRM system can help businesses improve customer satisfaction.” -
Scalability /ˌskeɪləˈbɪlɪti/ – The capability of a system or process to handle increasing amounts of work or to be enlarged.
Example: “Automation solutions are scalable and grow with the business.” -
Initial Investment /ɪˈnɪʃl ɪnˈvɛstmənt/ – The upfront cost spent when first implementing a solution or starting a project.
Example: “Although the initial investment in automation can be high, the return on investment is substantial in the long term.” -
Time-consuming /ˈtaɪm kənsjuːmɪŋ/ – Requiring a substantial amount of time to complete.
Example: “Manual data entry is a time-consuming task that can be automated.” -
Innovation /ˌɪnəˈveɪʃn/ – The introduction of new ideas, methods, or products.
Example: “Automation frees up time for business owners to focus on innovation.” -
Streamlined /ˈstriːmlaɪnd/ – Designed for simplicity and efficiency.
Example: “Automation leads to more streamlined operations by reducing complexity.” -
Customize /ˈkʌstəmaɪz/ – To modify something according to the specific needs of an individual or business.
Example: “Automation systems can be customized to suit the specific workflows of small businesses.” -
Error Reduction /ˈerər rɪˈdʌkʃn/ – The process of minimizing mistakes during operations.
Example: “Automation is key to error reduction in repetitive tasks like accounting.”
Conclusion
Understanding the Summarize Written Text section is essential to achieving a high score in the PTE Speaking & Writing test. The Benefits of Automation in Small Businesses is a popular and relevant topic that could easily appear in your exam. As demonstrated in the sample responses, scoring highly depends on your ability to concisely summarize all the key points while maintaining grammatical accuracy and effective vocabulary. Continue practicing with various topics to improve your skills.
Please feel free to leave questions or feedback in the comments below and happy studying!
