In the PTE academic test, the Summarize Written Text task in the Speaking and Writing section is crucial. A key topic frequently appearing in PTE exams is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Branding. This concept involves how companies integrate ethical, social, and environmental concerns into their business model, which can strongly influence their brand identity and reputation.
Sample Summarize Written Text Exercises on Corporate Social Responsibility and Branding
In this section, we present typical PTE Summarize Written Text tasks on the topic Corporate Social Responsibility And Branding with sample answers for various PTE scoring bands.
Exercise 1:
Text for Summarization:
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is becoming increasingly important for corporate branding. Businesses are expected to go beyond traditional profit-making goals. By adopting CSR initiatives such as environmental sustainability, ethical labor practices, and community engagement, companies can foster stronger relationships with their stakeholders. Brands that sincerely commit to these initiatives often see improved customer loyalty, trust, and even financial performance. Conversely, failure to engage in CSR efforts or merely pretending to do so may cause significant reputation damage in the long run. Therefore, integrating CSR into corporate branding is not only a strategy for success but also a necessity for long-term sustainability.
Summarize the text in one sentence under 75 words.
Sample Answers & Band Scores
Full Score (90)
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is increasingly vital in branding, as it enhances customer trust and loyalty while promoting long-term sustainability through ethical and social practices, but companies risking reputational damage by failing to sincerely engage in CSR efforts.
Analysis
- Content: Covers all key points about CSR, branding, trust, loyalty, and reputation damage.
- Form: The sentence is under 75 words without errors.
- Grammar: Uses complex structures that demonstrate grammatical accuracy.
- Vocabulary: Sophisticated use of words like “vital,” “enhances,” and “sustainability” elevates the score.
- Spelling: Perfect spelling.
CSR enhances branding with long-term sustainability strategies
Moderate Score (65-79)
CSR can help businesses improve brand loyalty and trust by acting responsibly, although failure in effort can damage a company’s reputation.
Analysis
- Content: Covers most key points but lacks detail about how CSR fosters long-term sustainability.
- Form: Within the word limit.
- Grammar: Accurate, but simpler sentence structure.
- Vocabulary: Adequate use of basic vocabulary like “improve” and “damage.”
- Spelling: No spelling errors.
Low Score (50-64)
Corporations use CSR to build a good reputation, but failure in this can hurt them.
Analysis
- Content: Oversimplifies, missing several points like customer loyalty, long-term sustainability, and examples of CSR initiatives.
- Form: Under the word limit but too brief for full comprehension.
- Grammar: Simple and clear, but lacks complexity.
- Vocabulary: Limited, uses basic terminologies (“hurt,” “good reputation”).
- Spelling: No spelling errors.
Exercise 2:
Text for Summarization:
Branding and corporate reputation are more intertwined than ever in today’s marketplace, especially with the integration of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) into business strategies. CSR efforts in areas such as environmental sustainability and philanthropy allow companies to present themselves as socially conscious entities. As consumers become more concerned with a brand’s ethical standing, businesses that implement CSR successfully gain a significant competitive advantage. Moreover, CSR is not only beneficial for brand identity but also essential for attracting talent, as employees increasingly seek to work for values-driven organizations.
Summarize the text in one sentence under 75 words.
Sample Answers & Band Scores
Full Score (90)
The alignment of CSR with branding enhances corporate reputation, giving companies a competitive edge by appealing to consumers and potential employees who value ethical practices and socially responsible actions.
Analysis
- Content: Captures all main aspects about branding, CSR, reputation, competitive advantage, and employee attraction.
- Form: Clearly under 75 words.
- Grammar: Strong use of complex sentence structure.
- Vocabulary: High-level phrases like “giving companies a competitive edge” and “values-driven organizations.”
- Spelling: No errors.
CSR creating competitive advantage by aligning with consumer and employee values
Moderate Score (65-79)
CSR helps companies create a better brand image, attract consumers, and recruit employees who value ethical practices.
Analysis
- Content: Good, but misses the point about competitive advantage and the depth of how CSR impacts long-term success.
- Form: Within the word limit.
- Grammar: Simple, no issues.
- Vocabulary: Functional, with basic words like “better” and “create.”
- Spelling: No errors.
Low Score (50-64)
Companies that follow CSR build a solid reputation and attract employees who share the same values.
Analysis
- Content: Too generalized without discussing branding, consumers, or competitive edge.
- Form: Too short with missing key details.
- Grammar: Simplistic structure, lacks complexity.
- Vocabulary: Basic vocabulary, fails to elevate the answer.
- Spelling: No errors.
Vocabulary and Grammar Focus
Below are some new words with their meanings and examples used in the context of CSR and branding:
| Word | Phonetics | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reputation | /ˌrɛp.jəˈteɪ.ʃən/ | Overall perception of someone/something | Their CSR efforts greatly improved their reputation. |
| Philanthropy | /fɪˈlænθrəpi/ | Efforts or activities to help others | The company engages in philanthropy by supporting local charities. |
| Ethical | /ˈɛθɪkəl/ | Morally correct or acceptable | Ethical practices in business are vital for customer trust. |
| Sustainability | /səˌsteɪnəˈbɪlɪti/ | Maintaining resources/environment over time | Sustainability is at the core of their CSR strategy. |
| Transparency | /trænˈspærənsi/ | Openness and clarity in business operations | Transparency in processes is key to building trust. |
| Stakeholder | /ˈsteɪkˌhoʊldər/ | A person or group affected by a business | Engaging stakeholders in their CSR activities enhanced their corporate image. |
| Long-term | /ˈlɔŋtəːm/ | Extending over a long period of time | Their long-term commitment to CSR has strengthened their brand. |
| Integrity | /ɪnˈtɛɡrɪti/ | The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles | Business integrity is a critical aspect of CSR. |
| Engagement | /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒmənt/ | Involvement or participation | Effective engagement with local communities is part of their CSR initiative. |
| Competitive edge | /kəmˈpɛtɪtɪv ɛdʒ/ | Advantage over competitors | Their focus on ethical branding has given them a competitive edge. |
Conclusion
Corporate Social Responsibility and Branding is a highly relevant and frequent topic in the Summarize Written Text of the PTE exam. Tackling such topics requires a solid grasp of vocabulary, grammar, and the ability to synthesize key ideas into a single concise sentence. As you practice with these proposed exercises, ensure that you focus on clarity, completeness, and effective usage of vocabulary. Feel free to try your own answers for these prompts and leave a comment below if you have any questions!
