Summarize Written Text Sample for PTE as Related to the Effects of Automation on the Economy

The Summarize Written Text section in the PTE Speaking & Writing test is a critical part of assessing candidates’ ability to condense information. This task demands writing a one-sentence summary from a given paragraph or passage within a specific word limit, typically between 5 to 75 words. One of the frequent topics you may encounter in this segment relates to automation—specifically, its impact on the economy.

In this detailed post, we’ll examine some practice questions based on the effects of automation on the economy, coupled with sample answers and band scores. In particular, we will focus on how technological automation shifts the labor market, economic growth, and other key dynamics.

Example #1: Automation and Employment Disruption

Summarize the text in one sentence.

Passage:

As industries progressively embrace automation, numerous routine tasks once performed by humans are now delegated to machines. This shift primarily benefits corporations through increased efficiency and reduced labor costs, but it also brings challenges to the workforce. Many jobs, especially in labor-intensive sectors, are at risk of becoming obsolete. While automation creates new opportunities in highly skilled areas like AI programming and robotics maintenance, it leaves behind a significant portion of employees who lack the necessary technical skills. Governments and education systems worldwide are now tasked with bridging this skill gap to reduce the socioeconomic disparity caused by technological evolution.

Sample Answer for Different Bands:

Band 90 (High Score)

Automation is improving corporate efficiency while simultaneously creating a socio-economic challenge as displaced workers face unemployment, prompting the need for government intervention and skills development to close the gap in labor markets.

• Content: Covers the automation’s impact on labor, economic efficiency, challenges to workers, and the role of government.
• Form: 41 words, within the required limit.
• Grammar: No grammatical errors, with complex sentence structures.
• Vocabulary: Adequate use of formal and context-specific terms like “displaced workers” and “socioeconomic challenge.”
• Spelling: Accurate.

Band 65 (Moderate Score)

Automation is making some jobs disappear while also creating new high-skilled jobs, and governments need to help workers learn these new skills.

• Content: General understanding of the text, touching on both job loss and skills development, but lacks detailed insights on efficiency and government responsibility.
• Form: 29 words, within the allowed limit.
• Grammar: Correct but simpler sentence construction.
• Vocabulary: Simple terms, suitable but less academic.
• Spelling: Correct.

Band 50 (Low Score)

Automation makes people lose jobs, and governments are trying to help them.

• Content: Misses key ideas such as efficiency or high-skilled job creation, lacks depth.
• Form: 12 words, too minimal.
• Grammar: Simple sentence with no complex structures.
• Vocabulary: Very basic.
• Spelling: Correct but limited in word variety.

Example #2: Economic Growth Stimulated by Automation

Summarize the text in one sentence.

Passage:

The implementation of automation is driving productivity growth in several key economic sectors, with manufacturing and logistics seeing the most substantial increases. Enhanced productivity through automation allows businesses to produce goods more quickly and affordably, fostering economic growth by making products more accessible. However, upwards of 50% of manual, repetitive jobs are projected to become automated in the next 20 years, which, while raising output capacity, also saturates job markets with displaced workers. Policymakers must now confront the dual challenge of maximizing automation’s economic benefits while minimizing its social costs.

Sample Answer for Different Bands:

Band 90 (High Score)

Automation greatly enhances productivity and economic growth by increasing output and lowering costs, but it also displaces a large number of workers, presenting a challenge for policymakers to balance economic benefits with social consequences.

• Content: Comprehensive, includes key points on productivity, economic growth, job displacement, and policymaking.
• Form: 37 words, within the required word limit.
• Grammar: No issues with complex sentence structure and tense usage.
• Vocabulary: Advanced, diverse words like “displaces,” “productivity,” and “maximize.”
• Spelling: Absolutely fine.

Band 65 (Moderate Score)

Automation increases productivity and helps the economy grow, but it also takes away many jobs, so policymakers have to solve this issue.

• Content: Covers most aspects but lacks the depth and precision of language.
• Form: 28 words, within acceptable range.
• Grammar: No major errors, though simpler structure.
• Vocabulary: Moderately diverse, uses terms like “solve” rather than more accurate terms like “mitigate.”
• Spelling: No mistakes.

Band 50 (Low Score)

Automation grows the economy but makes many people lose their jobs.

• Content: Very basic understanding, omitting core details like productivity enhancements and policy challenges.
• Form: 11 words, well below the required threshold.
• Grammar: too simplistic.
• Vocabulary: Limited.
• Spelling: Correct but far too simplistic.

Key Vocabulary & Grammar

Below are 10 challenging vocabulary words from the passages, along with definitions, phonetic transcriptions, and usage examples:

1. Efficiency /ɪˈfɪʃənsi/ – The ability to accomplish something with the least waste of time and effort.
   Example: The company improved its efficiency by adopting new software.

2. Displace /dɪsˈpleɪs/ – To force someone or something out of its usual place.
   Example: Automation displaces many workers in the manufacturing sector.

3. Socioeconomic /ˌsoʊsiˌoʊˌɛkəˈnɒmɪk/ – Related to or concerned with the interaction of social and economic factors.
   Example: Governments are trying to address the socioeconomic challenges caused by automation.

4. Obsolete /ˌɒbsəˈli:t/ – No longer produced or used; out of date.
   Example: Many obsolete jobs are replaced by machine labor.

5. Policymaker /ˈpɒlɪsiˌmeɪkər/ – A person responsible for making and implementing policy.
   Example: Policymakers are struggling to keep up with the fast pace of technological progress.

6. Enhance /ɪnˈhɑːns/ – To improve the quality, amount, or strength of something.
   Example: Automation enhances productivity but leads to job losses.

7. Manual /ˈmænjuəl/ – Relating to or done with hands, as opposed to machines.
   Example: Many manual jobs are being replaced with automated systems.

8. Saturate /ˈsætʃəreɪt/ – To fill completely so that no more can be added.
   Example: The market has been saturated with unemployed workers.

9. Mitigate /ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt/ – To make less severe, serious, or painful.
   Example: Policymakers are seeking to mitigate the disruptions caused by automation.

10. Affordable /əˈfɔːrdəbl/ – Relatively inexpensive; reasonably priced.
    Example: Automation has made goods more affordable to the general public.

Conclusion

In the PTE Summarize Written Text task, it’s important to understand the essence of a passage and condense it into a clear, concise sentence. Given the increasing relevance of topics like automation and its effects on the economy, being familiar with such subjects can prove advantageous during the test. Regular practice with real-world issues ensures you are prepared to tackle the content, form, grammar, vocabulary, and spelling aspects required for high scores. Feel free to try writing your own summaries and share them below for feedback!