Summarize Written Text Sample Prompts – Online Education and Digital Divide in PTE

The Summarize Written Text task is an integral part of the PTE Exam within the Speaking and Writing module. Candidates are required to read a passage and condense it into one sentence without exceeding 75 words. One of the frequently seen topics in this section is related to contemporary education systems, particularly online education and the digital divide. This article provides several practice prompts and offers sample responses according to the PTE scoring standards.

By regularly practicing these examples, you can improve your performance in this part of the exam, ensuring your ability to summarize accurately while meeting the criteria of content, form, grammar, vocabulary, and spelling.

Feel free to explore further about how remote learning impacts educational quality from our dedicated resource on Remote learning and educational quality.

Sample Summarize Written Text Task 1: Comparison of Online Education Outcomes

Online learning, which has grown significantly over the past decade, has experienced mixed feedback regarding its effectiveness. Students from privileged backgrounds generally gain more from online education due to better access to technology, stronger study environments, and greater self-discipline. In contrast, students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds often face challenges like inadequate internet access, lack of essential devices, and poor learning environments at home, widening the educational gap known as the ‘digital divide’.

Task: Summarize the paragraph in one sentence.

Sample Responses:

Band 90 Response
Online education’s advantages are more accessible to privileged students who have the necessary technologies, while students from underprivileged backgrounds struggle due to limited access to resources, exacerbating the digital divide.

• Content: Complete, fully summarizes the text.
• Form: One sentence, within 5-75 words.
• Grammar: Correct usage of present tenses to show factual information.
• Vocabulary: Efficient usage of terms like “advantages”, “underprivileged”, and “exacerbating”.
• Spelling: No errors.

Band 75 Response
While online education helps students from wealthy backgrounds, it creates further inequalities for marginalized students who lack internet and proper devices.

• Content: Slightly partial, omits in-depth reasoning about the ‘digital divide’.
• Form: Correct word count.
• Grammar: Mostly correct but could use stronger connectors.
• Vocabulary: Appropriate but less varied.
• Spelling: Accurate.

Band 60 Response
Online education is better for rich students, but others face many issues like no internet.

• Content: Limited, not fully indicating the impact on disadvantaged students.
• Form: Meets word count, yet vague.
• Grammar: Simple and lacks complexity.
• Vocabulary: Basic; phrases like “many issues” could be more specific.
• Spelling: No errors.

By practicing such tasks, you will develop better understanding of how digital divides manifest in education, improving your ability to put these concepts concisely. Read further on similar topics at our section on the Global digital divide and internet access.

Sample Summarize Written Text Task 2: Addressing the Digital Divide in Education

As educational institutions increasingly adopt technology for learning, the digital divide remains a critical issue. Students without reliable internet, up-to-date devices, or technical skills are at risk of falling behind. Rural and economically disadvantaged students are particularly affected. Governments and educational bodies are exploring ways to provide learners in these groups with better access to technology to bridge this gap, ensuring everyone benefits equally from digital learning advancements.

Task: Summarize the paragraph in one sentence.

Sample Responses:

Band 90 Response
The increasing dependence on digital education has exposed the digital divide, with rural and economically disadvantaged students lacking access to the necessary technology, prompting efforts to improve their inclusion.

• Content: Comprehensive summary with balanced focus on both problem and solution.
• Form: Correct sentence length.
• Grammar: Well-structured complex sentence.
• Vocabulary: Rich, precisely chosen terms like “dependence”, “inclusion”.
• Spelling: Flawless.

Band 75 Response
Many students from rural areas and poor families lack the technology needed for digital learning, forcing governments to take action.

• Content: Partial, some complexity of the problem is lost.
• Form: Grammatically acceptable and within range.
• Grammar: Basic compound sentence.
• Vocabulary: Functional yet simplistic.
• Spelling: Correct.

Band 60 Response
Some students do not have good internet or devices, and governments are trying to help.

• Content: Very basic, lacks thesis about the sufficiency and importance of the solution.
• Form: Short and might be vague.
• Grammar: Simplistic with no advanced structures.
• Vocabulary: Limited and repetitive.
• Spelling: No issues.

This sample helps to recognize how contexts like unequal access to digital tools influence academic success, reinforcing the importance of addressing the digital divide. For a deeper dive, examine our content on The digital divide in education.

Vocabulary and Grammar Highlights

Here are 10 challenging words from the passages above with their meanings and examples:

1. Disadvantaged /ˌdɪsədˈvæntɪdʒd/ (adj.): Lacking in benefits and opportunities typically due to economic or social disadvantages.
   Example: The digital divide leaves disadvantaged students without proper tools for learning.

2. Inequalities /ɪˌnɪkwəˈlɪtiz/ (n.): The quality of being unequal or uneven, such as in access or opportunity.
   Example: Online education can exacerbate inequalities between social classes.

3. Exacerbate /ɪɡˈzæsərbeɪt/ (v.): To make an issue worse or more severe.
   Example: The lack of internet access only exacerbates learning difficulties in rural areas.

4. Marginalized /ˈmɑːrdʒɪnəˌlaɪzd/ (adj.): Treated as insignificant or peripheral in society.
   Example: Efforts are being made to include marginalized students in mainstream education.

5. Dependence /dɪˈpɛndəns/ (n.): The state of relying on or being controlled by something else.
   Example: The rising dependence on digital tools raises concerns about the growing digital divide.

6. Rural /ˈruːrəl/ (adj.): Relating to the countryside rather than the town.
   Example: Rural students often face additional challenges in accessing quality education online.

7. Prompt /prɒmpt/ (v.): To cause or bring about an action or response.
   Example: The issue of unequal access has prompted governments to take action.

8. Advancement /ədˈvænsmənt/ (n.): The process of promoting a cause or ideology, particularly something progressive.
   Example: Advancements in technology should be paired with initiatives to bridge the digital divide.

9. Bridging /ˈbrɪʤɪŋ/ (v.): To make a connection, particularly between differences.
   Example: Programs are being implemented to start bridging the gap created by the digital divide.

10. Exploring /ɪkˈsplɔrɪŋ/ (v.): Investigating or analyzing systematically.
    Example: Schools are exploring different ways to deliver accessible education in the age of technology.

Conclusion

Topics like online education and the digital divide are becoming increasingly common in PTE Summarize Written Text tasks. By practicing thoroughly, focusing on summarizing key information, and adhering to PTE standards, candidates can excel in this section. This article has provided detailed examples and responses tailored to different scoring levels, demonstrating how to improve your overall exam performance.

For more on how digital education is evolving, check out our posts on the Future of education in the digital age or Remote learning and educational equity.

Begin your training now and apply the strategies discussed above!