Overview of Summarize Written Text in PTE
The Summarize Written Text task in PTE tests a candidate’s ability to summarize complex information concisely and accurately. In this task, you’re given a passage of around 150-400 words and asked to summarize it in a single sentence. It’s crucial to maintain the passage’s main ideas and structure while keeping your response under the 75-word limit.
Remote Learning and Educational Quality is a relevant topic that often appears in modern English language exams and is highly pertinent given the current global shift toward virtual education. This topic can be especially important, considering issues like the global digital divide and internet access and how they affect not only the accessibility but also the quality of learning provided online.
Below, you’ll find several practice prompts on “Remote learning and educational quality,” followed by sample answers catered to various scoring bands. This will be especially valuable for those aiming to master this particular task.
Sample Summarize Written Text Task #1
Passage:
Remote learning has gained substantial popularity and is increasingly being seen as an alternative to traditional schooling, providing flexible access to education regardless of geographical location. However, studies indicate that the quality of education delivered remotely varies widely depending on factors such as internet stability, student engagement, and institutional support. While well-funded institutions are able to provide a smooth learning experience, students from less privileged backgrounds often struggle with connectivity issues and lack of individualized instruction, exacerbating existing inequalities within the education system.
Summarize the text in one sentence.
High Band Score (75-90):
Example:
Even though remote learning has gained popularity as an alternative to traditional education, its efficacy greatly varies due to factors like internet stability, engagement levels, and institutional support, thereby limiting access to quality education for underserved students and exacerbating educational inequality.
Analysis:
- Content: Covers all key points succinctly.
- Form: Single sentence under 75 words.
- Grammar: No grammatical errors, with clear and complex sentence structures.
- Vocabulary: Advanced word choices such as “efficacy,” “underserved” enhance the writing.
- Spelling: No errors.
Mid Band Score (58-74):
Example:
Remote learning is becoming more popular, but its quality is dependent on internet access, student engagement, and institutional resources, often resulting in worse outcomes for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Analysis:
- Content: Relevant, but slightly less detailed than the highest band answer.
- Form: Correct format and word count.
- Grammar: Simple, yet correct grammar, with no sentence complexity.
- Vocabulary: Adequate but not advanced.
- Spelling: No errors.
Low Band Score (50-57):
Example:
Remote education is popular now but the quality depends on the internet and support from schools, which usually affects poor students negatively.
Analysis:
- Content: Misses some key aspects of the passage such as institutional inequalities, leading to insufficient coverage of the content.
- Form: Meets structural requirements.
- Grammar: Simple sentence structure, lacking complexity.
- Vocabulary: Basic word usage.
- Spelling: No errors.
Sample Summarize Written Text Task #2
Passage:
The shift to online education offers the flexibility to learn from anywhere globally, but this shift is accompanied by concerns about the long-term quality of education. Research suggests that virtual classrooms, while convenient, often lack the social interaction and hands-on experiences necessary for deep learning. Furthermore, there are additional concerns that students who rely solely on remote learning experience higher rates of disengagement compared to those attending physical classrooms. As a result, the quality of the education received often depends on individual discipline and institutional support structures.
Summarize the text in one sentence.
High Band Score (75-90):
Example:
While online education offers global flexibility, its quality often suffers due to a lack of social interaction, hands-on learning, and higher disengagement rates, making discipline and strong institutional support crucial for success.
Analysis:
- Content: Strong coverage of all important points in the passage.
- Form: Adheres to the word count and single-sentence requirement.
- Grammar: No grammatical errors, complex yet coherent sentence structure.
- Vocabulary: Strong use of words like “disengagement,” “interaction,” etc.
- Spelling: No errors.
Mid Band Score (58-74):
Example:
Remote education is flexible, but the quality may decrease due to less social interaction, higher disengagement, and dependence on discipline and support from schools.
Analysis:
- Content: Sufficient, but missing some subtleties of the passage.
- Form: Adheres to the format.
- Grammar: Correct but lacks complexity.
- Vocabulary: Satisfactory, but basic vocabulary.
- Spelling: No errors.
Low Band Score (50-57):
Example:
Remote learning is flexible but the quality can suffer without social interaction and good school support.
Analysis:
- Content: Key parts of the passage are either omitted or inappropriately simplified.
- Form: Meets format requirements.
- Grammar: Simple and correct.
- Vocabulary: Very basic vocabulary used.
- Spelling: No errors.
Vocabulary Highlights
Here are 10 advanced vocabulary words from the sample passages, with phonetic transcription and meaning:
-
Disengagement /ˌdɪsɪnˈɡeɪdʒmənt/ (n): The act of withdrawing or detaching from involvement.
- Example: Student disengagement is especially noticeable in online settings.
-
Exacerbate /ɪɡˈzæsərbeɪt/ (v): To make a problem or negative situation worse.
- Example: Poor internet connections exacerbate the challenges of remote learning.
-
Institutional /ˌɪnstɪˈtuːʃənl/ (adj): Relating to an organization, especially educational or governmental.
- Example: Institutional support is essential for the success of online learning systems.
-
Privileges /ˈprɪvəlɪdʒɪz/ (n): Special rights or advantages enjoyed by a particular group.
- Example: Students from privileged backgrounds often have better access to learning tools.
-
Discipline /ˈdɪsəplɪn/ (n): The practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior.
- Example: Success in remote learning often relies heavily on individual discipline.
-
Flexibility /ˌfleksəˈbɪlɪti/ (n): The ability to adapt easily to different conditions.
- Example: One of the main advantages of remote learning is its flexibility.
-
Engagement /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒmənt/ (n): Active involvement or participation.
- Example: Online platforms need to ensure student engagement throughout lessons.
-
Geographical /ˌdʒiːəˈɡræfɪkl/ (adj): Relating to the physical features of an area.
- Example: Remote learning removes geographical barriers to education.
-
Inequality /ˌɪnɪˈkwɒlɪti/ (n): The state of being unequal, especially in status, rights, or opportunities.
- Example: Educational inequality is a persistent issue in regions with poor digital infrastructure.
-
Virtual /ˈvɜːtʃuəl/ (adj): Existing or occurring online.
- Example: Virtual classrooms emulate traditional learning environments digitally.
Conclusion
The Summarize Written Text task in the PTE exam provides an excellent opportunity to show your ability to condense complex information into a single, cohesive sentence. Remote learning and educational quality is an increasingly significant topic, especially in today’s context of online education. Make sure to practice rigorously with similar prompt types and always pay attention to content, word count, grammar, and vocabulary. To further your understanding, check out related topics like Remote learning and educational equity and Online education versus traditional learning to explore the challenges and triumphs of online education in more depth.
