PTE Summarize Written Text: Youth Unemployment and Mental Health

In the PTE exam, Summarize Written Text is an integral part of the Speaking and Writing sections. A wide array of potential topics, including socioeconomic issues, are common in this section. One of the recurring topics seen in recent PTE tests is “Youth Unemployment And Mental Health.” Understanding how to condense information effectively around such topics while adhering to the exam’s word-count constraints is a key skill for success.

In this article, we offer sample questions and model answers focused on youth unemployment and its impact on mental health. These samples are designed to familiarize you with the format and enhance your skills.

Sample Summarize Written Text Task 1: Youth Unemployment and Mental Health

Task:
Read the following passage and summarize it in one sentence. The sentence should be between 5 and 75 words.

Passage:
Youth unemployment is a growing issue globally, particularly in developed nations. Without gainful employment, many young people suffer from prolonged financial stress, which often leads to anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges. Studies show that unemployment among youth not only burdens families but also escalates healthcare costs due to increased mental health interventions. The longer the unemployment continues, the greater the risk of chronic mental health conditions developing over time.

Summarize the text in one sentence.

Model Answers:

Band 90:
Young people who remain unemployed for long periods experience financial stress and are at a higher risk of developing chronic mental health issues, which in turn increases the need for healthcare interventions and places additional pressure on their families.

• Content: Comprehensive coverage of all main points, including financial stress, chronic mental health risks, and healthcare impacts.
• Form: Perfect sentence structure and word count (53 words).
• Grammar: Flawless, well-utilized complex sentence structure.
• Vocabulary: Advanced use of key terms like “chronic mental health issues” and “healthcare interventions.”
• Spelling: No errors.

Band 75:
Extended unemployment among young people leads to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, which not only affects them individually but also puts strain on families and healthcare systems.

• Content: Adequate understanding of the main points, though it lacks some specificity regarding time and escalating healthcare costs.
• Form: Fitting sentence structure and word count (40 words).
• Grammar: Strong use of conjunctions like “and,” although less varied.
• Vocabulary: Sufficient use of basic relevant terms, fewer complex expressions.
• Spelling: No errors.

Band 65:
Youth unemployment can cause financial problems and mental health issues that affect families and increase healthcare costs.

• Content: Basic summary, missing specific details such as chronic conditions and prolonged unemployment.
• Form: Sentence adheres to the word requirement (18 words), but it’s too brief to convey all important points.
• Grammar: Simple sentence, detracting from overall coherence.
• Vocabulary: Limited, general words like “problems” instead of more precise terminology.
• Spelling: No errors.

Sample Summarize Written Text Task 2: Impact of Joblessness on Youth

Task:
Read the following passage and summarize it in one sentence. The sentence should be between 5 and 75 words.

Passage:
In many nations, particularly in regions experiencing economic downturns, young people face severe unemployment rates. Adolescents and young adults who struggle to find work often feel a sense of helplessness, leading to mental health issues, including low self-esteem and depression. The longer they are out of the job market, the harder it becomes for them to reintegrate, creating a vicious cycle of exclusion and mental health degradation.

Summarize the text in one sentence.

Model Answers:

Band 85:
Youth facing prolonged unemployment are likely to experience declining mental health, including lower self-esteem and depression, which makes re-entering the workforce challenging and perpetuates a cycle of exclusion.

• Content: Covers all critical points: joblessness, mental health effects, and workforce reintegration challenges.
• Form: Well-structured and concise (40 words).
• Grammar: Clear, with correct use of complex transition phrases.
• Vocabulary: Includes precise terms like “perpetuates a cycle of exclusion” and “reintegration.”
• Spelling: No errors.

Band 70:
Youth unemployment leads to various mental health problems and makes it harder for them to return to work, causing them to feel excluded.

• Content: Covers the key ideas but lacks detail on the continuous nature and severity of mental health decline.
• Form: Shorter but still valid (27 words).
• Grammar: Simple but clear.
• Vocabulary: Contains essential words but lacks some complexity.
• Spelling: No errors.

Band 60:
When young people are unemployed, they struggle with mental health issues and reintegrating into the workforce.

• Content: Captures the general theme but misses important details about the cycle of exclusion and specific mental health challenges.
• Form: Too brief (16 words) and lacks depth.
• Grammar: Limited complexity in sentence structure.
• Vocabulary: Very basic.
• Spelling: No errors.

Vocabulary and Grammar

For both tasks, here are some of the advanced vocabulary potentially unfamiliar to intermediate learners:

1. Gainful /ˈɡeɪn.fəl/ (adj.) – Profitable or beneficial, especially in reference to employment.
   Example: He found gainful employment soon after graduation.

2. Prolonged /prəˈlɒŋd/ (adj.) – Continuing for a long period of time.
   Example: Prolonged unemployment can severely harm mental health.

3. Adolescents /ˌæd.əˈles.ənts/ (n.) – Young people in the phase of life between childhood and adulthood.
   Example: Adolescents face unique challenges in the modern job market.

4. Anxiety /æŋˈzaɪ.ə.ti/ (n.) – A feeling of worry or nervousness.
   Example: Many unemployed youth experience severe anxiety.

5. Helplessness /ˈhɛlp.ləs.nəs/ (n.) – A state of feeling powerless.
   Example: Long-term unemployment may lead to feelings of helplessness.

6. Low self-esteem /loʊ sɛlf- ɛˈstim/ (phrase) – A poor opinion of oneself.
   Example: Youth unemployment contributes to low self-esteem.

7. Depression /dɪˈpreʃ.ən/ (n.) – A serious mental health condition characterized by persistent sadness.
   Example: Unemployment-related depression is a growing concern.

8. Exclusion /ɪkˈskluː.ʒən/ (n.) – The act of keeping someone out or apart from a group or activity.
   Example: Economic exclusion leads to long-term societal problems.

9. Reintegration /ˌriː.ɪn.tɪˈɡreɪ.ʃən/ (n.) – The process of returning into a role or community after a significant period away.
   Example: Reintegration into the workforce is difficult for long-term unemployed youth.

10. Vicious cycle /ˈvɪʃ.əs ˈsaɪ.kəl/ (phrase) – A sequence of negative events that reinforce each other, making the situation progressively worse.
    Example: The vicious cycle of mental health decline and exclusion needs systemic intervention.

Conclusion

Summarizing texts on current and impactful topics, such as “Youth Unemployment and Mental Health,” gives a genuine sense of the academic writing required in PTE. Not only does this exercise improve comprehension, but it also trains candidates to think critically and reflect on broader social issues. Through regular practice, using these model answers as reference points, PTE candidates enhance their chances of scoring higher in the Summarize Written Text task.