The PTE Writing section often feels tricky for many test-takers. While it might seem simple — just summarizing a text and writing an essay — even small mistakes can cause your score to drop significantly.
If you’re aiming for a 79+ score, it’s important to know what not to do. Let’s explore the most common mistakes students make in PTE Writing — and how to avoid them!
🔹 1️⃣ Ignoring the Word Limit
One of the biggest and most common mistakes is not following the word count requirement.
- Summarize Written Text: You must write one sentence between 5–75 words.
- Essay Writing: The word limit is 200–300 words.
Writing too few or too many words can lead to automatic score deductions.
✅ Tip: Practice writing within the limit — aim for around 250 words for essays and 40–60 words for summaries.
🔹 2️⃣ Overusing Complex Vocabulary
Many students believe that using “fancy” or rare words will impress the AI. But in PTE, clarity is more important than complexity.
Using unfamiliar or misused words can make your writing confusing or unnatural.
✅ Tip: Use clear, academic vocabulary and avoid memorized phrases.
Example: Instead of “ameliorate the complications,” say “improve the situation.”
🔹 3️⃣ Ignoring Sentence Structure
Good sentence structure is the foundation of high-scoring writing. Some students write long, unorganized sentences or forget punctuation marks.
✅ Tip: Combine simple, compound, and complex sentences.
Example:
❌ “People like technology it is helpful it saves time.”
✅ “People like technology because it is helpful and saves time.”
🔹 4️⃣ Failing to Plan Before Writing
Jumping straight into writing without organizing your thoughts can lead to poor structure and off-topic responses.
✅ Tip: Spend the first 2–3 minutes planning your ideas.
Outline your essay as:
Introduction → Two body paragraphs → Conclusion.
This helps your writing stay logical, balanced, and relevant.
🔹 5️⃣ Grammatical and Spelling Errors
The PTE exam is scored by AI — which means every small grammar and spelling error is detected.
Common errors include:
- Wrong verb tenses
- Missing articles (a, an, the)
- Subject-verb disagreement
- Misspelled common words
✅ Tip: Always leave 30 seconds at the end to quickly proofread your writing before submitting.
🔹 6️⃣ Writing Like a “Story” Instead of an Essay
Many students start writing essays like they’re telling a personal story. PTE essays require a formal, academic tone, not a narrative style.
✅ Tip: Avoid personal phrases like “I think,” “In my opinion,” or “Once upon a time.”
Use objective connectors such as:
- Moreover, Furthermore, In addition, On the other hand, Therefore.
🔹 7️⃣ Not Using Linking Words Properly
Coherence and cohesion are key scoring factors. Without proper linking words, your ideas may appear disconnected.
✅ Tip: Use logical connectors:
- For example, for illustration, for instance
- Contrast: however, although, whereas
- Result: therefore, consequently, as a result
🔹 8️⃣ Copying from the Prompt
Never copy phrases directly from the question or text. The AI system recognizes repetition and penalizes copied content.
✅ Tip: Always paraphrase the question in your own words using synonyms and restructured sentences.
💡 Bonus Tip: Practice Typing!
Since the PTE exam is fully computer-based, slow typing speed can reduce your time for proofreading.
✅ Tip: Practice typing essays regularly to build speed and accuracy. Aim for 35–40 words per minute comfortably.
🧭 Final Thoughts
Avoiding these common mistakes can instantly boost your PTE Writing score. Focus on clarity, structure, and accuracy rather than memorizing templates.
With daily practice and expert feedback, scoring 79+ in PTE Writing is completely achievable!
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