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How to Prepare for the PTE Essay Writing Task?
The PTE (Pearson Test of English), specifically the essay writing task, needs candidates to write a concise, well-structured essay on a given topic. The essay writing part of the PTE test feels like a hard task for students. The preparation of this test is also a bit tough, as the test has many factors that may negatively impact the score of the candidate.
However, in this article some useful and easy ways are discussed that will be helpful to you in preparing well for the PTE essay task. You must have gotten interested, as everyone wants to score well. So, keep reading this article till the end to find the best ways to prepare well.
5 Ways to Prepare for the PTE Essay Task
1) Understand The PTE Essay Task and Its Requirements
Before you start preparing for the exam, you must fully understand the PTE format and marking criteria. The essay task typically requires the candidate to write 200-300 words within 20 minutes. If you understand the task and requirements of the exam, you can easily tailor your response accordingly and are more likely to score well.
2) Practice Idea Generation
This is a critical skill that has to be sharp for the PTE Essay Task. Most of the topics are taken from current affairs such as society, culture, the environment, pollution, etc. Regular practice of brainstorming ideas will sharpen your skill to think and develop ideas in a limited time.
Some easy tips are listed below that will help you practice idea generation effectively.
Read articles and blogs to familiarize yourself with common affairs and issues.
Use mind-mapping techniques to organize and list your thoughts.
Practice thinking of three key points on a topic for one minute.
For example, if the topic is “Should School Education Be Free for Everyone?” You must be able to think of at least three advantages and three disadvantages of this topic in a minute.
Apart from reading hard documents for idea generation, several online tools are also available that can be used for idea generation. Upon reading the essay, you can get ideas about how the tool has written and organized ideas and what approach it has developed to the topic.
3) Expand Vocabulary and Grammar
A strong command of vocabulary and grammar is important to get the highest score. Keep in mind that strong command does not refer to learning and using complex words. It only means to use varied and precise vocabulary and avoid repeating the same words. Similarly, correct grammar and well-punctuated sentences are also very important. You must take care that all your sentences have correct grammar and punctuation, as it will also enhance clarity of content and avoid any misunderstanding to be conveyed to the examiner.
4) Focus On Cohesion and Coherence
Cohesion and coherence in your essay ensure that your essay flows naturally. Coherence in your essay will ensure that your ideas are organized in a logical manner. Cohesion ensures that your essay has smooth transitions between sentences and paragraphs. If your essay lacks cohesion and has abrupt transitions, it will negatively impact your score.
Some tips are mentioned below to improve these elements and to prepare well for the PTE exam.
Avoid shifting to unrelated information; rather, focus on relevant points and develop them.
Maintain a clear structure like an introduction, body, and conclusion. This structure is simple and easy to manage.
Learn and practice transitional or cohesive words such as however, therefore, moreover, etc.
As an example, if the topic is about “cons of social media,” then you should start with a clear line like, “One of the biggest cons of social media is.” It ensures clarity and coherence in the essay.
5) Keep Your Writing Simple
The examiner is looking for clear and logical sentences. This does not mean that to maintain clarity, you will only write short and simple sentences. You do need to write complex sentences to score better. Avoid writing sentences that are grammatically complicated and long, as most of the candidates make errors when they write in this way. To prepare well for the PTE writing, you must practice the PTE format to attempt the writing question well.
The easy and well-scored way to write PTE essays is shared below.
Keep your introduction clear and concise. 3-4 lines are enough.
Your verdict on the issue should be mentioned in your introduction (but only in opinion articles; in others, just provide a short description as your introduction).
The body of your essay should be at least 2 or 3 paragraphs.
A typical well-written PTE essay may follow this pattern:
Paragraph 1: Introduction
Paragraph 2: Argument 1
Paragraph 3: Argument 2
Paragraph 4: Conclusion
In conclusion, the candidate has two choices: they can summarize both the arguments in paragraphs 2 and 3 or they can say which argument is more convincing in his opinion. Do not copy word for word from the essay, as it can have a bad impact on your score. The most common mistake many candidates make is that they start introducing new ideas in the conclusion, which is a wrong practice and is not to be done whatsoever. Every paragraph must connect to the one before it to keep your PTE essay flowing. This makes it easy for the reader to follow your writing.
Conclusion
Preparing for the PTE Essay Writing Task requires a clear understanding of the exam format and consistent practice. Focus on the generation of relevant ideas, expansion of your vocabulary and grammar, maintaining coherence and cohesion, and following a structured format. Keep your writing simple and clear to avoid mistakes. Remember, practice is key to mastering the essay task and achieving a high score. Stick to the tips provided in this article, and you’ll be well-prepared to score well in your PTE essay.
