PTE Write Essay: Structure, Template & Scoring

How Write Essay works

You receive a prompt — often an opinion, agree/disagree, or discussion question — and write a 200–300 word essay in 20 minutes. You usually face one essay.

A reliable four-paragraph template

1. 1Introduction (≈40 words): paraphrase the prompt and state your clear position.
2. 2Body 1 (≈80 words): your first argument with a reason and a specific example.
3. 3Body 2 (≈80 words): a second argument or the opposing view, again with support.
4. 4Conclusion (≈40 words): restate your position and summarise your reasons.

How Write Essay is scored

• Content — relevant, developed ideas that directly address the prompt.
• Form — staying within 200–300 words; outside this range, form scores zero.
• Development, structure & coherence — clear paragraphs and logical flow with linking words.
• Grammar — correct, varied sentence structures.
• Vocabulary / linguistic range — precise, varied word choice (not rare 'big' words).
• Spelling — consistent and correct throughout.

Because form is pass/fail on word count, always land between 200 and 300 words — aim for around 250. Leave two minutes to proofread grammar and spelling, both of which are scored directly.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Going under 200 or over 300 words, which zeros your form score.
• Failing to take a clear position or answer the actual question.
• Writing one long block instead of clear introduction, body, and conclusion paragraphs.
• Using memorised, generic sentences that do not fit the prompt.
• Running out of time before proofreading for spelling and grammar.