In Write from Dictation, you hear a short sentence of 3 to 5 seconds once and type it exactly. It is the last task in the test and usually appears 3 or 4 times. Every correctly spelled word earns a mark for both Listening and Writing: by Pearson's question weightings, it is 13% of your Listening score and 23% of your Writing score. That makes it one of the highest-value tasks for its size, and our class priority guide lists it among the most important tasks to practise.
How Write from Dictation is marked
- You get one point for each correct word, spelled correctly.
- Word order does not reduce your score, but writing in order helps you check.
- Missing words, extra words and misspellings simply do not score.
- Capital letters and punctuation are not penalised.
Because there is no penalty for a wrong guess, never leave a word out if you have a reasonable idea of what it was.
The first-letter trick
While the audio plays, type or write the first letter of each word, then complete the sentence immediately. For "Several factors influenced the outcome of the recent survey", you would note: *S f i t o o t r s*. The letters hold the sentence in your memory long enough to type it fully.
Spelling and grammar checks before you move on
- Plurals: did the speaker say "students" or "student"? Check the grammar of the sentence.
- Verb endings: "-ed" and "-s" endings are often swallowed in fast speech. Let the grammar guide you.
- Common academic words: practise spelling words like *environment, government, accommodation, necessary, research, analysis, significant*.
- Articles: "a", "an" and "the" are easy to miss and are full marks each.
A 15-minute daily practice method
- 5 minutes: dictation from short academic sentences, using the first-letter trick.
- 5 minutes: check every error and add it to your personal spelling list.
- 5 minutes: type your spelling list words from memory.
Twenty words you personally get wrong are worth more than a thousand-word list you will never need. Our Resources page also has free Write from Dictation prediction practice.
Common mistakes
- Typing slowly while trying to spell perfectly, then forgetting the rest of the sentence.
- Leaving gaps instead of guessing.
- Submitting without reading the sentence back for grammar.
- Missing small words like "the", "of" and "to".
Frequently asked questions
How many Write from Dictation questions are in PTE?
Usually 3 or 4, at the end of the Listening part.
Does spelling count in Write from Dictation?
Yes. A misspelled word scores zero for that word. American and British spellings are both accepted, but be consistent.
Is there negative marking in Write from Dictation?
No. Extra or wrong words simply do not score, so always make your best guess.
Losing marks on spelling or memory? Our tutors build a personal practice plan for you. See courses or message us on WhatsApp. Also read our Repeat Sentence tips.