Write from Dictation: the best-value task in PTE
If you only have time to drill one PTE task, drill this one. Write from Dictation feeds both your Listening and Writing scores, the marking is entirely objective, and it simultaneously trains your spelling, grammar and short-term memory. It is the closest thing the exam has to free points.
Why it is worth so much
The task is simple: you hear one sentence, once, and type it exactly. Marks are awarded per correct word, so partial credit is real — every word you recover counts.
Because scores are pooled across skills, the points flow into Listening and Writing together. And unlike essay writing, there is no subjective judgement involved: the words are either right or they are not.
A memory method that works
Most people fail this task by trying to type while listening. Do not. Listen to the whole sentence first with your hands still.
As you listen, hold the sentence as a sequence of meaning chunks rather than individual words — typically three or four chunks. Immediately the audio ends, type the chunks in order, then reread and fix the grammar. Chunking is what lets you hold a fifteen-word sentence you could not otherwise remember.
- Listen once, completely, without typing
- Hold the sentence as 3–4 meaning chunks
- Type the chunks in order the moment audio ends
- Reread for spelling, plurals and verb endings
- Never leave a blank — a partly-correct sentence still earns marks
Spelling is part of the score
A word spelled wrongly is a word lost, so this task quietly doubles as spelling practice.
Keep a running list of the words you personally get wrong — academic vocabulary like "significant", "environment", "acknowledge", "phenomenon" — and review it weekly. Your own error list is far more useful than a generic word list.
How to practise it daily
Ten sentences a day is enough, and it takes under ten minutes. Consistency matters far more than volume because you are training recall speed.
Track your per-word accuracy rather than whether the sentence was perfect. Watching that percentage climb is both a better signal and more motivating than a pass/fail count.
Common mistakes to avoid
Typing while listening — it splits your attention and you lose the end of the sentence. Guessing wildly at an unheard word instead of writing the words you did hear. Ignoring the final consonants, so plurals and past tenses disappear.
Also: do not skip rereading. Most lost marks in this task are things the candidate actually heard correctly and typed carelessly.
Common questions
How many Write from Dictation questions are in PTE?
The exact number varies by test version, but it is one of the most heavily weighted listening tasks and contributes to your Writing score too.
Do I get marks for a partially correct dictation answer?
Yes. Marks are awarded per correct word, so writing the words you did catch is always better than leaving it blank.
Does spelling matter in Write from Dictation?
Yes — a misspelled word is a lost mark. Keep a personal list of the words you actually get wrong and review it weekly.
How should I practise Write from Dictation?
Ten sentences a day, under ten minutes. Listen to the whole sentence without typing, hold it as three or four chunks, then type and reread for plurals and verb endings.
Practise Write from Dictation free
Practise any task and get scored the way the real engine scores you — with the exact words that cost you marks. Free to start, no card needed.
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