PTE Summarize Written Text: Tips and Tricks (2025 UPDATED Strategies)
NEW Summarize Written Text Tips and Tricks
So you’re here for the summarize written text tips and tricks – that’s exactly what you’ll master in this article!
We’re sharing the most effective PTE Summarize Written Text (SWT) strategies that have helped thousands of students boost their PTE scores in 2025.
What most people don’t know is that this question doesn’t just give you points in writing – but it also gives you points in READING!
To improve your reading score further, read this post.
These proven PTE SWT tips and tricks will transform how you approach this critical task that contributes to both your reading and writing scores.
Let’s dive into the updated method that actually works with the NEW 2025 PTE changes.
Why Most Students Fail in PTE Summarize Written Text (without realizing it)
Before we teach you the winning strategy, here’s why 90% of students are getting this wrong.
The biggest mistake? They’re still using the old 2024 method that doesn’t work anymore.
In 2024, you could copy 90% of the text word-for-word and still get decent marks. OR you could join together 3 sentences (1 from the start, 1 from the middle, and 1 from the end) – and put a full stop – DON’T DO THIS ANYMORE!
But in 2025, PTE’s AI and the human assessors will detect this lazy approach. So you need to follow the 60/40 rule: 60% original keywords, 40% smart paraphrasing.

Your New 2025 PTE SWT Strategy
Here’s my proven method for PTE summarize written text that gets results every time:
- M – Main ideas (first 2 and last 2 sentences)
- A – Avoid examples, processes, and quotes
- I – Include keywords (60% original)
- N – Natural paraphrasing (40% changed)
Step 1: Identify What Matters (The Elimination Technique)
Start with the elimination technique – that alone will improve your scores immediately. Then work on the 2025 paraphrasing strategy. Remember, we’re not trying to write beautiful English here. We’re trying to give the computer exactly what it wants to see.
The 2025 changes have made PTE writing slightly more challenging, but if you understand the system like I’ve explained, you’ll still find it’s the easiest section on the exam. Just remember: 60% original keywords, 40% smart paraphrasing, proper structure, and you’re golden.
Step 2: Focus on First 2 and Last 2 Sentences
The key content is usually in the first 2 sentences (introduction) and last 2 sentences (conclusion). The middle often contains examples, processes, or supporting details that you should eliminate.
Step 3: Eliminate the Fluff
Remove these content killers:
- โข Examples – “For example”, “such as”, “like”
- โข Processes – Step-by-step explanations
- โข Quotes – Direct speech or citations
- โข Statistics – Specific numbers and percentages
- โข Names and dates – Unless they’re the main topic
Step 4: Apply the 2025 Paraphrasing Rule (60/40 Method)
Here’s where the 2025 changes matter most. You need to paraphrase about 40% of the common words while keeping 60% of the important keywords intact.
What TO paraphrase (the 40%):
- โข Common verbs: “shows” โ “demonstrates”, “helps” โ “assists”, “uses” โ “employs”
- โข Simple adjectives: “important” โ “significant”, “big” โ “substantial”, “good” โ “effective”
- โข Basic nouns: “study” โ “research”, “people” โ “individuals”, “way” โ “method”
- โข Connecting phrases: “because of” โ “due to”, “also” โ “furthermore”
What NOT to paraphrase:
- โข Technical terms – Keep scientific words, proper nouns, specific terminology
- โข Numbers and statistics – Don’t change these
- โข Key subject matter – The main topic words should stay the same
Step 5: Connecting Words (Your Secret Weapon)
You’ll need connecting words to link different parts of the text. Use these:
- โข Addition: and, also, furthermore, moreover, additionally
- โข Contrast: however, but, although, while, whereas
- โข Cause/Effect: therefore, thus, hence, consequently, as a result
- โข Similarity: likewise, similarly, in the same way
A good ratio: if you have 60 words total, about 6-8 should be connecting words.
Real Example: How to Apply the 2025 Method
Let me show you exactly how this works with a real example using these summarize written text PTE tips and tricks.
Original text excerpt: “The research shows that many different types of fish can communicate with each other effectively. For example, dolphins use sonar systems, while blue marlins use visual signals…”
Old method (doesn’t work in 2025): Copy 90% word-for-word OR combine 3 sentences together
New 2025 method:
- โข Step 1: Identify key content: “research shows”, “fish communicate effectively”
- โข Step 2: Eliminate examples: Skip the dolphins and marlins part
- โข Step 3: Paraphrase 40%: “research” โ “studies”, “shows” โ “demonstrate”, “effectively” โ “successfully”
- โข Step 4: Result: “Studies demonstrate that various fish species communicate successfully…”
Common Mistakes That Kill Your PTE SWT Score
I’ve seen every possible way students mess this up. Don’t be one of them:
- โข Writing multiple sentences – It must be ONE sentence only
- โข Copying too much in 2025 – The AI will catch you now
- โข Paraphrasing everything – You’ll lose the keywords and get zero reading marks
- โข Writing 20 words or 75 words – Stay in the 45-65 range
- โข Changing the order – Keep the same sequence as the original text
- โข Including examples and quotes – These are mark killers
Time Management: How to Use Your 10 Minutes
You get 10 minutes for each PTE summarize written text question, and it’s individually timed. Here’s how to use it:
- Minutes 1-3: Read the text, eliminate unnecessary parts (mentally ignore useless info)
- Minutes 4-6: Select key points from first 2, last 2, and middle sentences
- Minutes 7-8: Write your summary, applying the 40% paraphrasing rule
- Minutes 9-10: Proofread for spelling, punctuation, and word count
Even if you finish early, don’t click next. Use the extra time to double-check everything. I’ve seen students copy words word-for-word and still make spelling mistakes – that’s inexcusable.
Practice Strategy: How to Master This Quickly
Here’s your homework to nail PTE writing summary:
First few practice questions: foundation
- Do 1-2 exercises first to get an overall idea of what you’re doing
- Practice eliminating unnecessary content (examples, processes, quotes)
- Focus on identifying first 2, last 2, and key middle sentences
- Master the 55-65 word count range
Next few questions: 2025 paraphrasing
- Start writing out the main ideas as is, but afterwards…
- Practice the 60/40 rule – keep keywords, paraphrase common words
- Build your vocabulary of academic synonyms
- Time yourself doing complete summaries in 10 minutes
Advanced PTE SWT Tips and Tricks for 79+ Score
These advanced PTE SWT tips and tricks are what separate good students from great ones:
- Use academic vocabulary – Replace simple words with academic alternatives when paraphrasing
- Master complex sentence structures – Use subordinate clauses to pack more information
- Practice with different text types – Science, business, social issues, technology
- Time your elimination process – Get faster at spotting what to skip
- Build a paraphrasing vocabulary bank – Keep a list of common word substitutions
Why This Method Gets You 79+ Every Time
Look, nobody can guarantee you a 90 score. But I can promise you that if you follow this PTE SWT method exactly, you’ll get massive score boosts in both reading and writing.
The reason this works is simple: we’re giving the computer exactly what it wants. We’re including the important keywords for reading marks, we’re staying within the format for writing marks, and we’re paraphrasing just enough to avoid the 2025 plagiarism detection.
Remember, PTE summarize written text contributes to both your reading and writing scores. I’ve had students who were failing reading suddenly jump 10+ points just by fixing this one task.
Ready to Master PTE Summarize Written Text?
Want to master every aspect of the PTE exam with methods that actually work? Join our comprehensive PTE coaching program where I personally teach you all the strategies that have helped thousands of students achieve their target scores. No fluff, no theory – just practical methods that get results.
These summarize written text tips and tricks are just the beginning. When you’re ready to take your PTE preparation to the next level and guarantee your success, we’re here to help you achieve your dreams.
Good luck with your PTE preparation,
Alex ๐
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