Question-type guide
WFDListeningWeight 13% Writing:27% Listening:24%
Write From Dictation
You hear a sentence and type it out exactly as spoken; it plays only once.
Format
- 3-4 items
- Sentences range from a few seconds to a dozen or so seconds
- Plays only once
Scoring criteria
- Scored on correctly spelled words; each word only scores if spelled exactly right
Scoring dimensions are condensed and paraphrased from Pearson's official PTE Core scoring guide for readability; refer to the official documentation for the exact wording.
Answering technique
- 1Prioritize content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives); function words like prepositions and articles can be filled in from grammar even if you miss them
- 2Type immediately after it ends, while your short-term memory holds; don't wait to confirm spelling first
- 3Build up familiarity with common function-word combinations and sentence patterns to speed up your overall transcription
- 4When unsure of a spelling, write the most common form — the odds of guessing right beat leaving it blank
Common pitfalls
- Agonizing over one word's spelling and forgetting everything after it
- Leaving it blank
Video walkthrough
From Pearson's official PTE Core YouTube channel.