PTE Academic · Guides · October 24, 2026 · 7 min read

PTE Write Essay: word limit, scoring criteria, structure and sample (2026)

In PTE Write Essay you get a prompt of two or three sentences and have 20 minutes to write an argumentative essay of 200 to 300 words. Stay inside that range: an essay far outside it can score nothing at all. Within the range, marks come from answering the actual question, organizing your ideas clearly and writing accurate English. A plain four-paragraph essay of about 250 words that does this beats a longer one full of memorized phrases.

What the task looks like

Prompts come in a few familiar kinds: agree or disagree, discuss both views, advantages and disadvantages, problem and solution, or your opinion on a question. There is a word counter on screen; there is no spell-checker.

Scoring criteria

Write Essay is scored on seven traits:

Prep sites disagree on the exact points for each trait, so we do not quote them. On length: a much shorter or much longer essay scores zero; by descriptions of the scoring, that happens below 120 or above 380 words, but the safe target is simply 200–300. Since 2025 Pearson says some answers are also reviewed by human experts, and templates and memorized text lose content marks.

A four-paragraph structure

This is the shape most PTE essays fit, at about 250 words:

For a “discuss both views” prompt, give one body paragraph to each view and your opinion in the introduction and conclusion. For problem and solution, one paragraph each.

A worked example

Here is a practice task from Nomto:

Some people believe that every secondary school should teach students how to cook simple, healthy meals, just as it teaches maths and science. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Support your opinion with reasons and examples.

Ideas a relevant essay could develop: cooking as a life skill that saves money and supports independence; better diet and long-term health; the pressure on an already full timetable; whether families are better placed to teach it; cooking as a practical way to learn maths, science and teamwork. You do not need all of them. Choose a position and the two ideas you can explain best.

A sample essay (239 words), written for this article to show the structure:

Many teenagers leave school able to solve equations but unable to prepare a basic meal. For this reason, I largely agree that cooking should be part of the secondary school curriculum, although it does not need the same amount of time as core academic subjects.

The main argument for cooking lessons is that they teach a skill everyone uses for life. Young people who can cook simple dishes are less dependent on takeaway food, which is usually more expensive and less healthy. When students move away from home for university or work, this knowledge helps them manage both their budget and their diet. A weekly lesson in which they learn to make soups, salads or pasta dishes could have a lasting effect on their health.

Critics argue that the timetable is already full and that cooking is the responsibility of families. It is true that schools must prioritize exams, and some parents do teach their children at home. However, many families have little time to cook together, so school may be the only place where some students learn. Moreover, cooking lessons need not compete with academic subjects, since measuring ingredients involves maths and understanding food safety involves science.

In conclusion, I believe secondary schools should offer practical cooking classes, even if only for one hour a week. The skills students gain would support their independence and health long after they have forgotten much of what they memorized for exams.

What it does well: the position is clear in the first paragraph and repeated, not copied, in the last; each body paragraph has one job; the second body paragraph answers the opposing view instead of ignoring it; the linkers (for this reason, however, moreover, in conclusion) are few and used correctly.

How to spend the 20 minutes

Tips for Write Essay

1. Answer the exact question. “To what extent do you agree” needs a position. “Discuss both views” needs both.
2. Paraphrase the prompt; do not copy it. Copied phrases add words without adding your language.
3. One main idea per body paragraph, then explain it and give an example.
4. Use a few linkers well rather than many mechanically: however, for example, as a result, moreover, in conclusion.
5. Mix sentence types. Some short, some with “although”, “which” or “if”; this is what linguistic range rewards.
6. Aim for 230–280 words. It leaves a safe margin on both sides of the limit.
7. Save time for spelling. There is no spell-checker, and spelling is its own trait. Choose one spelling convention, US or British, and stay with it.
8. Use examples you can describe simply. A clear everyday example is worth more than an invented statistic.

Common mistakes

• Going off topic. Writing about healthy eating in general instead of whether schools should teach cooking.
• No clear position. An essay that lists points for and against without deciding.
• Under 200 or over 300 words. An easy way to lose marks; far outside the range, the whole essay can score zero.
• Memorized sentences. “In this contemporary era, the issue of… has become a burning question” says nothing and is easy to spot.
• Overlong paragraphs. One paragraph of 200 words hides your structure.
• No time to check. Small errors in agreement, articles and plurals add up across 250 words.

A word on templates

Essay templates promise a high score by filling slots: a fixed introduction, “Firstly… Secondly…”, a fixed conclusion. They tend to produce 80–100 words that do not answer the question, and with human review in place they are the kind of text that loses content marks. Learn a structure, not sentences. If you want fixed phrases, keep them to two or three:

• “I largely agree / disagree that…, because…”
• “Critics argue that…; however,…”
• “In conclusion,…”

Common questions

What is the word limit for PTE Write Essay? 200–300 words.

What happens if my essay is under 200 or over 300 words? You lose marks for form. An essay far outside the range can score zero on every trait; by descriptions of the scoring, the cut-offs are below 120 and above 380 words.

How many paragraphs should a PTE essay have? Four works for most prompts: introduction, two body paragraphs, conclusion.

What are the scoring criteria for Write Essay? Content; development, structure and coherence; form; general linguistic range; grammar; vocabulary range; spelling.

Is there a template for PTE essays? Use a structure and two or three adaptable phrases. A memorized essay frame scores poorly for content.

Practise it in the Nomto trainer

The Write Essay trainer gives you a prompt, a 20-minute timer and a word counter, as on the test. Your essay gets feedback on each trait, from content and structure to grammar, vocabulary and spelling, with an approximate estimate on the 10–90 scale. The other written tasks are Summarize Written Text and Summarize Spoken Text; for the whole test, use the mock tests and the plan in how to prepare for PTE.

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