PTE Write From Dictation: a practical guide

Write From Dictation (WFD) is a short task with outsized value: you hear a sentence once, then type it with correct spelling and grammar. It sits at the intersection of listening and writing, and it rewards careful attention to endings, articles, and plurals.

What “good” looks like

A strong response is the full sentence, in order, with standard spelling and punctuation that does not change meaning. You are not rewriting in your own words. If you are unsure of a function word, still aim to keep the clause structure intact rather than dropping half the line.

While the audio plays

• Type along if you can do so without falling behind. Many people capture the start, then complete from memory.
• If you only listen first, hold the sentence as chunks (same idea as Repeat Sentence) and type immediately after.
• Do not replay in your head so long that the sentence evaporates. Commit something to the box quickly, then edit.

The 10-second edit

Before you submit, run a fixed checklist. It is faster than rereading aimlessly.

1. Subject–verb agreement and simple tense endings (-s, -ed).
2. Plural -s and possessive forms you might have dropped.
3. Articles (a/an/the) and prepositions that carry meaning.
4. Capital letter at the start and a final full stop if that matches what you heard.
5. Homophones (their/there, effect/affect) when the context is clear.

Study habits that transfer

• Keep a personal error list of words you misspell under time pressure, not a giant vocabulary dump.
• Practise on a full keyboard the way you will on test day; phone typing trains the wrong muscle memory.
• Pair WFD with Repeat Sentence on the same day: one oral, one typed, same memory skill.