Listening · Question type
PTE Write from Dictation
Write from Dictation plays a short sentence once; you type the sentence as accurately as possible, including spelling and word order.
See it first
Watch Write from Dictation run.
This is the real sequence, sped up: the clock, the audio and the recording window. Press play, then read how to beat it.
Hear a sentence once · type it
What it is
What you actually do.
You hear one sentence and must type it into a box. The sentence is usually short enough to hold in working memory if you chunk it well.
This task is widely treated as high-impact because each correct word can contribute, and it draws on both Listening and Writing skills in integrated fashion. Confirm official mapping with Pearson.
Capitalization and punctuation rules follow the item instructions and scoring model; word sequence and spelling are the core training targets.
How it’s scored
What the computer marks.
Commonly described as word-level credit for correct words in the response (order matters in practice for reconstructing the sentence).
Incorrect extra words may affect scoring depending on the engine. Avoid random insertions.
Spelling must be correct for a word to count in typical coaching models.
Treat detailed point systems on blogs as unofficial unless aligned with Pearson documentation.
How to do it well
The moves that hold up.
Under the clock, these are the habits that keep you calm and on task.
Chunk the sentence into 2–4 meaning units as you listen.
Type content words first if memory is fading, then fill function words (only if that helps you personally); many prefer full left-to-right typing immediately.
Silently repeat the sentence once before typing if a short pause exists.
Check articles, plurals, and prepositions on a second pass.
Keep singular/plural consistent with verbs you typed.
Do not paraphrase; dictation rewards the heard sentence, not a rewrite.
Practice common academic sentence frames (The research suggests that…).
Common mistakes
What costs marks.
Most people lose points the same way. Know these before test day.
Starting to type too late and losing the ending.
Correcting early words endlessly while the memory of later words decays.
Homophone and doubling errors (occurred, necessary, their/there).
Dropping small words (a, the, to, of) that still count.
Giving up when one word is unsure and deleting the whole attempt.
How to practice
Make it automatic.
Volume under exam conditions is what moves the score. Do this, not more reading.
Daily: 15–20 dictation sentences with strict one-play rules.
Log recurring spelling errors and drill those words in isolation.
Wobzzy free unlimited dictation practice is ideal for volume; optional AI tools are secondary to raw accuracy reps.
Keep going
Related tasks.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
Follow on-screen instructions and official guidance. Many students focus first on exact words and spelling; confirm punctuation expectations in Pearson materials.
Practice Write from Dictation free
Unlimited drills with real exam timing. AI scoring is optional when you want feedback.