PTE Core Write Email
Write Email gives you a prompt of up to 100 words describing a real-world scenario, usually with bullet points you must address, and asks you to write a reply. You get 9 minutes per item, covering reading, planning, and writing together, and you will see 2 to 3 of these items on test day. Your response earns full Form marks between 50 and 120 words, though the task itself tells you to aim for at least 100.
At a glance
| Detail | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Items on your test | 2 to 3 |
| Time per item | 9 minutes, covering reading, planning, and writing together |
| Prompt length | Up to 100 words |
| Response length for full marks (Form) | 50 to 120 words |
| On-screen guidance | Aim to write at least 100 words |
| Skills scored | Writing |
| Scoring method | Partial credit, reported on the 10 to 90 scale |
How it is scored
Pearson scores Write Email on seven official traits: Content, Email Conventions, Form, Organization, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Spelling. Content measures whether you addressed every bullet point in the prompt, not just the general topic. Email Conventions measures whether your greeting, sign-off, and tone match the situation described. Form measures whether your response falls in the 50 to 120 word band that earns full marks. Organization measures whether your paragraphing and structure make the email easy to follow. Vocabulary, Grammar, and Spelling measure the accuracy and range of your language. Your Writing score, like every other communicative skill, is reported on a 10 to 90 scale, and every trait uses partial credit.
If you are comparing your practice scores against the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) used for Express Entry, Pearson's Score Guide publishes an alignment table. On that table, a Writing score of 88 to 89 aligns with CLB 9, 79 to 87 aligns with CLB 8, and 69 to 78 aligns with CLB 7. That table is published by Pearson, not IRCC, so use it as a planning guide and check the IRCC website for the current official requirements for your program before you rely on it.
When you grade a practice email with Exam Hero's AI Coach, the feedback covers the same seven traits Pearson uses for this task. Content, Email Conventions, Organization, Vocabulary, and Grammar are judged against Pearson's own band descriptors, and Form and Spelling are calculated directly from your response rather than estimated, so the word count and spelling parts of your score are exact. That means the feedback tells you not only where your sentences need work but whether you actually covered every bullet in the prompt, which is what Content is measuring.
The method
- Read the prompt once for the scenario, then again to find every bullet point you are told to cover. Count them; this is your paragraph count.
- Note the relationship between you and the recipient, such as a landlord, a colleague, or a stranger at a company, and choose a tone and greeting that fit it before you start writing.
- Open with a short paragraph that greets the reader and states why you are writing, in one or two sentences.
- Give each bullet point from the prompt its own paragraph. Answer it directly in the first sentence of that paragraph, then add one supporting detail or reason.
- Close with a short paragraph that wraps up the request or message, plus a sign-off that matches the tone you opened with.
- Check your word count against the 50 to 120 word band, then reread once for grammar, spelling, and any missed bullet point.
A reusable paragraph-by-paragraph structure, keyed to the prompt's bullet points: Paragraph 1, greeting plus reason for writing. Paragraph 2, response to bullet point 1. Paragraph 3, response to bullet point 2. Paragraph 4 (only if the prompt has a third bullet point), response to bullet point 3. Final paragraph, closing line plus sign-off. This shape gives every bullet point its own paragraph, which is exactly what the Organization trait is checking for.
Worked example
Prompt: "You recently bought a laptop from an online electronics store. The laptop arrived with a cracked screen. Write an email to the store's customer service team. In your email: describe the problem with the laptop, explain what you would like the store to do about it, ask how long the process will take."
Model answer: "Dear Customer Service Team, I am writing about a laptop I ordered from your store last week, order number 48213. When the package arrived, I opened it to find the screen was cracked across the top corner, and the laptop would not turn on. Given the damage, I would like to request a full replacement rather than a repair, since the crack suggests the unit was damaged before it reached me. Could you also confirm how long the replacement process usually takes, as I need a working laptop within the next two weeks? I have attached photos of the damage to support this request. I look forward to your reply. Best regards, Jordan Lee" (114 words)
Why this scores around 85: it opens with a clear greeting and reason for writing, gives each bullet point (the problem, the requested fix, the timeline question) its own clearly signposted sentence, closes with a sign-off that matches a formal customer service tone, and lands inside the 50 to 120 word band close to the recommended 100 words. Content and Organization are both strong because every bullet point gets a direct answer instead of a vague mention.
Common mistakes
- Missing one of the prompt's bullet points. This is the single biggest score killer on this task, since Content is scored against the full prompt, not the general topic. Count the bullet points before you write and check them off as you go.
- Writing far under 50 or over 120 words. Both ends cost you Form marks, and the prompt's own guidance is to aim for at least 100. Keep a rough word count running as you type.
- Mismatching the tone to the recipient. Opening "Hey there!" to a bank's complaints department, or "Dear Sir or Madam" to a close friend, works against Email Conventions. Match your greeting and sign-off to who is reading it.
- Writing one long paragraph instead of several short ones. A wall of text is hard to follow and costs Organization marks even when the content is correct. Give each bullet point its own paragraph.
- Restating the prompt instead of responding to it. Repeating that your laptop arrived broken three different ways does not answer what the store should do about it. Move from stating the problem to asking for a specific action.
- Skipping the final proofread. Spelling and Grammar are both separately scored traits on this task. Save the last minute of your 9 minutes to reread, not to keep adding sentences.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have for PTE Core Write Email?
You have 9 minutes per item, covering reading the prompt, planning, and writing your response together.
How many words should a PTE Core email be?
Your response earns full Form marks between 50 and 120 words, and the task itself instructs you to aim for at least 100 words.
What traits does PTE Core score in Write Email?
Pearson scores seven official traits: Content, Email Conventions, Form, Organization, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Spelling.
How many Write Email questions are on the PTE Core test?
You will see 2 to 3 items in your test.
Does Write Email affect my Reading score too?
No, unlike Summarize Written Text, Write Email is scored only toward your Writing score.
Practice Write Email now
The paragraph structure above only earns marks once you have written it under real time pressure. Try a live scenario in the Write Email question bank, then get instant feedback on your draft. If you also need to sharpen the one-sentence version of this skill, see the companion guide to PTE Core Summarize Written Text.