Sample answers · Write Email
PTE Core Write Email · Writing section
PTE Core onlyPTE Core Write Email sample – Band 79.
A worked Write Email: a realistic workplace prompt (an architecture firm floor plan review with a scheduling conflict), the 4-part email skeleton a Band 79 candidate uses, a 115-word email, and a full trait breakdown across all seven scored traits. Write Email is a PTE Core task, not on PTE Academic – PTE Academic uses Write Essay instead.
Last verified 17 July 2026 · Written for PTE Core current format · Verified against Pearson's PTE Core Test Taker Score Guide.
The prompt
Feedback on a floor plan draft with a scheduling conflict
Workplace scenario · 3 explicit tasks · 9 minutes · 80 to 120 word target.
You work at a small architecture firm. Your project manager, Priya, sent you a draft floor plan for a client review and asked for your feedback by Friday. You have spotted three issues but you will be travelling on Thursday and Friday. Write an email to Priya that: (1) apologises for the delay in sending full written feedback, (2) shares your initial thoughts on the three issues now, and (3) offers to join a call on Monday morning to discuss further.
Every PTE Core Write Email prompt gives you three pieces of information: the recipient (register signal), the situation (context), and 2 to 3 explicit tasks you must address. Missing any task means missing Content.
The Band 79 email
115 words4 parts, 115 words, semi-formal register.
Hi Priya,
Thanks for sending over the draft floor plan. I'll be travelling on Thursday and Friday and will not be able to send full written feedback before then, so I wanted to share my initial thoughts now. Three things stood out on my first pass. First, the corridor between the two meeting rooms feels tight at 900 millimetres; I'd suggest widening it to 1,100. Second, natural light on the eastern wall is blocked by the storage unit, so rotating that unit would free the window. Third, the reception area currently has no direct sightline to the entrance. Happy to jump on a call Monday morning to talk any of this through.
Kind regards, Alex
115 words · sits in Pearson's 80 to 120 word Form window with 5 words of headroom. All three explicit tasks from the prompt addressed. Semi-formal register throughout matching a peer manager relationship.
Part-by-part
How the email is built.
1. GREETING (3 words)
Match the recipient's relationship. Priya is a project manager you work with regularly – semi-formal, first name.
"Hi Priya,"
"Hi" (not "Hey" or "Dear Ms.") signals semi-formal register appropriate for a peer manager relationship. Using the actual name from the prompt is required for Email Conventions.
2. OPENER (30 words)
Acknowledge the situation and state the constraint. Set up the body by explaining why the response is happening now and not later.
"Thanks for sending over the draft floor plan. I'll be travelling on Thursday and Friday and will not be able to send full written feedback before then, so I wanted to share my initial thoughts now."
Acknowledges receipt, states the travel constraint (task 1 = apology for delay), and previews the body (task 2 = initial thoughts). Compresses two prompt tasks into a single natural opening paragraph.
3. BODY (61 words)
Address the specific tasks from the prompt in a numbered or enumerated structure. Each issue gets one clear sentence.
"Three things stood out on my first pass. First, the corridor between the two meeting rooms feels tight at 900 millimetres; I'd suggest widening it to 1,100. Second, natural light on the eastern wall is blocked by the storage unit, so rotating that unit would free the window. Third, the reception area currently has no direct sightline to the entrance."
Delivers task 2 (share initial thoughts on the three issues). Enumerated structure (First / Second / Third) is scored under Organisation. Specific measurements (900 mm, 1,100) demonstrate Content depth and lift Vocabulary above generic feedback.
4. CLOSING + SIGN-OFF (15 words)
Offer the follow-up action the prompt asked for, then close warmly with a semi-formal sign-off.
"Happy to jump on a call Monday morning to talk any of this through. Kind regards, Alex"
Delivers task 3 (offer to join a call on Monday). "Kind regards" is semi-formal appropriate; "Best" would also work; "Cheers" would drop Email Conventions for a work context this substantive. Signature name is required for Email Conventions.
Trait breakdown
14/14What earned each of the 7 traits.
| Trait | Score | Why it scored there |
|---|---|---|
| Content | 3/3 | All three explicit tasks from the prompt addressed: apology for delay (opener), initial feedback on the three issues (body), and offer to join a Monday call (closing). Content is scored FIRST as a gate – zero on Content zeros the whole item regardless of other traits. |
| Form | 2/2 | 115 words, comfortably inside Pearson's 80 to 120 word window for PTE Core. Email format present (greeting + body + sign-off). Form is scored SECOND as a gate – under 80 or over 120 words zeros the whole item. |
| Email Conventions | 2/2 | Semi-formal register consistent throughout ("Hi Priya" + "Kind regards" + first-name sign-off). Paragraph structure reads as an email, not a monologue. Recipient named correctly from the prompt. |
| Organisation | 2/2 | Clear opener → body → close sequence. Body uses enumerated structure (First / Second / Third) that makes the three issues easy to scan. Every paragraph does exactly one job. |
| Grammar | 2/2 | Subject-verb agreement clean across every sentence. Tense consistency (future for the travel, present for the observations). No sentence-level errors. |
| Vocabulary | 2/2 | Precise workplace vocabulary ("sightline", "rotating", "widening", "initial thoughts"). Avoided generic phrases like "a few things wrong" or "want to talk". |
| Spelling | 1/1 | All words spelled correctly. British-English spelling ("millimetres", "travelling") consistent throughout. Semicolon and comma placement conventional. |
| Total | 14/14 | Full marks on the single Write Email item. Feeds only the PTE Core Writing score. |
Note: PTE Core Write Email uses a TWO-PASS scoring model. Content and Form are gates – zero on either zeros the whole item, and the remaining five traits are only scored if both gates pass. Every task from the prompt must appear in the response for full Content; word count must be inside 80 to 120 for full Form.
Timing plan
9 minutes: 1 min read, 6 min write, 2 min proof.
| Time | Stage | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 1 min | Read + plan | Read the prompt twice. Identify: (a) the recipient and register, (b) the explicit tasks (usually 2 to 3), (c) any specifics you must reference (names, dates, numbers). On the erasable whiteboard, jot down the 3 tasks as a checklist so you don't miss one. |
| 1 to 7 min | Write the email | Follow the 4-part skeleton in order: greeting → opener → body → closing. Aim for 95 to 110 words. Address every task from your checklist. Use the platform's built-in word counter to stay inside the 80 to 120 window. |
| 7 to 9 min | Proofread + word count | Two passes. First pass: check every task from your checklist is present. Second pass: read line by line for spelling, subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, and word count. Correct any typos before submitting. |
| 9 min | Auto-submit | The task auto-submits at 9 minutes total. If you finish early, use the remaining time for one more proofreading pass – Grammar and Spelling marks are often decided by the third read. |
Register match
Matching greeting, sign-off and contractions to the recipient.
| Recipient | Greeting | Sign-off | Contractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manager (formal) | "Dear [Name]," or "Dear Mr/Ms [Surname]," | "Kind regards," / "Sincerely," | Avoid contractions; use "I am" and "do not". |
| Peer colleague (semi-formal) | "Hi [Name]," or "Hello [Name]," | "Best regards," / "Best," / "Thanks," | Contractions natural: "I'll", "we're", "can't". |
| External customer (polite-formal) | "Dear [Name]," or "Hello [Name]," | "Kind regards," | Avoid contractions; warmer than pure formal. |
| Vendor / external professional | "Dear [Name]," or "Dear Sir/Madam," | "Kind regards," / "Yours sincerely," | No contractions; structured, business-like tone. |
Email Conventions is a specific scored trait on PTE Core Write Email. Matching register to the recipient is worth up to 2 marks on its own.
6 common Write Email mistakes
The failure modes that drag a Band 79 to a Band 55.
| Mistake | What it costs you |
|---|---|
| Missing a task from the prompt | Content is scored FIRST as a gate. If the prompt says apologise AND share feedback AND offer a call, all three must appear. Missing one usually drops Content from 3 to 1 or 2 – and low Content caps every other trait. |
| Word count under 80 or over 120 | Instant 0 on Form → whole item scores 0. Use the platform's built-in word counter and check twice before submitting. 95 to 110 words is the sweet spot with headroom on both sides. |
| Wrong register for the recipient | "Hey!" to a manager, or "Dear Sir" to a peer colleague you work with weekly. Email Conventions and Organisation both drop. Match the register to the relationship the prompt describes. |
| Missing the recipient's actual name from the prompt | If the prompt names Priya, your greeting is "Hi Priya," – not "Hi Manager," or "Dear Sir/Madam,". Name matching is an Email Conventions signal. |
| Copying whole phrases directly from the prompt | Pearson penalises lifting under Content and Vocabulary. Paraphrase the situation in your own words; do not repeat the prompt's phrasing verbatim in the body. |
| Using PTE Academic essay register ("In conclusion, it is imperative that stakeholders...") | Emails are personal and specific, not abstract policy prose. Formal essay phrasing sounds robotic in an 80 to 120 word workplace email and drops Email Conventions. |
FAQ
Write Email, answered.
How is PTE Core Write Email scored?
Two-pass, per Pearson's PTE Core Test Taker Score Guide. Pass 1: Content (0 to 3) and Form (0 to 2) are scored first as gates. Zero on either zeros the whole item. Pass 2 (only if both gates pass): Email Conventions (0 to 2), Organisation (0 to 2), Grammar (0 to 2), Vocabulary (0 to 2), and Spelling (0 to 1). Total maximum raw score: 14.
How many Write Email items are on the PTE Core test?
Exactly one, per Pearson's PTE Core Score Guide. Write Email is a single-item task type, worth up to 14 raw points, and it feeds only your Writing score. There is no Write Email item on the PTE Academic test – that exam uses Write Essay (200 to 300 words, 20 minutes) instead.
How long do I have for PTE Core Write Email?
9 minutes total. A common time budget is 1 minute reading and planning the response, 5 to 6 minutes writing, and 2 to 3 minutes proofreading for word count, spelling and register. The item auto-submits when the 9-minute timer expires.
What is the word count for PTE Core Write Email?
80 to 120 words. Under 80 or over 120 scores 0 on Form, which zeros the entire item. Aim for 95 to 110 words – that leaves headroom on both sides and gives you room to cover all the explicit tasks without padding. Use the platform's built-in word counter.
Is Write Email on PTE Academic?
No. Write Email is a PTE Core task only. PTE Academic has Write Essay (200 to 300 words, 20 minutes) as its equivalent Writing task. If you are preparing for PTE Academic (Australian PR, most universities, most professional registration), use the Essay sample. If you are preparing for PTE Core (Canadian PR, workplace English certification), use this Write Email sample.
Do I need to invent a name to sign off with?
Yes. If the prompt does not name you, invent a neutral first name that fits the persona (Alex, Jordan, Sam, Chris, Priya). Consistent naming and a signature line are part of Email Conventions. Missing the signature can cost you Email Conventions marks even if the rest of the email is well-written.
Should I use contractions in a PTE Core Write Email?
Match the recipient. In semi-formal emails to a peer colleague you work with regularly (Hi Priya), contractions are natural ("I'll be travelling", "can't reschedule"). In formal emails to a manager, senior colleague or external customer, avoid contractions and use full forms ("I will", "do not"). Consistency across the whole email matters most.
Keep going with Write Email
One pattern, three depths.
You've just read the band 79 worked example. Here's the rest of the loop for this task.
Reusable framework
Write Email template
The reusable answer framework — structure, sentence starters, timing marks — that fits any Write Email prompt.
Read the template →Interactive drill
Practise Write Email
Free interactive drills — do the reps yourself with the model answer revealed after each attempt.
Start the drill →Further reading
Related tools.
- → Write Email template – the reusable 4-part skeleton with worked examples.
- → Write Essay sample (PTE Academic) – the equivalent Writing task on PTE Academic.
- → PTE Core for Canadian PR – why PTE Core is the right test for most Canadian PR streams.
- → PTE Core vs PTE Academic – picking the right exam for your goal.
- → Take a free scored mock – Write Email items with AI scoring.