Sample answers · Write from Dictation
PTE Write from Dictation · Listening section
PTE Write from Dictation sample – Band 79 vs Band 65.
A worked WFD item: the 4-second dictated sentence, a Band 79 verbatim transcription, a Band 65 attempt with 5 wrong words, per-word scoring math, and the chunking method that turns WFD into a repeatable process. WFD is the single highest-leverage task in the exam: every point feeds both your Listening and Writing scores.
Last verified 17 July 2026 · Written for PTE Academic post-August 2025 format · Verified against Pearson's July 2025 Score Guide.
The dictated sentence (as text)
4 seconds audio · plays once, no replay control · 14 words in the target sentence.
“The university library will be closed for essential maintenance during the entire summer break.”
Rendered here for study only. On the real exam the sentence is audio only, played once, with no on-screen text at any point. You reconstruct the sentence from memory into a type-in text box.
Band 79 verbatim response
14/14 wordsEvery word correct, every word spelled correctly.
Full marks: 14/14. Every one of these points feeds BOTH your Listening and your Writing skill score, so this single item contributes to two of your four reported scores.
Band 65 attempt
9/14 wordsContent mostly heard, but spelling and word forms cost points.
9/14 = roughly 64 percent. Notice the errors are all spelling or word-form slips, not misheard content. The Band 65 typist heard the sentence correctly; they lost the marks on the keyboard, not the ear.
Per-word scoring breakdown
Band 65 attempt, word by word.
| # | Target word | Typed word | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The | The | +1 | Correct. |
| 2 | university | universaty | 0 | Misspelled. Should be "university". Scores 0, no partial credit for near-miss spelling. |
| 3 | library | library | +1 | Correct. |
| 4 | will | will | +1 | Correct. |
| 5 | be | be | +1 | Correct. |
| 6 | closed | close | 0 | Missing final "d". Different word form (verb vs adjective). Scores 0. |
| 7 | for | for | +1 | Correct. |
| 8 | essential | essencial | 0 | Misspelled. Should be "essential" ("tial" not "cial"). Scores 0. |
| 9 | maintenance | maintainance | 0 | Misspelled. Should be "maintenance" (no "i" after "a"). Scores 0. |
| 10 | during | during | +1 | Correct. |
| 11 | the | the | +1 | Correct. |
| 12 | entire | entire | +1 | Correct. |
| 13 | summer | summar | 0 | Misspelled. Should be "summer". Scores 0. |
| 14 | break | break | +1 | Correct. |
| Total | 9/14 | 5 wrong words cost 5 points. No negative marking, but each of those points was worth double. | ||
How WFD is scored
The five marking rules that shape the strategy.
| Rule | What it means for the answer |
|---|---|
| Per-word marking | Each word in the target sentence contributes 1 point. Total per item = word count of the target sentence (typically 8 to 15). |
| Wrong words score 0, not -1 | Unlike Reading MCMA / Listening MCMA / HIW, WFD has NO negative marking. A misspelling or wrong word costs the point for that word, but does not deduct from other words. |
| Spelling counts | The AI matches each word against the exact target spelling. "maintainance" ≠ "maintenance". Auto-correct is disabled at the test centre. |
| Word order matters | Words must appear in the target order. Rearranging the sentence (even if all words are present) reduces the count of matches under Pearson's alignment algorithm. |
| Feeds both Listening and Writing | Every point on WFD counts toward BOTH your Listening skill score AND your Writing skill score. That is why WFD is the single highest-leverage task in the exam: 3 to 4 items per test, each contributing to two skills. |
Scoring math (5 typing strategies)
Same target sentence, 5 outcomes.
| Strategy | Words | Raw math | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 79 verbatim (all 14 correct, all spelled correctly) | 14 correct, 0 wrong, 0 missing | +14 / 14 | 14/14 – full marks |
| Band 65 attempt (9 correct, 5 misspelled/wrong-form) | 9 correct, 5 wrong | +9 / 14 | 9/14 – roughly 64 percent |
| Chunker who lost the middle (7 correct, 7 blank) | 7 correct, 0 wrong, 7 missing | +7 / 14 | 7/14 – memory failure on the middle of the sentence |
| Perfect content, one typo | 13 correct, 1 wrong | +13 / 14 | 13/14 – single spelling slip on "maintenance" |
| Blank submission | 0 correct | +0 / 14 | 0/14 – no negative marking, so blank = 0 not below-zero |
The rule: +1 for each correctly-typed word, 0 for wrong or missing words. Unlike Reading MCMA and Highlight Incorrect Words, WFD has NO negative marking; a blank submission scores 0 rather than a below-zero raw. The task rewards content recall AND spelling accuracy.
The Band 79 chunking method
Five steps that turn one-shot dictation into a repeatable Band 79 process.
Split the sentence into 3 or 4 chunks as you hear it
Working memory holds about 4 chunks reliably. A 14-word sentence is 4 chunks of 3 to 4 words each: "The university library" / "will be closed" / "for essential maintenance" / "during the entire summer break".
Sub-vocalise while you hear it
Silently repeat each chunk in your head as the speaker says it. This transfers the sentence from auditory memory (which decays in seconds) to phonological loop (which lasts long enough to type).
Type the first two chunks immediately
Do not wait until the audio ends. Start typing the moment the audio ends (or during the last 1 second) to catch the beginning before it decays.
Reconstruct the tail from the last chunk
The last chunk is the freshest in memory. Write it in shorthand on the whiteboard the second the audio ends, then transfer to keyboard. This is what stops "I heard it clearly, then forgot the ending" losses.
Proofread spelling in the last 5 seconds
Every misspelling costs one point that feeds both Listening AND Writing. Fixing "maintainance" to "maintenance" is a 2-skill improvement, not a 1-skill improvement.
6 common Write from Dictation mistakes
The failure modes that drag a Band 79 to a Band 60.
| Mistake | What it costs you |
|---|---|
| Trying to hold the whole sentence in raw memory | Working memory decays in 3 to 5 seconds without rehearsal. A 14-word sentence must be chunked and sub-vocalised, not held whole. |
| Waiting for the audio to end before typing | The 3 to 5 second gap between audio-end and your first keystroke is when the sentence decays fastest. Start typing the first chunk during the last second of audio. |
| Misspelling academic-register words | "maintenance", "accommodation", "restaurant", "February", "receive", "separate" are frequent traps. Each misspelling costs a point that feeds BOTH Listening and Writing. |
| Rearranging the sentence to make it "read better" | The AI compares against the exact target sentence. Rewriting into your preferred style loses points on word-order alignment. |
| Skipping a word you did not catch | Blank word = 0 for that word. A best guess based on grammatical context ("the" or "a", "in" or "on") has a non-zero chance of scoring. Guess don't skip. |
| Under-rating WFD relative to other Listening tasks | WFD contributes to two skill scores. A 3-point WFD improvement lifts both Listening and Writing. Most Band 65 candidates who plateau at Band 65 do so because they under-invested in WFD practice. |
FAQ
Write from Dictation, answered.
How is PTE Write from Dictation scored?
Partial credit per word per Pearson's July 2025 Score Guide. Each word in the target sentence contributes 1 point when typed correctly (including spelling). Wrong or misspelled or missing words score 0 for that word. There is NO negative marking on WFD, so wrong words do not deduct from correct words.
Why is Write from Dictation the highest-leverage task on the PTE exam?
WFD is the only Listening task that also feeds the Writing skill score. Every point on WFD counts twice, once for Listening and once for Writing. With 3 to 4 WFD items per test and 14-ish scorable words per item, a single-point-per-word improvement lifts BOTH skill scores. No other task on the exam has this two-skill leverage.
How many Write from Dictation items are on the PTE Academic test?
3 to 4 items per test per Pearson's July 2025 Score Guide. WFD is the last item type in Part 3 (Listening) and is one of the last things you do on the whole exam. It sits alongside Summarize Spoken Text, Listening MCMA, Listening FIB, Highlight Correct Summary, Listening MCSA, Select Missing Word, and Highlight Incorrect Words.
How long is the audio for Write from Dictation?
3 to 5 seconds per Pearson's Score Guide. The sentence is typically 8 to 15 words. The audio plays exactly once with no replay control, and the response window is short (usually around 20 to 30 seconds visible on the timer).
Does spelling matter on Write from Dictation?
Yes. Each word is checked against the exact target spelling. "maintainance" scores 0 for that word, even though the pronunciation and meaning are unchanged. Since WFD feeds both Listening AND Writing, every misspelling is a double-cost error. Practise the spelling of common academic vocabulary.
Should I write on the whiteboard during Write from Dictation?
For long sentences, yes. Jot the last 3 to 4 words in shorthand on the whiteboard the moment the audio ends, then type the rest of the sentence from memory before your typing catches up to the whiteboard. This is the standard chunking method Band 79 candidates use.
What is the difference between Write from Dictation and Listening Fill in the Blanks?
WFD gives you no on-screen text at all; you must reconstruct the ENTIRE sentence from a 3 to 5 second audio. LFIB gives you the on-screen sentence with 3 to 5 blanks; you fill in only the missing words during a 30 to 60 second audio. WFD tests total-sentence recall; LFIB tests targeted word recognition.
Keep going with Write from Dictation
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 from Dictation template
The reusable answer framework — structure, sentence starters, timing marks — that fits any Write from Dictation prompt.
Read the template →Interactive drill
Practise Write from Dictation
Free interactive drills — do the reps yourself with the model answer revealed after each attempt.
Start the drill →Further reading
Related tools.
- → Write from Dictation practice guide – the drilling method for building WFD reliability across a 6 to 8 week prep.
- → Listening Fill in the Blanks sample – sibling type-in Listening task with per-blank scoring.
- → Listening section overview – all 8 Listening task types.
- → Take a free scored mock – real WFD items with AI scoring.