PTE Core Write Email: what the task is and how to score higher
Write Email is a writing task unique to PTE Core, the version IRCC accepts for Express Entry. You read a short situation, then write an email of 50 to 120 words to the person or organisation named in it, in the register it calls for.
It sits in Part 1, Speaking & Writing, which Pearson schedules for about 50 minutes and which also holds Summarize Written Text and the speaking tasks. A real test has two Write Email items.
Where the task sits
| Test part | Time (Pearson) | What it contains |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 — Speaking & Writing | About 50 minutes | Speaking tasks, Summarize Written Text, Write Email |
| Part 2 — Reading | About 30 minutes | Five reading task types |
| Part 3 — Listening | About 30 minutes | Eight listening task types |
Only the writing tasks feed your Writing skill score. Speaking and Writing share one timed part, so email time comes out of the same budget as your summarising.
The instruction you will see
The task instruction, word for word:
Two things are tested at once: whether your content answers the situation, and whether your tone matches the relationship.
The three registers
The situation tells you who you are writing to. That decides the register.
| Register | Use it when | Example opening | Sign-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formal | An organisation, or someone senior you have not met | "Dear Mr Smith," or "Dear Sir or Madam," | Yours sincerely, |
| Semi-formal | Someone you know by name at work or in study | "Dear Ms Chen," or "Hello Dr Patel," | Best regards, |
| Informal | A friend, relative or close colleague | "Hi Sam," | Best wishes, |
Register runs through the whole email, not just the greeting. "I would like to request your assistance" is formal; "Could you give me a hand with this?" is informal. Contractions such as "I'm" are normal in informal writing and too casual for a formal email.
Worked example: situation to model email
Model email (83 words):
I am writing about the weekend health-and-safety workshop I registered for on 4 October. I paid the fee at the time, but I have not received the confirmation email with the venue details.
Could you check whether my registration went through? I would also be grateful if you could send the venue address and the start time.
If it is easier, I am happy to call the office during business hours. Thank you for your help.
Kind regards,
Priya Nair
Why it works: the greeting and sign-off match the register, both requirements are answered on their own, and it lands at 83 words inside the 50–120 limit.
Draft your own version in the box above.
What the AI scorer looks at
The scorer returns a PTE score out of 90, a Writing CLB band and this breakdown:
| Trait | Points here | What it rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Content | 1 | Every part of the situation is covered |
| Form | 1 | An email shape, within 50–120 words |
| Email conventions | 2 | A clear purpose and a polite close |
| Organization | 2 | Ideas in order |
| Vocabulary | 2 | Precise words instead of filler |
| Grammar | 2 | Tense, articles, prepositions |
| Spelling | 2 | Spelling, including British forms |
Register consistency is judged with content: an email that answers the situation but sounds too casual for the recipient is marked down. Pearson does not publish a full trait-by-trait sheet for this task, so read the table as the tool showing where marks went, not the official mark scheme.
Common mistakes
- Wrong register. "Hey" to a manager, or "Dear Sir or Madam" to a friend.
- Answering half the situation. Explaining a problem and asking a question are two separate jobs.
- Padding to hit the word count. Past 120 words, or one point made twice.
- No sign-off. The email reads like an unfinished draft.
- The wrong topic. A polished email about the wrong situation scores near zero on content.
How practice scores map to CLB Writing bands
IRCC publishes the PTE Core to CLB conversion used for Express Entry. Writing is the column this task feeds:
| CLB (Writing) | PTE Core Writing score |
|---|---|
| CLB 7 | 69–78 |
| CLB 8 | 79–87 |
| CLB 9 | 88–89 |
| CLB 10+ | 90+ |
The band is only your Writing ability: your overall CLB for Express Entry is set by your lowest ability, so strong Writing cannot rescue weak Speaking. The same four abilities drive the program minimums — the Federal Skilled Worker program needs CLB 7 in all of them, and CEC applicants in TEER 0 or 1 need CLB 7 across the board.
CLB 9 is narrow: 88 and 89 are both CLB 9, while 90 is CLB 10 or above.
Frequently asked questions
How many words should a PTE Core Write Email response be?
50 to 120 words. The counter on this page turns green inside that range, so aim for about 80 to 100.
How many Write Email tasks are in a real PTE Core test?
Two. The practice bank holds 34 items and groups them in batches of two, so each batch is one test's worth.
Which register should I use?
The one the situation calls for. Each question here shows the expected register, formal, semi-formal or informal, and the scorer checks your email against it.
Does my email need a subject line and a sign-off?
The task lists no required parts, only 50 to 120 words in the right register. This page's scorer still rewards a clear purpose and a polite close through its two-point email-conventions trait.
Can I reuse a memorised email?
No. The scorer flags off-topic or pre-memorised responses and returns a near-zero score, because the content trait is about answering the situation in front of you.
How is my practice score turned into a CLB level?
The result shows a PTE score out of 90 and its Writing CLB band: CLB 7 is 69 to 78, CLB 8 is 79 to 87, CLB 9 is 88 to 89, and CLB 10 or above is 90 or higher.
What to do next
Work through a batch of two, then continue: