How to Improve Grammar for PTE Writing: A Focused Error Checklist

Grammar improves faster when you track repeated error types. Correct one sentence, explain the rule, then prove the correction in a new sentence.

Where grammar matters

Current Pearson task pages include grammar among the writing criteria for tasks such as Academic Summarize Written Text and Essay, and Core Summarize Written Text and Write Email. Each task also has its own form and length requirements. Pearson Academic format Pearson Core format

Diagnose six common errors

1. Sentence boundary: The policy changed, many staff were confused. Use a full stop, semicolon or suitable conjunction.
2. Agreement: The results shows becomes The results show.
3. Tense: Keep time relationships consistent.
4. Articles: Use a, an and the where the noun requires them.
5. Word form: The project was success becomes successful.
6. Reference: Ensure it, they and this have clear nouns.

Original correction exercise

Edit this paragraph:

Online courses offers flexible access, they also requires strong self discipline. A student who delay their work may struggle, because the weekly tasks is easy to overlook. Clear schedules and regular feedback helps learners remain organised.

Corrected version:

Online courses offer flexible access, but they also require strong self-discipline. A student who delays their work may struggle because the weekly tasks are easy to overlook. Clear schedules and regular feedback help learners remain organised.

Changes: plural subjects take offer, require, are and help; singular student takes delays; but repairs the comma splice; the unnecessary comma before because is removed.

Build a personal error log

For each response, save the original sentence, correction, rule and a new example. Group errors by type. If agreement appears six times and articles appear once, spend the next session on agreement.

During a timed task, reserve the final check for high-value patterns:

• underline each finite verb and find its subject
• scan sentence endings for fragments and comma splices
• check plurals and countable nouns
• confirm pronoun references

Do not replace every simple sentence with a complex one. Accurate, varied sentences are more useful than complicated structures you cannot control.

Apply the checklist to PTE Academic Essay Structure or PTE Core Write Email, then browse writing practice.

Correct the rule, then prove it transferred

Original: “The number of commuters have increased, which create more demand.” Corrected: “The number of commuters has increased, which creates more demand.” The head noun number is singular, and which refers to the preceding situation as a whole, so the following verb is singular.

Now write a fresh sentence: “The proportion of late deliveries has fallen, which indicates improved punctuality.” If the same agreement pattern is correct without copying, the correction has started to transfer.

Sources

• Pearson PTE Academic Speaking & Writing format.
• Pearson PTE Core Speaking & Writing format.