PTE Write from Dictation: Most Repeated Sentences & Practice Guide 2026

Write from Dictation (WFD) is the single highest-scoring item type in PTE Academic. It appears at the end of the Listening section — you hear a sentence and type it exactly. Simple in concept, devastating in impact. Perfect WFD can boost your overall PTE score by 10-15 points because it contributes to both Writing and Listening simultaneously. This guide covers the exact practice method, memory techniques, and spelling strategies that EEC students use to master WFD.

Why Write from Dictation Is PTE's Most Important Item

WFD is unique in PTE because each correct word contributes to TWO communicative skills — Writing and Listening. With 3-4 WFD items per test (typically 7-12 words each), that is potentially 30-48 words contributing to both skills. No other item type has this dual-scoring impact at this volume.

Here is the math: If you correctly transcribe all 4 WFD sentences (say, 40 words total) with perfect spelling, you earn approximately 40 points toward Writing AND 40 points toward Listening. If you misspell half the words or miss half the content, you lose 20+ points across two skills. This is why WFD mastery can mean the difference between PTE 65 and PTE 79.

“My first PTE attempt: 62 overall. WFD was my weakest — I missed words and misspelled others. After 3 weeks of daily WFD practice at EEC (20 sentences per day), my second attempt: 76 overall. Same preparation for everything else. WFD was the only change.”

— Amit P., PTE 76, Australia Subclass 189

How Write from Dictation Works

1. You hear a sentence through your headset (played once only — no replay). Sentences are typically 7-12 words long.

2. A text input box appears on screen. You type the sentence exactly as you heard it.

3. Each correct word earns 1 point. Partial credit is given — if you get 8 out of 10 words correct, you score 8/10.

4. Spelling must be correct. A misspelled word earns 0 points for that word.

5. Both British and American spellings are accepted.

Scoring Impact: The Math

Memory Techniques for WFD

Technique 1 — Content Word Focus: Listen for nouns, verbs, and adjectives first. These carry the meaning. Function words (the, a, is, are, in, of) can be reconstructed from grammar knowledge. If you hear "Students should submit their assignments before the deadline," focus on: "students / submit / assignments / before / deadline."

Technique 2 — Chunking: Group words into meaningful phrases rather than individual words. "The university library / will be closed / for renovations / next month" — 4 chunks are easier to remember than 10 individual words.

Technique 3 — Immediate Typing: Start typing within 1-2 seconds of the audio ending. The longer you wait, the more words fade from short-term memory. Type from left to right — do not try to recall the whole sentence before starting.

Technique 4 — Silent Repetition: As soon as the sentence ends, repeat it silently in your head once while moving your hands to the keyboard. This single rehearsal significantly extends short-term memory retention.

Spelling Accuracy Guide

Common WFD spelling traps for Indian students:

The Daily WFD Practice Method

Step 1: Set up a quiet space with headphones and a text editor or WFD practice app.

Step 2: Listen to 20-30 sentences. For each sentence: listen once → type it → check against the answer → mark spelling errors and missed words.

Step 3: Review all missed words and spelling errors. Add misspelled words to your hitlist.

Step 4: Re-do the sentences you got wrong 24 hours later (spaced repetition).

Time required: 20-30 minutes daily. This is the single most productive 30 minutes you can spend in PTE preparation.

Most Repeated WFD Sentences (Categories)

WFD sentences come from a bank that Pearson updates periodically, but many sentences repeat. The most common categories:

University/Academic: "Students should submit their assignments before the deadline." "The university library has an extensive collection of reference materials." "A number of factors contribute to student success."

Science/Research: "Climate change is having a significant impact on the environment." "The experiment was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions."

Business/Economics: "Economic growth depends on several key factors." "The company has reported a significant increase in revenue."

Health: "Regular exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease."

Society: "The government has introduced new measures to address the issue."

EEC provides a 500+ WFD sentence bank covering all commonly tested sentences, categorised by topic, with audio recordings for practice.

Common WFD Mistakes

1. Not capitalising the first word. Always capitalise the first letter.

2. Missing the full stop. End with a period.

3. Spelling errors on common words. See spelling guide above.

4. Leaving blanks. If you cannot remember a word, type your best guess — partial credit is better than zero.

5. Waiting too long to start typing. Start within 1-2 seconds of the audio ending.

EEC WFD Sentence Bank & Daily Practice

EEC's PTE coaching includes a 500+ WFD sentence bank with audio recordings, daily WFD drills during class, spelling workshops, and progress tracking. Students who follow the daily 20-sentence practice regimen consistently score 85-90% WFD accuracy by test day. This, combined with preparation for all other item types, is what produces PTE 79+ scores.

Related Resources & Further Reading

Ready to begin? Register for a free demo class. PTE is also accepted for study in New Zealand. Planning Canada? See our study in Canada options. Read our PTE Academic complete guide. Read our PTE fee structure in India. Read our PTE Academic vs PTE Core. Read our PTE scores for Australia PR. Read our PTE vs IELTS comparison. Read our PTE preparation tips for 79+. Also explore our IELTS complete guide. Also explore our IELTS vs PTE comparison. Also explore our IELTS Band 7 tips. Visit EEC Ahmedabad or EEC Surat for in-person guidance. Use our IELTS vs PTE comparison page for a side-by-side breakdown.

Frequently Asked Questions

WFD questions from PTE students: