Written byFizza Butool ZaidiIELTS teacher for 10+ years, PTE for 5Updated 30 October 2026
Where all-caps scores zero
These are the Form 0 descriptions in the PTE Academic Score Guide and the PTE Core Score Guide.
| Task | Test | Form is 0 when the answer is... |
|---|---|---|
| Summarize Written Text | Academic | Not one complete sentence, under 5 or over 75 words, or written in capital letters |
| Write Essay | Academic | Under 120 or over 380 words, in capital letters, with no punctuation, or only bullet points or very short sentences |
| Summarize Spoken Text | Academic | Under 40 or over 100 words, in capital letters, with no punctuation, or only bullet points or very short sentences |
| Summarize Written Text | Core | Under 5 or over 60 words, in capital letters, with no punctuation, or only bullet points |
| Write Email | Core | Under 30 or over 140 words, in capital letters, and/or with no punctuation |
| Summarize Spoken Text | Core | Under 5 or over 40 words, in capital letters, with no punctuation, or only bullet points or very short sentences |
Why one trait wipes out the answer
The Score Guide says that when a response is scored 0 for Content or Form, no score points are given for the response. So an all-caps essay does not just lose its 2 Form points; grammar, vocabulary and every other trait are not scored either.
Capitalisation also counts inside the grammar trait. For Write Essay and Core Write Email, Pearson says grammar usage and mechanics are scored by examining sentence structure, punctuation and capitalisation.
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What normal capitalisation looks like
Pearson's tips for Summarize Written Text say check that your answer is one sentence with a capital letter at the beginning and only one full stop at the end (Pearson). For Summarize Spoken Text, it says make sure you have begun each sentence with a capital letter (Listening page). Capitalise names and proper nouns as usual.
For Write from Dictation and Listening Fill in the Blanks, Pearson's pages describe scoring by correct words spelled correctly and say nothing about capital letters either way.
Frequently asked questions
Is an all-caps PTE essay scored at all?+
No. Capital letters give 0 for Form, and a Form score of 0 means no score points for the response.
Do I need a capital letter in Summarize Written Text?+
Pearson's tip is a capital letter at the beginning and one full stop at the end of your single sentence.
Does capitalisation matter in Write from Dictation?+
Pearson's pages score each correct word spelled correctly and do not mention capitals. Write the sentence as you would normally.
Is the rule the same in PTE Core?+
Yes. The PTE Core Score Guide gives 0 for Form for all-caps Summarize Written Text, Write Email and Summarize Spoken Text answers.
Keep reading
Related
- Can you use bullet points in PTE?
- PTE word limits for every writing task
- PTE Write Essay scoring
- All 3112 guides
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