How to write a PTE essay introduction in two sentences
An introduction has three jobs: show you understood the issue, say where you stand, and hint at how you will argue. Two sentences can do all three. Sentence 1 restates the issue in your own words. Sentence 2 gives your position and, in the same sentence, names the reasons your body paragraphs will develop.
"Well-developed" is easy to misread as "long". BandLadder's reading: an introduction is developed when it does its jobs clearly. The argument is developed in the body, and that is where your words earn Content points for supporting detail.
The two-sentence method (BandLadder advice)
- 1
Find the tension. Ask what is at stake: who gains, who loses, what is traded for what.
- 2
Write sentence 1. State the issue as that tension, in your own grammar. Keep the topic nouns; change everything around them.
- 3
Decide before you type. Choose your side, or how far you agree, and two reasons. You need them for the body anyway.
- 4
Write sentence 2. State your position and attach the reasons in the same sentence, in whichever order reads naturally. Name the reasons; do not argue them yet.
- 5
Stop. Aim for roughly 35–55 words, then start the first body paragraph.
These are jobs, not a sentence frame. The two models below share no wording, and one puts its reasons before its position. The Development, Structure and Coherence sheet shows what the body and conclusion do with the reasons you name here.
How to paraphrase the PTE essay prompt without copying it
Copying is tempting: the prompt sits above the box, and the screen even has copy and paste buttons. But the descriptors treat prompt language as a weakness, and a human expert also reviews the Content of every essay.
Paraphrasing does not mean swapping every word for a synonym. Change the lens instead: describe the issue from the angle of what is at stake. Keep nouns that have no real alternative (streets, dogs, rent) and rebuild the sentence around them.
✗ Some cities now name new streets and squares after people who are still alive, and this essay will discuss this issue.
✓ Naming a road after someone still alive turns a public map into a reward that is hard to take back.
The first copies the prompt and adds an empty promise. The second keeps 'name' and 'alive' but states what is at stake.
✗ Certain metropolises christen novel thoroughfares after individuals who remain living.
✓ Some councils now give new streets the names of living local figures.
Thesaurus swaps blur the meaning. Precision beats rarity, as the General Linguistic Range sheet shows.
PTE essay introduction examples
Two original prompts, two introductions. Each restates the issue, commits to a position and names its reasons, yet the sentences are built differently, and neither could open a different essay.
Prompt: Some cities now name new streets and squares after people who are still alive, such as local athletes or business owners. Supporters say this honours achievement while the person can still enjoy it. Do you agree or disagree that streets should be named after living people? Introduction: Naming a road after someone still alive turns a public map into a reward that is hard to take backthe tension. A reputation can change after the sign goes upbody 1, and the honour tends to favour people with influencebody 2 over those who served longest, so I disagree with the practiceposition.
- → 49 words. The reasons come first and the position closes the sentence; the reader still knows the side and both body topics before paragraph two starts.
- → 'Supporters say…' is not retold: you answer the claim instead.
Prompt: In some companies, staff may bring their dogs to the office. Some people believe this lowers stress and makes employees happier to stay, while others argue it is unfair to colleagues with allergies or a fear of animals. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Introduction: For some staff a dog under the desk makes long days calmerview 1, while for others it means sneezing, anxiety or simple distractionview 2. In my view, offices should allow dogs only in separate, clearly marked areasposition, since one group's comfort should not cost another group its healthreason.
- → 46 words. Here sentence 1 previews both body paragraphs and sentence 2 opens with the opinion the prompt asks for.
- → A middle position is fine if the conclusion says the same thing.
What sentence 2 must commit to depends on the prompt's last line: how far you agree, which view wins, or which side weighs more. The PTE essay types sheet sets out the position each prompt type needs.
Is a PTE essay introduction template safe?
Introduction templates are among the most searched PTE essay shortcuts. The score guide is clear about memorised material.
Even when a stock opener does not trigger a zero, it wastes words: a sentence about how "the modern world is changing rapidly" says nothing about this prompt. A structure you know (issue, then position with reasons) is fine. A paragraph you could paste into any essay is the risk.
Where the words go in a 260-word essay (BandLadder advice)
| Introduction | Body paragraphs | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 90 words (opener, copied prompt, 'this essay will') | about 140 | Around 70 words per reason: thin support |
| 45 words (two sentences) | about 185 | Around 90 words per reason: room for an example and its consequence |
Approximate figures, with about 30 words left for the conclusion in both.
Content 4 describes support that is "present for some points but weaker or missing for others" (Score Guide p. 34). A long introduction invites exactly that. Write one essay each way in Write Essay practice; BandLadder AI practice gives you a score and what to fix, question by question.
Your turn: PTE essay introduction check
Answer each question, then reveal the answer.
- Prompt: 'Some historic buildings are protected so strictly that owners may not fit solar panels to their roofs. Do the benefits of this protection outweigh the drawbacks?' Which position sentence answers it?
- A. Solar panels and old buildings are both important for different reasons.
- B. Keeping an old roofline unchanged does not justify blocking cheap clean power, so the drawbacks weigh more.
- C. This essay will look at both sides of this question in detail.
Show answer
Keeping an old roofline unchanged does not justify blocking cheap clean power, so the drawbacks weigh more.
An outweigh question needs a verdict. The first option avoids one; the third only promises a discussion.
- Does this opener pass the swap test? 'Nowadays, this issue has become a hot topic of debate among people all over the world.'
- A. Yes, it fits only this prompt
- B. No, it would fit any prompt
Show answer
No, it would fit any prompt
It names no topic, no people and no stake. Delete it and start with the issue.
- Prompt: 'Some towns ban drivers from sounding their horns in the city centre except in emergencies. Do you agree or disagree?' Which first sentence copies too much?
- A. Some towns ban drivers from sounding their horns in the city centre except in emergencies.
- B. A quieter centre is attractive, but a horn is sometimes the fastest warning a driver can give.
- C. Silencing car horns trades a little safety for a lot of calm.
Show answer
Some towns ban drivers from sounding their horns in the city centre except in emergencies.
It repeats the prompt word for word. The others restate the topic as a trade-off in new grammar.
BandLadder questions
Practise it now
Use the method on original BandLadder questions. Attempt them free and see your score.
Questions
FAQ
How do you write an introduction for a PTE essay?+
Restate the issue in your own words, then give your position with the reasons your body paragraphs will develop. Two clear sentences are usually enough.
How many sentences and words should a PTE essay introduction have?+
Pearson sets no number. BandLadder advice is two sentences and roughly 35–55 words, so most of your 200–300 words go to the body, where support is scored.
Should I give my opinion in the PTE essay introduction?+
Yes. Write Essay is argumentative, and the lowest Development, Structure and Coherence level describes an essay where no clear position can be identified. Stating it early lets every paragraph follow from it.
Is it safe to use a PTE essay introduction template?+
Knowing the jobs an introduction does is fine. Memorised sentences are not: Pearson lists responses with significant pre-prepared or memorised material among those that receive no score points.
Do I need a hook or general statement to start a PTE essay?+
No. A broad opener adds words but no content, and generic statements sit low on the Content scale. Start with the issue itself.
Sources
- PTE Academic Score Guide for Test Takers (July 2025): p. 8 (responses with no score points), p. 15 (human review of Write Essay), pp. 34–37 (Write Essay Content and Development, Structure and Coherence)
- Pearson PTE Academic test format: Speaking and Writing: pearsonpte.com, Write Essay task description (200–300 word argumentative essay, 20 minutes)
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