What are the PTE essay types?
PTE Academic has one essay task, Write Essay, and you get one prompt. Pearson does not name essay types. What changes from prompt to prompt is the last sentence: the instruction that tells you what job your essay must do.
The grouping below is BandLadder's, built from how prompts are worded.
PTE essay types and what each one asks
| Type | Trigger words | Your job | Position you need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agree or disagree | To what extent do you agree or disagree? | Judge one claim | How far you agree, stated early and held to the end |
| Discuss both views | Discuss both views and give your own opinion | Explain two sides fairly, then judge | Your side, or a reasoned middle view |
| Advantages and disadvantages | Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of… | Weigh gains against costs | A closing judgement (BandLadder advice: the task is argumentative) |
| Outweigh | Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Do the benefits justify…? | Answer yes or no | A verdict from the first paragraph |
| Problem and solution | What problems does this cause? What can be done? | Name problems, match solutions | Which solution would work, and why |
BandLadder's grouping of Write Essay prompt wording. Some prompts mix two jobs; do both.
Why it matters: the Content trait rates how well you answer the prompt, not just whether you stay on the topic. Our own Write Essay practice sets include all five types, so you can drill each one.
How to identify the essay type: read the last sentence first
The first sentences of a prompt set the scene. They often mention two opinions, which tempts you into a both-views essay. The instruction at the end decides the type.
Identify the type in 30 seconds (BandLadder method)
- 1
Read the end first. Find the question or instruction verb: agree, discuss, outweigh, what can be done.
- 2
Count the jobs. One question mark or two? 'Discuss both views and give your opinion' is two jobs; both get a paragraph's worth of attention.
- 3
Circle the scope. Note the limiting words: 'in rural areas', 'for young children', 'all', 'only'. Your examples must stay inside them.
- 4
Decide your position. Write one line saying where you stand before you plan any paragraph.
Some people arguescene that ski resorts at low altitude should close, because making artificial snow wastes water and energy. Others sayscene these resorts keep mountain villages alive in winter. To what extent do you agree or disagreetype that low-altitude ski resorts should closeclaim?
- → Two opinions appear, but the instruction is agree or disagree: judge one claim, that these resorts should close.
- → A strong position line: 'I largely agree, but closures should be phased so villages can build summer trade first.'
Many towns are moving their weekly street marketsscope into permanent indoor halls. Some believe this protects traders from bad weather, while others feel the open-air character of the market is lost. Discuss both viewsjob 1 and give your own opinionjob 2.
- → Two jobs: explain each view fairly, then judge. An essay that only argues for indoor halls skips job 1.
- → Scope: weekly street markets, not shopping in general. Keep examples about market traders and shoppers.
PTE essay agree or disagree vs discuss both views
These two are the most often confused. In an agree or disagree essay, the opposing view is optional: you may answer it in one sentence to strengthen your case. In a both views essay, each view needs its own fair explanation, even the one you reject.
'To what extent' lets you agree partly. That is fine, as long as the degree stays the same from introduction to conclusion. An essay that agrees strongly at the start and 'sees both sides equally' at the end has no clear position.
✗ Agree or disagree (ski resorts): 'Ski resorts bring both jobs and pollution to mountain areas, as the following paragraphs show.'
✓ 'I largely agree that low-altitude resorts should close, provided villages are given time to build other winter trade.'
The prompt asks how far you agree that they should close, not what resorts bring. State the degree and the condition.
✗ Both views (street markets): 'Indoor halls are clearly better, and this essay will explain why.'
✓ 'Halls protect traders' income, but open-air markets draw passing shoppers; in my view, a covered outdoor market keeps both.'
Names both views before judging. A middle view is a position when you say what it is.
✗ Conclusion (street markets): 'Overall, whether markets move indoors is a decision for each town.'
✓ 'In conclusion, the open-air setting matters more, so towns should cover markets rather than move them indoors.'
Handing the decision to someone else leaves no position. Give the deciding factor.
PTE advantages and disadvantages essay and problem solution essay
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages asks you to weigh, so give both sides real development. The prompt may not ask for your opinion, but Pearson calls the task argumentative, so BandLadder advice is to finish with a one-line judgement.
Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? is a yes-or-no question. Answer it in your first paragraph, give the weaker side a short paragraph, and spend most words on why your side wins.
Some countries are cutting letter deliveries from six days a week to three, to reduce the cost of the postal servicegiven reason. Do the advantages of fewer delivery days outweigh the disadvantages?verdict
- → Verdict first: 'The savings outweigh the delays for most people, but not for those who rely on posted medicines or bank letters.'
- → The prompt hands you one advantage (cost). Develop it with a mechanism, then add one the prompt does not mention.
Problem and solution prompts reward matching. Each solution should answer a problem you have named; a solution to a problem you never mentioned reads as a list.
In many upland regions, small hill farmsscope are being abandoned as young people move to cities. What problems does this causejob 1, and what can be done to solve themjob 2?
- → Problem 1: unmanaged land becomes overgrown scrub. Solution 1: pay neighbouring farmers to graze it.
- → Problem 2: villages lose their working-age families. Solution 2: shared starter farms that new entrants rent cheaply.
- → Position: say which solution would work best and why. That is your argument.
Once the type is right, the marks move to development and language; see PTE Writing 79 for how the other essay traits are scored, and General Linguistic Range in the PTE essay for the language side. Practising with BandLadder AI gives you a score and what to fix, question by question.
Your turn: name the PTE essay type
Read each prompt ending (original) and choose the type, or the position line that fits.
- 'Some people say seaside beach huts should be rented to visitors by the week; others say they should stay with local owners. To what extent do you agree or disagree that beach huts should be rented weekly?'
- A. Discuss both views
- B. Agree or disagree
- C. Advantages and disadvantages
Show answer
Agree or disagree
Two views set the scene, but the instruction asks how far you agree with one claim.
- 'Do the benefits of printing train timetables only online outweigh the drawbacks?'
- A. Outweigh: a verdict is needed
- B. Discuss advantages and disadvantages: no verdict needed
- C. Problem and solution
Show answer
Outweigh: a verdict is needed
It is a yes-or-no question about which side is heavier, so answer it early.
- 'Many ferry crews are retiring and few people are training to replace them. What problems does this cause, and what can be done?'
- A. Problem and solution
- B. Agree or disagree
- C. Discuss both views
Show answer
Problem and solution
Two jobs: name the problems, then match a solution to each.
- Prompt: 'Discuss both views and give your own opinion' (on whether amateur choirs should get council funding). Which position line fits?
- A. 'Whether choirs are funded is a matter for each council to settle.'
- B. 'Funding helps choirs reach new singers, but fees keep them independent; I favour small start-up grants.'
- C. 'Choirs must be funded, and this essay will prove it.'
Show answer
'Funding helps choirs reach new singers, but fees keep them independent; I favour small start-up grants.'
It names both views and then gives a clear judgement.
BandLadder questions
Practise it now
Use the method on original BandLadder questions. Attempt them free and see your score.
Questions
FAQ
What are the types of essay in PTE?+
Pearson has one essay task and does not name types. BandLadder groups the prompts into five: they ask you to agree or disagree, discuss both views, discuss advantages and disadvantages (or say whether they outweigh each other), or explain problems and solutions.
How many types of essay are there in PTE Academic?+
Officially one: an argumentative essay of 200–300 words in 20 minutes. The variety is in the prompt's instruction, which BandLadder groups into five common types.
Do I need to give my opinion in a PTE advantages and disadvantages essay?+
If the prompt asks whether advantages outweigh disadvantages, yes. If it only says 'discuss', a short closing judgement is BandLadder advice, because the task is argumentative.
Can I use one template for all PTE essay types?+
A fixed template fits only the type it was written for, and Pearson lists significant pre-prepared or memorised material among responses that earn no score points. Learn the job of each type instead.
Is there a Write Essay task in PTE Core?+
No. PTE Core has Write Email instead; Write Essay is a PTE Academic task.
Is the PTE essay an opinion essay?+
Pearson describes Write Essay as an argumentative essay, so every type needs a clear position. Even when a prompt only says 'discuss', BandLadder advice is to end with a short judgement.
Sources
- PTE Academic Score Guide for Test Takers (July 2025): p. 8 (scores of 0), pp. 34–37 (Write Essay traits)
- PTE Core Score Guide for Test Takers (January 2026): Write Email as the Core writing task; no Write Essay
- Pearson PTE Academic test format: Speaking and Writing: pearsonpte.com, Write Essay task description (prompt length, time, word count)
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