Timing at a glance
| Audio | About 60–90 seconds, played once |
|---|---|
| Writing time | About 10 minutes |
| Length | About 50–70 words |
Timings are approximate and can vary slightly from question to question.
How it's scored
Scored onContentFormGrammarVocabularySpelling
Content checks how well your summary captures the main points of the recording. Form checks the word count. Grammar, Vocabulary and Spelling check the quality of your writing. A blank summary scores zero on every trait.
Worked example
A practice talk we wrote
Imagine a 75-second talk on sleep and memory: during deep sleep the brain replays what was learned during the day; students who sleep after studying remember more than those who stay up; and short naps can help too, but they don't replace a full night's sleep.
A strong approach
"The speaker explained that sleep plays an important role in memory. During deep sleep, the brain replays information learned during the day, which helps it to be stored. As a result, students who sleep after studying remember more than those who stay awake. Although short naps can also help, the speaker stressed that they cannot replace a full night of sleep." (60 words)
Common mistakes
- Writing down every word you hear and missing the main idea.
- Going far under or over the word range.
- Writing notes as fragments instead of full sentences.
- Forgetting the speaker's conclusion.
Tips
- Note keywords only: the topic, three or four main points and the conclusion.
- Write in full sentences with linking words: "The speaker explained…", "As a result…", "However…".
- Aim for the middle of the word range, around 60 words.
- Leave a minute to check spelling; it is scored.
Summarize Spoken Text FAQ
Between about 50 and 70 words. Aiming for around 60 keeps you safely inside the range.
Related guides
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