Nowadays, it is increasingly more difficult to maintain the right…
Write an essay.
Nowadays, it is increasingly more difficult to maintain the right balance between work and other aspects of one’s life, such as time with family and leisure needs. How important do you think is this balance? Why do people find it hard to achieve?
How to answer: structure and key points
Essay outline
- Introduction: restate the question in your own words and give your position.
- Body paragraph 1: your main reason, with an example.
- Body paragraph 2: a second reason, or the other side and why it is weaker.
- Conclusion: restate your position in one or two sentences.
- Stay on the topic: a response that misses the topic scores zero on every trait.
An outline for this prompt
- The question: Why does balancing work and personal life matter?
- Position: Balance matters because paid work is only one demand on a person's time.
- Paragraph 1: Family contact and leisure need time that cannot simultaneously be spent working.
- Paragraph 2: Unclear availability expectations can make those boundaries difficult to maintain.
- Conclusion: Explain the conflict between competing commitments rather than blaming individuals.
These are key points and a structure written by RealPTE, not a script to memorise: say or write it in your own words.
RealPTE numbers
From RealPTE practice records and students’ “I sat this” reports, counted weekly (last count 2026-10-31). Reports are what students tell us; predictions are not guaranteed.
Questions about this question
How do I answer PTE Write Essay #842004?
Introduction: restate the question in your own words and give your position. Body paragraph 1: your main reason, with an example.
How do I get full marks on this Write Essay question?
Answer the exact prompt, keep a clear position, use two developed body paragraphs and stay inside the word limit.
Can I practise #842004 with scoring?
Yes. The practice button on this page opens question #842004 in the RealPTE practice screen, where your answer is scored when you finish.
Opens question #842004 in the RealPTE practice screen.
Write Essay format (Pearson)
| Prompt | 2–3 sentences |
|---|---|
| Time to answer | 20 minutes |
| Skills assessed | Writing |
| Scored on | Content; Development, structure and coherence; Form; General linguistic range; Grammar usage and mechanics; Vocabulary range; Spelling |
How it is scored
- Full Form credit at 200–300 words; under 120 or over 380 words scores zero.
- A response that misses the topic scores zero on every trait.
- Partial credit applies: a partly correct response still scores.
- Traits are scored by AI; a human expert also reviews Content, Development/Structure/Coherence and General Linguistic Range.
Source: Pearson, PTE Academic & UKVI test format, Part 1: Speaking & Writing, checked 9 October 2026.