The Final Exam – PTE Summarize Group Discussion

PTE Summarize Group Discussion – The Final Exam

Narration: Three students are debating the value of final exams over coffee at a campus café.

Speaker1: I honestly think final exams are outdated. Last semester, I had three finals on the same day. I was so overwhelmed with memorizing facts that I didn’t truly understand anything. And what’s worse—I blanked during the psychology exam even though I knew the material. It’s not a fair way to measure learning.

Speaker2: I totally agree. Exams just encourage cramming. I’d rather be assessed through projects or research papers where I can apply what I’ve learned. Those actually help me think critically. With exams, I forget everything as soon as I leave the exam hall.

Speaker3: Actually, I think finals serve a purpose. They force us to review the entire semester’s content. Without that pressure, I probably wouldn’t consolidate everything I’ve learned. There’s a sense of closure—and accomplishment—when you prepare well and perform in a final.

Speaker1: But that’s the problem—it’s all about performance under pressure, not real learning. I learn better through continuous assessment. Weekly assignments and discussions help me absorb material gradually. Finals just turn learning into a high-stakes game. Education should be about deep understanding, not just regurgitating information for a grade.

Speaker2: Exactly. And not everyone performs well under exam conditions. Some people have anxiety; others just need more time. Projects allow creativity and collaboration. Exams feel isolating and artificial. Plus, in the real world, we rarely have to solve problems without any resources or help—we collaborate and use tools, which projects better simulate.

Speaker3: I get that, but real life has deadlines and pressure too. Finals teach discipline and time management. Plus, they’re efficient—imagine professors grading 100 individual projects instead of one standardized exam. And let’s be honest, without the structure of finals, many students would struggle to review the full scope of the course material systematically.

Speaker1: I’d still take projects over exams any day. At least with projects, I’m creating something meaningful. Exams just feel like a memory test that doesn’t reflect how we actually use knowledge in real situations.

Speaker2: Same. And flexibility in assessment respects different learning styles. Not everyone is a good test-taker, but everyone deserves a fair chance to show what they know. Diverse evaluation methods would create a more equitable system for all types of learners.

Speaker3: That’s a fair point. Maybe a mix would work—smaller assessments throughout the term and a lighter final just to tie everything together. But I still believe exams have their place in ensuring a comprehensive review and maintaining academic standards across different sections of the same course.

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