GT ALOHA VIDHYA MANDIR

WRITING SKILL- NOTE MAKING & SUMMARISING

CW Notes-2023-24
Class: XI
Subject: English

Note-making is a means to capture the key ideas of a given passage in an easily

readable, logically structured format. The style is fairly causal though within the
prescribed CBSE framework and we are even allowed to use abbreviations.

The key to abbreviations at the end of the task ensures that any other reader may also
be able to interpret the gist of the passage. Thus, note-making can be a wonderful tool
to take notes in class, share notes with each other and even revise for an exam.

Sub-Titling

The purpose of sub-titling is to convey the main idea or theme of each section of a long
piece of writing. It helps the reader know at a glance the sub-topics that are being
addressed. Giving suitable sub-titles helps break the monotony of reading long
passages.

GT Aloha VidhyaMandir : No.4/828, Vaithiyalangam Salai, Neelankarai, Chennai – 600115. Page 1

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STRATEGIES FOR ATTEMPTING NOTE MAKING

1) Read the passage thoroughly.

2) Find the title/Heading of the passage (Read the first/last paragraph for the title).
3) Underline the main points & supporting details.
4) Find out the chief division of the passage & use them for Main-headings.
5) Find the sub-headings & write them under the Main- headings.
6) Do not write in complete sentences; use words/phrases only.
7) Circle the longer words or those often-repeated words & abbreviate them.
8) Underline the HEADING&SUB-HEADING.
9) How to form Abbreviations:

(a) Capitalized Initial Letters: eg: W.H .O, L.I.C

(b) The first few letters & the last few letters of the word:eg:

Advertisement-advt., government-govt.

(c) Taking first & last letters of the words: -eg. Reading-rdng. Education-edn

(d)Contractions of word-:eg:will not -won't; do not -don't

(e) Universally recognized SYMBOLS used-eg: viz.-namely; eg.-for example

10) Include a minimum of four-eight distinctly recognizable short forms i.e

abbreviations of the words.
11) Draw an outline/box for the entire key words and abbreviations
12) Organise the information systematically.

SUMMARISING

1. Use the NOTES made to draft the summary.

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2. Join the points & make them into complete sentences.

3. Write short sentences.

4. Join the sentences using words like-and; not only; but also; such that; more over

5. Follow the word limit. (80 words.)

SUMMARISING: (80 Words)

Students are required to write a paragraph using the main points listed in the notes.
Complete sentences are used. They are logically and cohesively linked together with the
help of suitable linkers. Do not use abbreviations and symbols.

Example

1. There is a clear dichotomy between Jayashankar Prasad’s daily life and the one that
found expression in his literature. In his literary formulations, Prasad advocated an
escape- from personality ideals and categorically stated: “An artist‟s art, and not his
person, is the touchstone to assess his work . . . it is only after losing his personality that
he emerges in his art as an artist”.
2. In Prasad‟s works – his poems, short stories, novels, dramas etc. – what emerges is
life as shaped in the writer’s inner self by his emotions, fancies, dreams, reveries . . . His
writings are a record not of outer reality, but of the artist’s inner world. As such, of a
proper appreciation and understanding of his works more emphasis needs to be placed
on the working of his mind, than the events of his dayto-day life.
3. Prasad was born in a renowned family of Varanasi. His grand-father Shiv RatanSahu, a
dealer in high quality perfumed tobacco (snuff). Besides being an astute businessman,
he was endowed with a marked cultural taste. His home was the meeting place of the
local poets, singers, artists, scholars and men of religion. Prasad‟s father Devi Prasad
Sahu carried forward this high tradition of family. Prasad, therefore, had a chance to
study the various phases of human nature in the light of the business traditions, artistic
taste and religious background of his family.
4. When the business had somewhat recovered, Prasad planned the publication of a
literary journal. Prasad started the “Indu”. The inaugural number appeared in July 1909.
By this time Prasad’s notions of literature had crystallized into a credo. In the first issue
of Indu, he proclaimed, “Literature has no fixed aim; it is not a slave to rules; it is a free
and all-embracing genius, gives birth to genuine literature which is subservient to none.
Whatever in the world is true and beautiful is its subject matter. By dealing with the
True and Beautiful it establishes the one and affects the full flowering of the others. Its
force can be measured by the degree of pleasure it gives to the reader‟s mind as also by
the criticism which is free of all prejudice”. The words sound like the manifesto of
romanticism in literature.
5. Even while recognizing the social relevance of literature, Prasad insisted, “The poet is
a creator . . . he is not conditioned by his milieu; rather it is he who moulds it and gives

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it a new shape; he conjures up a new world of beauty where the reader for the time
being, becomes oblivious of the outer world and passes his time in an eternal spring
garden where golden lotuses blossom and the air is thick and pollen”. Thus, the chief
aim of literature according to Prasad is to give joy to the reader and to create a state of
bliss in him. Later under the impact of Shiv Advaitism, this faith of Prasad got further
strengthened.
(Extract from ‘Jayashankar Prasad- His mind and Art’ by Dr. Nagendra)

(a) On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, make notes on it using
headings and subheadings. Use recognizable abbreviations (wherever necessary-
minimum four) and a format you consider suitable. Also supply an appropriate title to
it. (5)
(b) Write a summary of the passage in about 80 words. (3)

Jayashankar Prasad- His life

1. His exprsn. in lit.
1.1 an escape
1.2 lose your personality
1.3 record of writer’s inner world
1.4 more emphsz. on mind than body
2. Personal life
2.1 renowned fam. of Varanasi
2.2 home- meeting place of the local poets, singers
2.3 grand-father- an astute businessman
2.4 had a chance to study phases of human nature
3. Started the “Indu”
3.1 in July 1909
3.2 proclaimed
3.2.1 lit. has no fixed aim
3.2.2 is free and all embracing genius
3.3.3 gives birth to genuine lit.
4. Social relevance of lit.
4.1 poet is a creator
4.2 moulds it
4.3 conjures up a new world of beauty
4.4 becomes oblivious of the outer world
5. Chief aim of lit.
5.1 give joy to the reader
5.2 create a state of bliss

Key to Abbreviations

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 Abbreviations Words

lit. literature

emphsz. emphasize

exprsn. expression

fam. family

Summary
Jayashankar Prasad- His life
Jayshankar Prasad found expression in literature and created an escape only after losing
his personality. His writings are a record of the writer’s inner world with more emphasis
on mind than body. He was from a renowned family of Varanasi where home-meetings
of poets and singers would take place. His grandfather was an astute businessman and
therefore Prasad had a chance to study phases of human nature. In July 1909, he
started ‘Indu’, in which he proclaimed that literature has no fixed aim, is free and all-
embracing genius and gives birth to genuine literature. He recognised the social
relevance of literature as the poet is the creator who mould it, conjures up a new world
and becomes oblivious to the outer world. The chief aim of literature is to give joy to
the reader and create a state of bliss.

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