Summary skills

Where to begin?
• Write the topic in LARGE BOLD letters at the top of your planning page.
• How to do a first draft?
• Underline the instruction and rephrase it as a question.
• example: TEXT C below highlights the importance of developing youth leadership.
QUESTION: Summarise, in your own words, how young people can emerge as the
next generation of leaders.
Now rephrase this as a question: How can young people emerge as the next
generation of leaders?

• Highlight/Underline the relevant points to the topic in the actual text. This is an
important process!
• Once you have highlighted it, go back and check that EACH point you have
highlighted ANSWERS the INSTRUCTION QUESTION.
How to make a statement into a question
• By using words such as:
• How
• Why
• Who
• Where
• When
• Other words that can be used: could, would, are etc..
Take note
• NOTE:
• 1. Your summary should include SEVEN points and NOT exceed 90 words.
• 2. You must write a fluent paragraph.
• 3. You are NOT required to include a title for the summary.
• 4. Indicate your word count at the end of your summary
Format
 The instructions are generally very specific and clear. You will be told
whether to use point-form or prose-form. You will be instructed on whether
to use a heading or not.
 Don’t use sub-titles unless you are required to do so. If required, read
instructions carefully – there may be specific instructions regarding
number and content of sub-headings.
 Always use full sentences in your summaries.
 Each point must contain a verb.
Word count
 You will be required to summarise ‘in no more than …. words’. The
number is not a recommendation – it is a very specific instruction.
 You must provide a word count at the END of the summary, in ink.
 Your word count includes any heading, unless otherwise stated.
 You are heavily penalised if you lie!
 Hyphenated words, acronyms, years, initials in front of surnames and full
names are counted as one word each.
Style
 You MUST use your own words. This is especially important when
unusual words or phrases are used.
 Your points should link to the topic (be careful of repetition/over-
elaboration)
 You are given marks, not just for the accuracy of your content, but for the
fluency of your writing.
 No abbreviations or sentence fragments are permitted.
 The tense of your summary should be the same as in the original text.
 You may be required to write for a particular audience, e.g. for a teen
magazine, but ensure that your attempt to make it suitable does not add
too many unnecessary words to your summary.
 Grammar and spelling are important.
What to leave out / omit
 Clichés
 Direct speech
 Set expressions
 Examples and statistics (statistics may be included depending on the
context)
 Repetitions
 Inessential details
 Colloquial expressions/slang
 Elaborate descriptions
 Digressions
 Figurative language
How to start
 Read the text to be summarised, to get a general idea of the content.
 Read the summary question to determine what the focus of your summary will
be, e.g. are you summarising the WHOLE passage? Are you writing for a
particular audience?
 Read the passage again, highlighting the main points (look for topic sentences in
paragraphs). I would recommend possible putting secondary points in a different
colour or in brackets.
 Rewrite the relevant information in your own words, in logical sequence.
 Count your words. Too many words may mean that you have included irrelevant
information, or that you have not written economically. Have you omitted what
could be examples? Is your heading possibly too long? Too few words may
mean that you have omitted important information (this is where you can go back
to your bracketed secondary information). Have you remembered to include your
heading? Check that you have used full sentences.
 Write in full and then proof read for errors.