Writing a Summary (Grade 10 NSC Matric English FAL): Revision Notes
Writing a Summary
Understanding what a summary is
A summary is a condensed form of a longer text that includes only the most important information. When you write a summary, you take a passage and reduce it to its essential points, focusing specifically on what the question asks you to address. Think of it as taking a long story and telling someone just the key parts they need to know.
The purpose of a summary is to demonstrate that you understand the main ideas in a text and can express them clearly and briefly. In your NSC exam, you will be asked to read a passage and then summarise specific information from it.
Characteristics of a good summary
A strong summary has five essential characteristics that you must remember:
Include seven clear, relevant points: Your summary must contain exactly seven distinct points that directly relate to the question's focus. Each point should address a different aspect of the topic. For example, if asked to summarise ways to reduce pollution, each of your seven points should present a different method or solution.
Each of your seven points must be truly distinct and non-repetitive. If you find yourself saying essentially the same thing twice using different words, you need to replace one of those points with new information from the passage.
Be written in your own words: This is crucial. You cannot simply copy sentences or long phrases from the original passage. Instead, you need to rephrase the information using different words and sentence structures whilst keeping the original meaning. This shows that you truly understand the content.
Common mistake: Students often change just one or two words in a sentence and think they've rewritten it. You need to completely restructure sentences and use synonyms for most words. The only exceptions are technical terms that cannot be easily replaced.
Contain no grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors: Your summary must be written in accurate English. Errors in language will cost you marks. Take time to check your spelling, ensure your sentences are grammatically correct, and use punctuation properly. This demonstrates your language proficiency.
Remain objective: A summary presents information without adding your personal opinions, feelings, or extra explanations. You should not include phrases like "I think" or "In my opinion". Simply state the facts and ideas from the passage in a neutral way.
Stay within the required word limit: The question will specify a word count range (typically 80-90 words). You must write your summary within this limit. Always count your words and write the total in brackets at the end. Writing too much or too little will result in lost marks.
The summary writing process
Writing a good summary requires a systematic approach. Follow these five steps carefully during your exam to ensure you produce a high-quality response.
Step 1: Read the question carefully
Before you even look at the passage, you must understand exactly what the question is asking you to do. This first step guides your entire summarising process.
Identify the focus: Work out what specific information you need to summarise. The question might ask you to summarise suggestions, reasons, effects, methods, or benefits related to a particular topic. For example, the question might state: "Summarise the writer's suggestions for reducing pollution." Here, your focus is on suggestions for reducing pollution, not on pollution problems or effects.
Underline key words: Mark important words in the question that tell you what to look for in the passage. These words guide your reading and help you identify relevant information.
Follow every instruction: Pay close attention to all the instructions given. The question will specify the format required (usually paragraph form) and the word limit. Missing or ignoring an instruction will cost you marks.
Critical formatting requirement: If the question states "Write a paragraph summarising...", your answer must be written in continuous sentences that flow together, not as a list of bullet points. This is a common mistake that students make and will result in losing marks.
Step 2: Read the passage
Once you understand the question, you can approach the passage strategically. This step requires careful, active reading.
First reading for understanding: Read through the entire text once to get a general sense of what it's about. Don't mark anything yet – just focus on understanding the overall content and how it's organised.
Second reading for key ideas: Now read the passage again, this time with your pen ready. As you read, highlight or underline the key ideas that directly relate to the question's focus. Be selective – only mark information that answers the specific question asked.
Distinguish main points from details: Learn to identify the difference between main ideas and supporting information. Main points are the central concepts or actions. Examples, background information, descriptions, and opinions are supporting details that you should ignore. For instance, if the main point is "Recycling reduces waste", an example like "Johannesburg recycles 40% of its waste" is a supporting detail you don't need to include.
Reading strategy: After finishing each paragraph, ask yourself: "Does this part help to answer the question?" If yes, underline or note the idea. If no, move on. This helps you stay focused on relevant information only.
Step 3: Plan your summary
Planning is essential for producing a well-organised summary. This step ensures you select the best information and avoid repetition.
Review your marked ideas: Look back at all the key ideas you underlined or highlighted during your second reading. You probably marked more than seven points, so now you need to select the most important ones.
Choose the seven most important points: From all the ideas you identified, select the seven that most directly and clearly address the question. These should be distinct points that don't overlap. If you have similar ideas, choose the clearest one or combine them into a single point.
Number your selected points: Once you've chosen your seven points, number them 1-7 in the passage. This helps you check that each one is distinct and relevant. It also provides a logical order for writing your summary.
Remove repetition: Check that you haven't selected points that say essentially the same thing in different ways. Each of your seven points must present unique information.
Writing tip: Use short, simple sentences in your summary. Each sentence should express one clear point. This makes your summary easy to read and understand, and helps you stay within the word limit.
Step 4: Write and edit your draft
Now you're ready to start writing. This step involves transforming the points you selected into your own words.
Rewrite in your own words: Take each of the seven points you selected and express them using different words and sentence structures from the original. This is the most challenging part of summary writing. Think about what the point means, then write it down as if you were explaining it to a friend.
Avoid copying: Do not copy long phrases directly from the passage. Whilst you may use some key terms (especially if they're technical words), you should rephrase most of the content. For example, if the passage says "Implementing renewable energy sources reduces dependence on fossil fuels", you might write "Using renewable energy helps us rely less on fossil fuels".
Combine similar ideas: If you have related points, you can sometimes combine them into a single sentence to save words and create better flow. For example, "Recycling reduces waste. Recycling saves resources" could become "Recycling reduces waste and saves resources".
Check accuracy, fluency, and grammar: Read through your draft to ensure it makes sense, flows well, and contains no language errors. Your sentences should connect logically, and your meaning should be clear.
Useful phrases for summarising: These sentence starters can help you write your summary in a formal, academic style:
- "The writer explains that..."
- "According to the text..."
- "The passage suggests that..."
- "It is stated that..."
- "In summary, the author emphasises..."
Step 5: Write the final version
The final step involves producing a neat, accurate version of your summary that meets all requirements.
Write your seven key points neatly: Copy your summary in complete, well-formed sentences. Make sure your handwriting is legible and your work is presented neatly. This final version is what will be marked.
Keep within the word limit: Your summary should fall within the specified word count (for example, 80-90 words). Count every word, including small words like "a", "the", and "is".
Write the exact word count: At the end of your summary, write the total number of words in brackets. For example: (87 words). This shows the examiner that you have followed the instructions.
Cross out your draft clearly: Draw a line through your draft work so that only your final version is marked. Make sure the examiner can easily see which is your final answer.
Final checklist: Before moving on to the next question, review your summary one last time:
- Have you included exactly seven points?
- Are all points relevant to the question?
- Have you written everything in your own words?
- Is your summary clear, correct, and concise?
- Have you stayed within the word limit?
- Have you written the word count at the end?
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- A summary is a shortened version of a text containing only the main ideas relevant to the question – aim for exactly seven clear, distinct points.
- Always read the question first to identify the focus, then read the passage twice: once for understanding and again to highlight relevant key ideas.
- Write your summary in your own words, avoiding copying phrases from the passage – rephrase the information whilst keeping the original meaning.
- Stay objective by presenting only facts from the passage without adding your opinions or extra explanations.
- Follow all instructions carefully, including writing in paragraph form (continuous sentences, not bullet points), staying within the word limit, and writing your word count in brackets at the end.