Summary Writing
&
Short Questions
101
Name: ______________
Class: ______________
First Language English (0500)
1
TOP TIPS
What is a summary? The formal definition is: a brief statement or account of the main points of something.
And that’s exactly what you have to do. Identify the main, relevant points and write them in your own
words in an organised manner.
1. Read the question properly.
What exactly do you have to write a summary on? In the question, they could specify one or
more details - so you need to write the summary on just those details. Leave out the rest.
e.g.
○ The summary in IGCSE English will often have two strands. Make sure you answer both
parts.
2. Scan the passage.
○ As you go, underline the points that you need to include in your summary that are relevant
and important to the question. Find 10 points.
○ Quickly decide which order you will write the points in and number them on the text. Choose
the most logical order to save words, combine similar points.
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3. Write the summary.
That’s easier said than done. You have got all your points, now you need to collate and
organise it into one factual write-up using your own words.
○ Go straight into the first point of the summary, using the words in the question. In the
example above, you could start the summary by writing: ‘Lyuba, a recently discovered
woolly mammoth, is a remarkable scientific specimen as she…’
○ Use connectives/discourse markers, lots of them, to organise your points and add a
sense of continuity. Some examples are: Firstly/Secondly/Thirdly, In Addition/ Also/
Furthermore, Consequently/As a result, Thus/Hence etc.
○ Use your own words. Use synonyms of words in the passage where possible, except for
technical words or words without synonyms.
○ Include just the key points - no unnecessary examples. Avoid writing multiple points
that are too similar, it’s a waste of time.
○ Stick to the word limit. No more than 120 words. Don’t write too much; scrap
unnecessary points and examples not relevant to the question; cut short words.
3
How to use this workbook
In section 1 of this workbook, you will find some skills tasks to help you
hone in on how to get marks for this question. The purpose of this is to
help you understand what skills you need to focus on. You should aim to
work through each task one by one.
In section 2 you will find practice summaries and models. Begin by
reading the question, to find out what information you are looking for,
then skim reading the extract and highlighting as many points as
possible. Then, quickly number the points logically, grouping related
ideas together. Then put it into a well-organised summary in your own
words.
Once you feel confident, you should move on to section 3, where you
will find two Q1 summaries from recent papers. Try giving yourself 20
minutes to complete each response. Remember: you will need two
paragraphs once you are at this stage!
Section 4 includes some quick short question practice for you.
Good Luck!
4
SECTION 1
5
Skills: Skimming and Scanning.
Skim reading a text involves reading it quickly - you don’t read every word, just
enough to get an idea of each paragraph. Reading the first and last sentence of each
paragraph can help give you an idea of what information will be located in each
paragraph.
Scanning takes you quickly to key points in a text, which you then study more closely in
order to locate information. To begin with, you need to identify the key words you are
scanning for.
Scanning is also useful when you don’t have time to read every word. This could be
when you’re studying or looking for specific information from a book or article and
need to find it quickly.
Tips for better scanning
• Don’t try to read every word. Instead, let your eyes move quickly across the page
until you find what you’re looking for.
• Look for keywords and synonyms of keywords in the question e.g. ‘challenges /
problems / difficulties’ or ‘advantages / benefits’
• Use clues on the page, such as headings and titles, to help you.
• There are many ways to practise scanning skills. Try looking up a favourite recipe in
the index of a cookbook, or scan webpages on the internet to find specific information.
6
1. Skill: Scanning practice: Time yourself 4 minutes and see if you can find all
the answers to the questions below on the next page by scanning the
prospectus.
7
1. If your child is ill, who should you telephone?
________________________________________________________________
2. Which school year does this prospectus relate to?
________________________________________________________________
3. Who has stated that children shouldn’t take holidays during term time?
________________________________________________________________
4. Children can attend the dentist during school hours. True or false?
________________________________________________________________
5. Can girls wear stud earrings
________________________________________________________________
6. What colour is the school tie?
________________________________________________________________
7. Children have to be in which school years to attend archery?
________________________________________________________________
8. Can children wear trainers in school?
________________________________________________________________
9. On which page will you find information about exams?
________________________________________________________________
10. How often is the budget uniform shop open?
________________________________________________________________
Did you find all the information in less than 4 minutes?
8
How to structure your summary response
Whilst there is not a ‘correct way’ to structure your
response, it is recommended that you follow
something similar to the below structure, making sure
you use connectives to organise ideas, and ambitious
vocabulary where possible.
Use 2 short paragraphs to organise a 2-part summary
OR 1 paragraph for a 1-part summary
120 words total.
Paragraph 1:
Reword the task, use key words
from the question, make your
first point
E.g. Firstly, one factor affecting traditional lives of Inuits is there are
more convenient travel links nowadays.
As well as this,
Point 2 + 3 (combine in a sentence using a comma + connective if
possible)
Point 4 (combine with 5 if you wish)
Furthermore,
Point 5
Paragraph 2: If a 2-part summary…
Introduction to second part of
summary, with point 6:
E.g. There have also been many changes since the 1940s to Inuit
lifestyle, such as… Point 6
Point 7
In addition,
Point 8 + 9 (combine in a sentence, try to use a semi-colon)
Finally,
Point 10
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2. Skill: Putting summaries into your own words
Putting the facts into your own words doesn’t mean you have to find a synonym for
every single word. You need to rephrase and phrase ideas in a clear, succinct style.
Make sure you remove any unnecessary examples from the text, too - you just need the
main points.
Summarise these sentences in your own words, removing any examples or extra
information. Your new sentence must be shorter than the original sentence.
1. New studies emerge with alarming frequency about the dangers to our physical
and mental health of being glued to our small screens.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. Children are not exercising; people are worrying about their body image because
of online pressure from "perfect body" sites; and people are being bullied (or
worse) by cyber-criminals.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. In a study of 1,000 adults in Japan, researchers discovered that nearly 50 per cent
of the participants were addicted to their smartphones, but were unaware of
their smartphone dependence. The study is one of many clarion calls for "digital
detox" to become part of our lives.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. The practice of digital detox involves switching off from the Internet to enjoy
something called "real life". This involves the bygone custom of conversing with
people face to face and "doing everyday stuff".
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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3. Skill: Using discourse markers to organise points
Below is an example summary, addressing the following task:
Summarise what makes this newly discovered coral reef particularly special.
Add appropriate discourse markers from the box above to organise the 60-word
summary.
__________, the reef is over 3km long, and contains ocean species unknown to
science. The beautiful rose corals are colossal and, some over 2m in diameter,
______________ indicating a very healthy reef. Its untouched condition is due to
where it is situated, as it is deep and _____________ sheltered from
dangerously warm water, _________________ making it one of the most
thriving, biodiverse reefs ever discovered.
11
Original text: New Coral Reef Discovered
Marine biologists have unearthed a spectacular coral reef off the coast of Tahiti in the South
Pacific. The 3km-long reef lies at a depth of 30 metres. The scientists believe the array of corals and
ocean vegetation contains previously undiscovered marine species. They have already found
hundreds of rose-shaped coral, some of which measure over two metres in diameter. Deep-sea
diver Alexis Rosenfeld said he was stunned when he came across the reef. He wrote: "It was
magical to witness giant, beautiful rose corals which stretch for as far as the eye can see. It was like
a work of art." Scientist Laetitia Hedouin said: "It's a very healthy reef. In the middle of the
biodiversity crisis, this is very good news."
Scientists say the location of the Tahiti reef means it is in pristine condition. Most of the world's
reefs are in warmer waters. This makes them prone to the bleaching effects of global warming.
Tahiti's reef is deep enough to protect it from bleaching. There is still sufficient sunlight at 30
metres for coral to grow and reproduce. UNESCO said: "We think that deeper reefs may be better
protected from global warming." It believes the Tahiti reef is "one of the most extensive healthy
coral reefs on record". It added that more mapping of the deep ocean needs to be undertaken. It
said: "We know more about the surface of the Moon or the surface of Mars than the deeper part
of the ocean."
1. Compare the original text to the summary. What information/which parts
did the summary not include? Why is this?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Suggested answer to discourse marker task p11:
Firstly, the reef is over 3km long, and contains ocean species unknown to science. The
beautiful rose corals are colossal and, some over 2m in diameter, therefore indicating a
very healthy reef. Its untouched condition is due to where it is situated, as it is deep
and consequently sheltered from dangerously warm water, thus making it one of the
most thriving, biodiverse reefs ever discovered.
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SECTION 2
13
Read Text A then complete the tasks below.
I'm a professional mountaineer and long-distance runner. I grew up in the
Pyrenees, the son of a mountain guide, and I've been climbing since l was
three. Every day, I'll go running at altitude for five hours. Preparing for my
ascent of Everest, I knew the conditions would be especially extreme and I'd
have to acclimatise to the cold and lack of oxygen, So, before the climb, I spent
ten days getting ready by climbing another mountain in the Himalayas. While
we were on the warm-up hike, I lost a good friend on Everest, an old climbing
partner. He fell during the ascent and died. He was one of the world’s best
climbers, so I’d never expected this, and it made me question everything I was
doing. In the end, I had to keep going.
I arrived at base camp on May 17 and spent three days waiting for a weather
window. I've never liked waiting around and wanted to move. I left at
night-time, on my own.
My backpack weighed just 7 kilos. All I had was gloves, a head amp, boots and
an ice pick. I didnt even carry a radio phone. No one at base camp could
communicate with me, and vice versa, because I wanted to be completely
alone.
I hiked non-stop for 22 hours, thinking only of the next step. On my way up, I
saw the bodies of five climbers, who had not made it. You can’t let that kind of
thing get to you. I was fine physically for the first few hours. l'd spent months,
training, I had all the food I needed in the form of gels, sugar with minerals,
and a bottle of water. I say "a” bottle - the other one had frozen.
The problems started 23,000 ft up, four hours in, when I began to have
stomach cramps. I must have eaten something bad at base camp, where the
hygiene is poor. I started vomiting. I persevered and arrived at the summit
around midnight. I was alone with the mountain and found the solitude
energising. I felt an incredible sense of satisfaction, Still, I didn't cry - you can't
afford to get emotional; there is a long journey back.
Adapted from 'How it feels to climb Mount Everest twice in six days' by Kilian
Jornet; Sunday Times Magazine (18 June 2017).
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According to Text A, what are the dangers and difficulties of climbing Everest?
-Find 15 points. List them in a plan, using your own words.
-Put numbers and brackets in the list of points to show which ones can be
grouped together by topic - e.g. low temperature, lack of oxygen and therefore
needing to train could all be labeled (1), as you could group them into 1
sentence. You can check the answers after, in the following pages.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
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Now, organise the points in a factual, summary style. Remember to use
discourse markers and combine points in the same topic into one sentence.
Write the summary here (120 words)
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Model plan:
1. Low temperature
2. Lack of oxygen
3. Need to train
4. Possibility of falling
5. Losing friends
6. Feelings of fear/doubt
7. Frustration / waiting for suitable weather
8. Weight limit / can’t carry much
9. Need to stay focused / mentally positive
10.Lack of sleep
11.Seeing dead bodies
12.No proper food
13.Frozen drinking water
14.sickness/poor hygiene at base camp
15.Need to control emotions
A logical grouping might be:
Sentence 1: 1,2,3 [prepare for harsh environment]
Sentence 2: 4,5,6,7,8 [difficulties]
Sentence 3: 9,10,11,15 [mental difficulties / mind game]
Sentence 4:12,13,14 [health dangers]
Model summary: Firstly, the frigid temperatures and lack of oxygen means it’s imperative to train to
climb Everest. As well as this, dangers abound: the possibility of falling, losing friends, feelings of
fear and doubt, a strict weight limit for packs, and the frustration of waiting for suitable weather all
combine to create a massive challenge for climbers. Moreover, it’s a mind game: you have to
control your emotions and stay focussed and mentally positive - even if you’re getting no sleep and
witnessing dead bodies as you climb. Lastly, there are health dangers, such as a lack of ‘real’ food,
frozen drinking water, and poor hygiene at base camp that often causes sickness for mountaineers.*
(112 words)
*Note that only factual language is used - no imagery, no ARIPEFOREST, no first person.
Only clear, organised complex sentences.
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Read Text B then complete the tasks below.
Hurricanes are one of nature's most powerful and destructive forces, giant
tropical storms that produce heavy rainfall and super-strong winds above 120
kph. They are also called cyclones and typhoons, depending on where they
occur. (In the Atlantic Ocean and Northwest Pacific they are hurricanes, in the
Northwest Pacific they are typhoons and in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean
they are cyclones.) Most occur during the autumn months in the latter half of
the year. They last for more than a week but weaken as they move north over
cooler water or mountainous terrain.
Hurricanes form over ocean waters near the equator more than 80 degrees F.
The warm, moist air above the ocean surface rises with the help of steady light
winds, which also cause air from surrounding areas to be sucked in. This air also
becomes warm and moist, and also rises, beginning a continuous cycle that
forms clouds and feeds the storm. The clouds then rotate with the spin of the
Earth (in the southern hemisphere in a clockwise direction, and in the northern
hemisphere in an anti-clockwise direction) owing to what is called the Coriolis
Force. Hurricanes rotate around a circular centre called the 'eye', where it is
generally calm with no clouds. Surrounding the eye is the 'eye wall' - the most
dangerous part of the hurricane with the strongest winds, thickest clouds and
heaviest rain.
Most hurricanes occur harmlessly out at sea. However, when they move towards
land they can be incredibly dangerous and cause serious damage. When a
hurricane makes landfall it often produces a storm surge. This is when the high
winds drive the sea towards the shore, causing water levels to rise and creating
huge crashing waves. Storm surges can reach 6 m high and extend to over 150
km.
There are five categories of hurricane, according to the wind speed, the most
catastrophic and highest category being 5, which means winds above 250 kph
and a storm surge of above 5 metres. Winds can reach speeds of 320 kph strong enough to rip up trees and destroy entire buildings.
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Hurricanes are given names (originally only female) by the World Meteorological
Organisation so that they can be distinguished. Each year, tropical storms are
named in alphabetical order according to a list produced by the WMO.
1(f) According to Text B, what are the causes and characteristics of hurricanes?
-Put brackets round all examples, repetitions and minor details.
-Then list, in your own words, the 15 points remaining. Group them by
topic, and put the groups into a logical order.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
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Now, write your summary. Aim to combine the related points into sentences together.
(120 words)
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Model plan:
1. Can be called cyclones or typhoons
2. Occur in latter months of year
3. Formed by warm moisture from equatorial oceans - above 80F
4. Steady light winds force moisture upwards
5. Air sucked in and storm clouds created
6. Rotate with the earth’s spin according to hemisphere / Coriolis Force
7. Produce heavy rain
8. Have strong spiral wind - up to 320kph
9. Cover an area of hundreds of miles /mostly stay over sea
10. Have circular calm centre called thee ye
11. Most dangerous part of the hurricane the wall of the eye
12. Five categories of hurricane
13. Create storm surges/tidal waves
14. Have human names issued in alphabetical order by WMO
15. Weaken as they meet cooler air
Group 1: 1, 12, 14
Group 2: 2,3,4,5,6
Group 3: 7,8,13
Group 4: 9,10,11,15
Model summary:
There are five categories of hurricanes, also known as typhoons or cyclones, which are
named every year in alphabetical order by the WMO. They mostly occur in the latter
months of the year, and are formed as warm moisture from equatorial oceans - above
80F - is forced upwards by steady light winds that suck the air in, creating storm clouds
that rotate with the Earth’s spin. Consequently, they have a powerful spiral wind - up
to 320km - produce heavy rain, as well as tidal surges and tsunamis. Hurricanes are
vast, covering hundreds of miles, mostly over ocean, but weaken upon meeting cooler
air. Lastly, the most dangerous part of the typhoon is the wall of the eye, the storm’s
circular, calm centre. (120 words)
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SECTION 3
22
Exam practice 1 - Time yourself (20 mins)
23
24
25
Mark scheme:
26
Exam practice 2 - Time yourself (20 mins)
27
28
29
Mark scheme:
30
SECTION 4
31
Q1 short answer comprehension practice:
32
33
34
Answers:
35
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