summary writing

SUMMARY WRITING

SUMMARY WRITING

INTRODUCTION :1. This section contains 11 summary questions.

2. The summary texts and exercises given are based on themes in the Form Three English curriculum specifications.

3. Each summary exercise is equipped with 4 activities to guide students to summarize effectively.

4. It is necessary to carry out all the activities provided because the exercises designed cover all types of summary tasks.

5. The activities include :

5.1 Identifying main ideas

5.2 Transferring and grouping identified main ideas

5.3 Joining ideas using Conjunctions and Connectors

5.4 Rephrasing (alternative)

5.5 Writing a summary in paragraph form.

GUIDELINES FOR TEACHERS:1. Ask the students to read and understand the passage.

2. Explain the students the task to be summarized.

3. Identify 10 words given before carrying out the activity.

4. In activity 1, ask the students to identify main ideas by stating YES in the provided column.

5. In activity 2, students need to transfer all the YES statements in the provided column.

6. In activity 3, guide the students to join all YES statements by using Conjunctions and Connectors (e.g. and , but , besides , moreover )

7. As an alternative, teacher can guide the students to rephrase statements (advisable for competent learners)

8. In activity 4, ask the students to rewrite a complete summary in ONE paragraph taken from activity 3.

9. The summary should be in the same tense as in the original passage.

10. Ask the students to count the number of words in the summary. Do not exceed the word requirement.

11. Check and mark their exercises before proceeding to the next lesson.

SAMPLE 1

Write a summary on the causes of gangsterim in schools.

in continuous writing form

in ONE paragraph

in your own words as far as possible

in not more than 60 words, including the 10 words given below.

Begin with :

Gangsterism in schools is on the rise because parents are ..

(adapted from Access Cemerlang English PMR)

STEP 1: IDENTIFYING AND SELECTING MAIN IDEAS

Instruction : 1. Highlight the task in the summary question.

2. Identify the man ideas related to the question given.

3. Before deciding the main ideas, try to read aloud the question together with each statement listed.

4. State YES if you find the statement relevant to the question asked.

NoQuestion : Causes of gangsterism in schoolsYES/NO

Statements

1The cause of gangsterism in school isMost parents are caught in the rat race YES

2The cause of gangsterism in school is

They are occupied with worldly pursuits tooYES


Their children are neglected. YES


There is a lack of parental loveYES


As a result, students who feel bored at home start mingling with friends who are gangsters.YES


They feel they are more accepted by their peersNO


They feel that their peers can give them more love and concern than their parents do.NO


In school, there is a lack of proper guidance and attentionYES


Discipline in school might not be strict enough to curb gangsterism among students.YES


Therefore, students play truant. NO


They find that there is no one whom they can turn to for guidanceYES


This might be due to the lack of counselling sessions in schools.YES


Parents and schools play a part in curbing gangsterismNO


Parents should spend quality time with their children no matter how busy they areNO


In school, the disciplinary board and counselors should find out the causes, plan and take preventive measures to curb gangsterism.

NO

STEP 2: TRANSFERRING AND GROUPING MAIN IDEAInstruction:1.List all the YES statements (STEP 1) in the column provided.

NoCauses of gangsterism in schoolsYES/NO

1Most parents are caught in the rat race YES

2They are occupied with worldly pursuits tooYES

3Their children are neglected. YES

4There is a lack of parental loveYES

5As a result, students who feel bored at home start mingling with friends who are gangsters.YES

6In school, there is a lack of proper guidance and attentionYES

7Discipline in school might not be strict enough to curb gangsterism among students.YES

8They find that there is no one whom they can turn to for guidanceYES

9This might be due to the lack of counselling sessions in schools.YES

STEP 3: JOINING, GROUPING AND SUMMARIZING LIFTED MAIN IDEASInstruction : 1. Rewrite YES statements from activity 2 in the lifting column.

2. Identify and group similar subjects but different ideas.

3. Join the statements with appropriate conjunctions.

4. Delete any unnecessary phrases to include all the points and reduce the number of words required.

(Choose any of the columns designed according to the level of

proficiency of the students)

NoLIFTING

(WEAK)JOINING AND GROUPING

(INTERMEDIATE)SUMMARIZING

(ADVANCED)

1Most parents are caught in the rat race Parents are caught in the rat race and occupied with worldly pursuits.Most parents are busy working.

2They are occupied with worldly pursuits too

3Their children are neglected. Their children feel neglected and lack of parental love. As a result, students who feel bored at home start mingling with friends who are gangsters.

(Points no 3,4,5,8)At home, their children feel bored, neglected and lack of parental love. So, they seek friends who understand them.

4There is a lack of parental love

5As a result, students who feel bored at home start mingling with friends who are gangsters

6In school, there is a lack of proper guidance and attention.Besides, the lack of proper guidance, attention in school and counseling sessions also lead to gangsterism.

(No:5,7,8)In school, there are lack of proper guidance, attention and counseling sessions. Besides, the school discipline is not strict enough to curb gangsterism.

7Discipline in school might not be strict enough to curb gangsterism among students.Also, the discipline in school might not be strict enough to curb gangsterism.

8They find that there is no one whom they can turn to for guidanceThey find that there is no one whom they can turn to for guidance.

9This might be due to the lack of counselling sessions in schools.

No of words92 words81 words47 words

Content points5

(highlighted and counted as 50 words)6

highlighted and counted as 50 words)9

highlighted and counted as 50 words)

STEP 4 : WRITING THE SUMMARYInstruction :1.Rewrite the summarized statements in ONE paragraph.

2. Maximize the number of words until 60.3. Begin with the 10 words given earlier.4. Check the spelling of words. Make sure they are accurate.

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

All the activities designed cater to all levels of proficiency.

Students are encouraged to try all the activities with the help of proper guidance from the teacher.

EXERCISE 2

THEME : HEALTH

TASK : BENEFITS

In many ways, cycling is a better exercise than jogging. It exercises the heart better than walking without the pounding of jogging. One can ride a bicycle almost anywhere, at any times of the year and at low cost. Little or no time is lost as bike travel can be used to get to work, perform errands or enjoy the outdoors.

Commuting by bicycle reduces pollution that causes asthma and bronchitis. This is because a commuting cyclist does not cause air pollution than commuting motorist. Some people think that cycling has more hazards on the road. But actually, cycling has similar risks to travelling by automobiles.

Forty five minutes of cycling six days a week keeps anyone feeling good but not great. Two hours per day keeps him very strong and controls his weight and six hours a day makes him feel like a superman after several weeks.

Since lower amounts of exercise improve ones health but higher amounts improve ones fitness, a minimum of thirty minutes a day of cycling is recommended. The time spent cycling will not be wasted. Moreover, the cyclist will be fitter and live a longer life.

Write a summary on the benefits of cycling.

in continuous writing form

in ONE paragraph

in your own words as far as possible

in not more than 60 words, including the 10 words given below.

Begin with :

Generally, cycling is better than jogging. Cycling exercises the heart ..

ACTIVITY 1

Instruction :

1. State YES or NO for each relevant statement.

No Title : THE BENEFITS OF CYCLINGYES/NO

Statements

1It exercises the heart better than walking without the pounding of jogging.

2One can ride a bicycle almost anywhere, at any times of the year and at low cost.

3Little or no time is lost as bike travel can be used to get to work, perform errands or enjoy the outdoors.

4Commuting by bicycle reduces pollution that causes asthma and bronchitis

5This is because a commuting cyclist does not cause air pollution than commuting motorist.

6Some people think that cycling has more hazards on the road.

7But actually, cycling has similar risks to travelling by automobiles.

8Forty five minutes of cycling six days a week keeps anyone feeling good but not great.

9Two hours per day keeps him very strong and controls his weight and six hours a day makes him feel like a superman after several weeks

10Since lower amounts of exercise improve ones health but higher amounts improve ones fitness, a minimum of thirty minutes a day of cycling is recommended

11The time spent cycling will not be wasted

12Moreover, the cyclist will be fitter and live a longer life.

ACTIVITY 2

Instruction:

1.List only YES statements in the column provided.No Question :YES

Statements

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

ACTIVITY 3

Instruction :

1. Rewrite YES statements from activity 2 in the lifting column.

2. Join the statements by joining simple sentence, using similar word in meaning and linkers.NoLIFTING

REPHRASING

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

ACTIVITY 4

Instruction :

1. Write the summary in ONE paragraph.

2. Begin with 10 words given earlier.

THEME : SOCIAL ISSUES

TASK : CAUSES

There are many reasons for the raise of gangsterism in schools. Most parents are caught in the rat race. They are occupied with worldly pursuits too. Their children are neglected. As a result, students who feel bored at home start mingling with friends who are gangsters. They feel they are more accepted by their peers. They feel that their peers can give them more love and concern than their parents do.

In school, there is a lack of proper guidance and attention. Discipline in school might not be strict enough to curb gangsterism among students. Therefore, students play truant. They find that there is no one whom they can turn to for guidance. This might be due to the lack of counselling sessions in schools.

Parents and schools play a part in curbing gangsterism. Parents should spend quality time with their children no matter how busy they are. In school, the disciplinary board and counselors should find out the causes, plan and take preventive measures to curb gangsterism.

SAMPLE 1 :(LIFTED MAIN IDEAS)

Gangsterism in schools is on the rise because parents are caught in the rat race. They are occupied with worldly pursuits too. Their children are neglected. There is a lack of parental love. As a result, students who feel bored at home start mingling with friends who are gangsters. In school, there is a lack of proper guidance and attention.

(60 words)

SAMPLE 2 :(JOINING AND GROUPING IDEAS)

Gangsterism in schools is on the rise because parents are caught in the rat race and occupied with worldly pursuits. Their children feel neglected and lack of parental love. As a result, students who feel bored at home start mingling with friends who are gangsters. Besides, there are lack of proper guidance, attention in school and counseling sessions.

(58 words)

SAMPLE 3:(SUMMARIZING IDEAS)

Gangsterism in schools is on the rise because parents are busy working At home, their children feel bored, neglected and lack of parental love. So, they seek friends who understand them. In school, there are lack of proper guidance, attention and counseling sessions. Besides, the school discipline is not strict enough to curb gangsterism.

(54 words)

Zaidiazman Bin Yaacob:A Guide To Easy Writing: Summary Writing: Bahan Inovasi Peningkatan Akademik SMKSI 2009-2013

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