ABAQ AL ILM INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

ESTABLISHED IN SEPT 2006
LICENSE NO.: GIRL’S SCHOOL: 520 - 4762; BOY’S SCHOOL: 520 - 4764
BRITISH CURRICULUM
Summary writing

Name: _________________________ Subject- English

Grade: 8 Date: __________

SUMMARY WRITING FORMAT

● When writing a summary, remember that it should be in the form of a paragraph.

● A summary begins with an introductory sentence that states the text’s title, author and main point of the
text as you see it.

● A summary is written in your own words.

● A summary contains only the ideas of the original text. Do not insert any of your own opinions,
interpretations, deductions or comments into a summary.

SUMMARY WRITING

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

organized manner.

This is the part of the paper I, personally, had the most trouble with. It is not as easy as it looks. So, let’s get to

it.

 Read the question properly.

What exactly do you have to write a summary on. In the question, they could specify one or more detail. So you

need to write the summary on just those details. Leave out the rest.

Read the passage.

As you go, underline the points that you need to include in your summary, that are relevant and important to the

question

Writing the summary.

That’s easier said than done. You have got all your points, now you need to collate and organize it into one

write-up using your own words.

 Write a one-line introduction that tells the examiner what you’re writing a summary on. Keep it short. In the

example above, you could start the summary by writing: Poon Lim, a ship-wreck victim, managed to survive

an astounding 133 days on an island all alone.

Start organizing the points. You could do it chronologically, advantage-disadvantage format or problem-

solution format- whatever works for the task at hand. In the example above, writing points in their

chronological order seems to be the right choice since it’s a narrative type of article.

Use connectives, 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 word in the passage, if possible. In the example above, the phrase

‘invented ways to find food and water’ can be changed to ‘came up with a system to obtain food and water’.

You don’t have to write a conclusion. If the question asked you to write the summary on the entire passage,

then maybe a conclusion would be fitting. But in questions like the one above, it is irrelevant to the question.

Stick to the word limit. For the extended paper you have to write at least 100 word but not more than 120

words. For the core paper you need to write at least 70 word but not more than 80 words. Don’t write too

much; scrap unnecessary points not relevant to the question; cut short words.

That’s all about Exercise 5! The best way to get better at it, is to keep practicing past paper questions, nothing

more. Polishing up your vocabulary skills might be helpful in using your own words.

Time Management

Spend about 15 minutes on this exercise, in the extended Paper 2. Reading the passage should take about 5

minutes and the rest 10 minutes should be used to write your summary.

SUMMARY WRITING SAMPLE

1. Write a summary on how to manage your finances
 
When you're away from home, your parents expect you to be responsible for yourself and this includes taking care
of your own finances. To manage your money sensibly, you need a plan to work with.

Write down your allowance and expenses for the month. What you are doing is actually budgeting your income.
Make sure that you set aside a small amount for your savings. One way of cutting cost is eating in. It is cheaper
than eating out. Moreover, by cooking your own meals, you have greater control over what you eat. Besides that,
if you know of friends who live in the same area as you, you might want to consider driving to college together.
This saves on petrol and parking. In addition, when you shop for household items, compare prices from one shop
to another before making your purchase. If you can, wait for sales when you can get better discounts. However,
sales where prices are marked down incredibly can sometimes tempt you to buy things which you don't really
need. Therefore, be careful and don't give in to temptation.

Summary
 
To manage your money sensibly, you must first start with a plan. Write out your budget and put aside a set amount
for savings. You can save money by eating in and carpooling. Besides that, before buying household items,
compare prices first. If possible, wait for sales but do not be tempted to buy what you do not need. ( 59 words )

2. Write a summary on what one can do in Pangkor

 
Dear Mum,

I'm having a great time here in Pangkor. My friends and I have been spending our days swimming in the sea. The
water is warm and inviting. In fact, we are enjoying ourselves so much that we would only get out of the water
when the sun sets. We also enjoy water sports activities such as jet skiing and parasailing.

Yesterday, we took a boat to another island off the west coast to do some fishing. We didn't catch any fish though,
just some old shoes and plastic bottles!

We also took a day tour round the island that offered us a glimpse of some historical sites that date back to the
time of the Dutch rule. The tour also included visits to some cottage industries such as a batik-making factory. The
nights are the best for us. The streets come alive with little stalls selling all sorts of things and we really like
strolling along the streets then.

We will be leaving the island tomorrow to continue our journey up north to Penang. I will write again soon to tell
you about my adventures there. Bye.

Love,

Nicole

Summary
 
There are many things that one can do in Pangkor. Firstly, one can go swimming or enjoy water sports activities.
The seas around are also great for fishing. Besides that, one can visit historical sites on the island. If one is
interested in cottage industries, one can drop by the batik factory. Moreover, one can shop at the night bazaars.
( 60 words )

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SUMMARY WRITING PRACTICE

1. Write a summary on how to raise the standard of English in our country
Dear Editor,

I am concerned about the standard of English in our country. Even with the implementation of
the teaching of Math and Science in English, I do not see any difference in the English used,
especially by our young. I would like to suggest a few steps to raise the standard of English in
Malaysia.

What needs to be done, first and foremost, is to make it compulsory for students to pass the
English paper in all government examinations. Then only will people take the language
seriously. In schools too, the number of English periods per week should be increased. Ideally,
students should have English lessons every day. If we are short of English teachers, perhaps we
should consider hiring native speakers to teach the subject. I am sure that there are many wives
of expatriates here who are capable of teaching the subject. Besides that, students must be
encouraged to make reading a part of their everyday life. Besides reading English books, they
can also watch good English programs on television.

I think more needs to be done to bring English back to its former status.

Edmund Chua
Taiping
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2. Write a summary on how one can adapt to university or college life

Count yourself lucky if you get an opportunity to study abroad. However, there are those who
are afraid to leave the comfort of home for fear they cannot fit into the new environment.

It is not difficult to adapt to a new place if you know what to do and what to look out for. When
you are overseas, you will encounter many new things and experiences. You might even need to
adopt certain practices which may be totally different from yours. It would be easier for you if
you keep an open mind. However, while keeping an open mind is important, you must know
what's right for you, what your values are and stick to them. You also need to be disciplined, as
you are now left very much on your own and are responsible for your own self.

Whenever possible, as long as it does not interfere with your studies, have fun and take part in
the activities that your university offers. Nonetheless, make sure you are able to manage your
social life and your studies. Prioritize on what's most important and make sure you are able to
balance everything.

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3. Write a summary on how we can attract more tourists to our country

One of the many sources of revenue for the country is tourism. Malaysia has lots to offer the
world. We have beautiful beaches, lush jungles, cool mountain retreats and modern cities.
However, to further capitalize on tourism, there are a few areas that must be looked into.

Firstly, we must expose people from foreign countries to what we can offer. We can do this by
holding exhibitions overseas. Organizers of such exhibitions can offer a glimpse into what we
have in our country. They can offer attractive four packages that would definitely lure tourists
here. The mass media too can play an important role. The Internet, television and the newspaper
offer an alternative mode of advertising the country to the world. Besides that, newspapers and
television can be used to show the world the wonders found in our country.

On the home ground, multiethnic cultural shows can be presented to woo foreign tourists to the
country. People who come from other countries would definitely like to see the different
cultural and traditional practices here. However, what is most important is to make sure that the
facilities in our country, like public transport and accommodation, are of a reasonable and
respectable standard. this is to ensure a pleasant and memorable stay for our visitors.

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4. Write a summary on the importance of trees

If only each and every one of us would plant a tree, we would have millions and millions of
trees in the world. Think of the benefits that that would bring. Instead of barren land or concrete
jungles, we would have lush green forests and fresh air. Indeed, one of the many benefits of
trees is that they provide us with oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. Trees help us to
clear our air of carbon dioxide and replace that with clean fresh oxygen that is essential for our
lives.

Besides that, trees provide us with food and shelter. In many parts of the world, people are still
dependent on trees to build homes and needless to stay, many parts of the trees can be eaten. For
instance, the fruits of the trees. Trees are useful not only to man, but they also provide shelter
and food to a wide variety of animals, big and small alike. On a hot day, trees offer shade.

Moreover, trees are fantastic creations of God. They are works of art and many of them are
beautiful to look at and admire. No wonder many artists spend hours studying the intricate
designs and patterns of trees. Now, if only we take better care of our trees on this planet!
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