2. SUMMARISING
• Summary - a way of expressing all the important
information in a reading text, in a short and clear
manner.
• Summarising allows you to have important
information on hand for easy reference without
having to memorize long and complex passages.
• Summarising also allows the information to stay in the
mind longer.
• In another word, a summary is a brief statement, in
your own words, of the main ideas and supporting
details used in a reading text.
3. • In summary writing, you are required to display your ability
to do the following:
- to understand the requirements of the task
- to understand large quantities of information
- to identify and select the important points
- to combine and organize the information in a logical
order
- to paraphrase or rewrite the ideas in your own words
and to present them in short, clear sentences
- to use grammatically correct and appropriate language
- to use correct mechanics such as correct spelling and
punctuation
4. Distinguishing the Main Idea from
Supporting Details
• What is a paragraph?
A paragraph is made up of related sentences that develop a
MAIN IDEA. The sentences in a paragraph should provide
evidence for the main idea of the paragraph.
• What is the MAIN IDEA of a paragraph?
This is the overall point of the paragraph.
The main idea can be obtained by asking questions such as:
- What is the writer trying to say?
- What is the passage about?
- What is the main idea of the passage?
The answers to these questions often lead you to the main
point.
5. • What are the SUPPORTING DETAILS?
These are details or sentences that work together to
communicate the main idea. They give information that
supports the main idea. There should be at least three
details to provide strong support for the main idea.
Supporting details can be descriptions, definitions,
examples, elaboration or exploration of the main idea.
SUPPORTING DETAILS
SUPPORTING DETAILS
PARAGRAPH MAIN IDEA
SUPPORTING DETAILS
SUPPORTING DETAILS
6. EXAMPLE
The Potrait of an artist
Vincent Van Gogh was a famous artist. He started work at the age of 16
at the Hague gallery of the French art dealers, Goupil & Co. His
brother Theo also worked for the same firm. Vincent Van Gogh used
bold, harmonious colour effects in his paintings. His art pieces were
simple but memorable. He studied at the Art Academy in Antwerp in
1885. His famous paintings include Starry Night, Sunflowers and
Farms Near Auvers.
MAIN IDEA: Vincent Van Gogh was a famous artist.
SUPPORTING DETAILS:
1. He started work at the age of 16 at the Hague gallery of the French art
dealers, Goupil & Co.
2. Vincent Van Gogh used bold, harmonious colour effects in his paintings.
3. His art pieces were simple but memorable.
4. He studied at the Art Academy in Antwerp in 1885.
5. His famous paintings include Starry Night, Sunflowers and Farms Near
Auvers.
7. Paraphrasing
• Paraphrasing = restating in your own words what
another person has said or written.
• In other words, paraphrasing is the ability to write your
own version of the essential information without
changing the meaning and facts of the original text.
• It is an essential skill for summarising.
• For example, when a writer paraphrases a few sentences
from a newspaper article to use in his essay, what he is
actually doing is rewriting the original text using his
own words.
• You can paraphrase by changing the word forms or
using synonyms and changing clause or phrase
structure.
• A paraphrased sentence is almost as long as the
original work and it certainly has all of the original
ideas.
8. How to paraphrase:
• Reread the sentence or section several times until you
completely understand it.
• Then, “translate” it into your own words, making sure that you
keep ALL of the original ideas.
• You may find it difficult to paraphrase word for words so you may
want to rearrange sentence structures for greater clarity.
EXAMPLES
Original Version:
American Greeting Corporation is the largest public listed greeting
card company in the world.
Paraphrased Version:
American Greeting Corporation is the world’s biggest public listed
greeting card company.
9. Original Version:
People pick up cards firstly because the designs are
attractive, only then do they check if the message strikes a
chord.
Paraphrased Version:
Initially, people choose cards based on their attractive
designs. Next, they see whether the message is
appropriate.
Original Version:
The humble card has to contend with e-cards, SMS and
MMS.
Paraphrased Version:
The main competitors for the card are e-cards, SMS and
MMS.
10. Original Version:
However, the card remains the preferred choice
among many because there is nothing like knowing
that somebody has taken the time to pick out a card
specially for you.
Paraphrased Version:
People prefer to buy cards because it is nice to know
that someone has taken the trouble to source out a
card for you.
11. Finding a synonym / synonymous phrase
Original statement
There are many people who are protesting against
genetically modified food.
Changing word form
There are many protesters against genetically modified food.
There are many people opposing genetically modified food.
There are many opponents of genetically modified food.
12. Another good way to paraphrase is by using general terms.
Here is an example of how to substitute with a general term
in order to summarize a sentence:
Details: "A lot of children came and brought
presents. They played games and blew bubbles at
each other. A magician came and showed them
some magic. Later Jennifer opened her presents and
blew out the candles on her cake."
General term: "Jennifer had a birthday party."
Details: "John bought some milk, bread, fruit, cheese,
potato chips, butter, hamburger and buns."
General term: "John bought some groceries."
13. Details: "Jennifer did the arithmetic problems.
Then she did the five-page reading
assignment for social studies. Finally
she studied the spelling list for the
test."
General term: "Jennifer did her homework."
14. 1. You must first read the passage once to get a
general idea of what the passage is about.
2. Then study the question carefully to make sure you
understand the task at hand.
3. Underline the key words in the question to keep
focused so that you do not deviate from the task at
hand.
4. Then read the passage and jot down or underline the
main points and other relevant information.
GUIDELINES IN WRITING A SUMMARY
15. 5. Leave out irrelevant examples, illustrations,
explanations, repetitions, direct speech,
quotations, and figurative expressions.
6. Then based on your main points, write out your first
draft. Try to use your own words as far as
possible by paraphrasing words used by the writer.
DO NOT add your own information or opinions that
are not found in the passage.
7. Use linkers such as 'first', 'next', ‘then’, ‘whereas’,
‘furthermore’, ‘moreover’ and 'finally' to show logical
sequence and cohesion in your summary.
16. 8. After writing your first draft, read it through and
do the necessary editing.
9. Then write your summary using simple
language in clear legible handwriting.
10. Proofread your work again and check to see if
you have accurately summarised the task at
hand and that your summary displays good
organisation and cohesion.
When proofreading, check your work to ensure
there are no grammar, spelling and
punctuation errors.
17. 11. Finally, write down the number of words used
in the summary.
12. DO NOT exceed the word limit. If the instruction
reads ‘about 100 words’, then you can write
between 95 and 105 words but if the instruction
reads ‘not more than 100 words’, then make
sure you DO NOT exceed the 100 words limit.
13. Remember, the summary is to be written in ONE
paragraph.
18. EXAMPLE:
Original Paragraph 1:
Skipping breakfast might seem like an easy way for dieters to
cut calories. However, new research finds that the majority of
people who are successful at losing weight and keeping it off
eat breakfast every day.
(36 words)
Summarised paragraph 1:
Research shows that people who wish to lose weight do not
skip breakfast.
(12 words)
WRITING A SUMMARY
19. EXAMPLE:
Original Paragraph 2:
Eating breakfast helps you spread out your hunger and
manage your food intake better throughout the day. If you start
out the day by eating something, you don’t get this burning
hunger later that causes you to overeat.
(38 words)
Summarised paragraph 2:
Eating breakfast keeps you feeling full and prevents you from
overeating.
(11 words)
WRITING A SUMMARY
