Summary Writing: How to Actually Hit the Content Points
Summary rewards finding, not phrasing. A plain summary containing eight points beats a graceful one containing five. Treat it as a hunt.
The method
Five steps, in order
1. Read the question twice
Underline exactly what is being asked for. Summaries fail when candidates summarise the wrong thing.
2. Mark the boundaries
The question names the lines or paragraphs. Work only inside them.
3. Underline candidate points
One underline per idea. Expect more than you need.
4. Number them
Numbering forces you to separate ideas that were bundled in one sentence.
5. Rewrite in your own words
Then join with linking words, not full stops.
Where the points hide
Two ideas often sit inside a single sentence, and candidates count them as one. That is where marks quietly disappear.
One sentence, two points
“The scheme reduced waiting times and was cheaper to run than the system it replaced.”
Point 1: shorter waits. Point 2: lower running cost. Two marks, not one.
Own words means own words
Lifting versus rewording
The initiative reduced waiting times considerably.
People waited far less than before.
It was cheaper to run.
It cost less to operate.
Residents expressed strong opposition.
Residents objected firmly.
You will not find a synonym for every word and you are not expected to. Technical terms and proper nouns stay. The marker is looking for evidence that you understood, not that you own a thesaurus.
Length
Stay inside the word limit. Going over does not add marks and often means you have copied. If you are over, cut examples and repetitions first — never cut a point.
Linking words that compress
Practise the hunt on its own: take any article, set a question, and just underline and number. Do not write the summary. Twenty minutes of that is worth more than one full attempt.
In preparation
The Sentence Repair Kit
Four editions built separately for Lower Secondary N(T), N(T), N(A) and O-Level — every error type in this article, drilled with worked repairs and exam-style practice. Ready in time for prelims.
Browse the Secondary range →
