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Summary Writing

The document provides tips for writing summaries in the SPM English examination. It outlines a 5-step process: 1) Read the question and identify keywords, 2) Cross out unnecessary text, 3) Underline key points and characters, 4) Choose the best points to answer the question, and 5) Write the summary using linkers for language marks. An example passage is then provided about a hunter attacked by a leopard. The key steps of identifying characters, relevant lines, and points about the leopard attacking and hunter defending himself are demonstrated.

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151 views14 pages

Summary Writing

The document provides tips for writing summaries in the SPM English examination. It outlines a 5-step process: 1) Read the question and identify keywords, 2) Cross out unnecessary text, 3) Underline key points and characters, 4) Choose the best points to answer the question, and 5) Write the summary using linkers for language marks. An example passage is then provided about a hunter attacked by a leopard. The key steps of identifying characters, relevant lines, and points about the leopard attacking and hunter defending himself are demonstrated.

Uploaded by

Ashbirkaur
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Summary Writing

SPM Summary Writing


• In SPM English Examination Paper, summary writing gives a total of
15 marks. 10 of the marks go for contents while 5 for language. It is
actually fairly easy to score at least 10 marks in summary writing
provided you know the tips and techniques. Don't worry, I'll share with
you 5 simple steps.

Before that, bear in mind, although the question gives 10 marks for
content, there are usually more than 10 points given in the text suitable
for your summary. So, you can actually have more than 10 points in
your summary but the full mark for content will still be 10.
Easy SPM Summary Writing Steps
•
Read and understand the question. Identify the key words in the question.
• Cross out the unnecessary texts of the passage given.
• Identify the key points in the text related to the keyword and underline them.
• Read and understand the key points. Choose the best points related to the
summary question.
• Write down your summary. Use linkers and complex sentences to score
marks in language.
A story passage
• If you get a story passage then it is pretty much easier for you, yay! That's because a
story will have characters and usually the summary is about the characters' action.
Thus, here's what we should do to tackle a story passage summary writing.

• The story is about a professional hunter of wild animals being attacked by a leopard.

• FIRST: Read and understand the question. Identify the key words in the question.
• As you can see in Picture 1, the question has 2 Points. The first is how the leopard
attacked the writer and the second is what he (the writer) did to save himself.

• Since this is a story passage, as I mentioned earlier, we need to identify the


characters. As highlighted in orange, there are 2 characters being 1- the writer and
2- the leopard.

• The one highlighted in yellow are the points required by the question while the
green colour is the necessary parts. For now let us take a look at Green and Orange.
• SECOND: Cross out the unnecessary texts of the passage given.

• Okay, read the information in Green. It says use materials from lines
13 to 37. (For those who don't know, the numbers on your right are the
lines and on your left are for paragraphs) So what we have to do is
draw a line under line 13 and above line 37. Then we cross out what is
not needed. The result will look like this.
• There you go. From a long passage, you are now left with a shorter version to focus on and summarise.
Psychologically, this will help us tend to the task better as there are less words and it looks so much easier.

• THIRD: Identify the key points in the text related to the keyword and underline them.

• After we know which part to focus on, the next step is to identify the characters (the orange key words in
the question). I have done this as well but instead of underlining, I highlighted the characters. Here comes
the knowledge of pronouns to be tested.

• For the writer. We can highlight the word 'I' in the text. (Since the text uses 'I'. If the text uses He or She
then go for that)
• For the leopard. There are a few choices in the text such as 'The leopard', 'the creature', 'the animal' and 'it'.

• For beginners, I tell them to just underline all the characters-related words you can find. After that only we
filter them. So, here is the highlighted version of the text.
FOURTH: Read and understand the key points. Choose the best points
related to the summary question.

Here comes the more challenging part of summary writing.


We have identified ALL the key words in the text (in this case, the characters). Now, we need
to read the questions again and identify the key points. As highlighted in yellow in Picture 1,
the 2 key points are: 1- How the leopard attacked and 2- What the writer did to save himself.
• Reading from these points in the question can help us understand that the points
involve actions. Actions by the leopard to attack and actions by the writer to save himself.
Hence, the fourth step for us is to identify, from ALL the key words we have highlighted in
orange, which are suitable to be used as content points for the question. How to know? First
is by understanding the text or if it's too hard, just select the key words that comes together
with a suitable action verb. How? Like this following example.
• If you count, there are 13 points suitable to be used as content.
You can choose to use all 13 or select 10. It's up to you but
don't forget, never go beyond 130 words including the 10 words
given.
FIFTH: Write down your summary. Use linkers and complex sentences to
score marks in language.

• The last step is to write down your summary.


• Don't forget to use the 10 words given in the question. And use linkers to
score at least 3 marks for language.
• Linkers like secondly, thirdly, then, next, furthermore, moreover, after
that and so on. However, please do not forget to change the word 'I' for
the writer with 'He' when you write the summary.

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