Summary Writing Skills for SPM
Section C: SUMMARY
Summary Writing Skills
The summary question is asked as Question 31 in Section C Paper 2. It carries a total of 15 marks.
The question requires you to extract important points from the passage. Using the points you have extracted, you have to write a summary of not more than 130 words. Marks are allocated for content and grammar.
Exam Hints
Content
You have to extract at least 10 points from the passage. For every point in your summary, you are awarded one mark.
Style and Presentation
It is important to use the correct style and presentation in your summary. This means you must show the ability to paraphrase the points by using your own words. You should not copy sentences from the passage. Express the 10 points or more you have
extracted using own words that include correct grammar, punctuation, sentence variety and suitable linking words. Such words are 'firstly, ‘then, ‘however, ‘moreover and 'similarly.
Guidelines in writing a summary
First, read and understand the passage. Then, read the summary question to know what you have to summarise.
Take note of the lines of the passage to be used for the summary. Pick out the main ideas in the paragraphs you have to summarise about. Then search for secondary ideas. Use a ruler to underline these sentences. This is how you separate the relevant from irrelevant details. Next, make an outline of the points you are using. Based on the outline, write the summary draft. You have to substitute long expressions with fewer or single words. Do not copy whole sentences from the passage.
Write your summary as one paragraph only. Count the number of words used in the summary.
It must be 130 words or less. Be honest when you write down the number of words used.
How to Count the Words
A word is a word. It can be one letter such as ‘a’and ‘I’.
It can also be a long word such as ‘extraordinary.
As for proper nouns, you count them as one word.
