Mastering Summary Writing

What is the primary purpose of a summary?

• To include every detail from the original text.

• To provide a short overview of the main ideas.

• To provide a detailed analysis of the text.

• To add personal opinions and interpretations.

To identify quickly what a text is all about, you could skim the text.

• • Skim means to read a text quickly.

• • Skim means to look quickly for specific information.

• • Skim means to read the text very carefully, considering all the details.

• • Skim means to read the title of the text.

To identify quickly what a text is all about, you could scan the text.

• • Scan means to read a text quickly.

• • Scan means to look quickly for specific information.

• • Scan means to read the text very carefully, considering all the details.

• • Scan means to read the title of the text.

Paraphrase the following sentence: 'The main character's journey was filled with unexpected challenges.'

• The main character's journey was easy and predictable.

• The main character encountered unexpected challenges on their journey.

• The main character's journey was full of expected obstacles.

• The main character's journey was uneventful and smooth.

Which details in the passage are important to include in a summary?

• Random facts and figures

• Key information, main points, and essential supporting details

• Unrelated personal anecdotes

• Irrelevant background information

When writing a summary, we need to understand the gist of the original text.

• Unimportant details.

• Trivial information.

• Numbers and dates.

• The general idea of the text.

Supporting details in a text are ...

• specific pieces of information, evidence, examples that explain the main ideas.

• the primary concepts or points that the author wants to convey.

When writing a summary, we need to identify the key elements of the text and consider the topic statement found at

• the end of each paragraph.

• the start of each paragraph.

• somewhere in the middle.

• at the end of the text.

What should be the focus when reviewing a summary for improvement?

• Adding more examples and details.

• Increasing the word count.

• Clarity, grammar and spelling check, linking words and phrases.

• Changing the style to match the original text.

Paraphrase the following sentence: 'The author's argument is supported by compelling evidence.'

• The author's point is backed up by convincing proof.

• The author's argument is not supported by any evidence.

• The author's point is backed up by unconvincing proof.

• The writer's argument is supported by weak evidence.