In summary writing, you are asked to

condense a selected area of text by:

reproducing facts and ideas required by
the question,
using your own words as far as possible,
keeping within the word limit specified
by the question,
in a well-constructed continuous
paragraph.

When marking the summary, the

examiners will look at 2 categories for a
total of 15 marks :
Content (8 marks)
- The key points you were asked to select
from the passage

Style (7 marks)
- The accuracy and quality of your writing
- The extent to which you are able to use
your own words

Content
Here's 3 simple steps to identifying
the content points from the passage.
Step 1
Read the question and pick out the
key instruction words.

The sweet potato plant has many nutritional

benefits. Using your own words as far as
possible, summarise the uses and nutritional
benefits of the different parts of the sweet
potato plant as discussed in the passage.
Use only information from paragraphs 4 to 6.
Your summary should be in continuous
writing, and should not be longer than 80
words ( not including the words in italics
below) [15]

 So

in short, the question requires you

to identify 3 key areas:

The

different parts of the sweet potato

plant.

The
The

uses of these different parts.

nutritional benefits of these

different parts.

 Step

Mark

out clearly the area of text to

be summarised from the passage.

Use

only information from

paragraphs 4 to 6.

 Step
Pick

out the content points.

Avoid

the distractors and elaboration

points.

Never

lose sight of what the question

wants!

 Distractors:

phrases or sentences
which are irrelevant to what the
question wants.

Elaboration

points: phrases or
sentences which do not form points
in themselves, but give extra
information as examples or
explanations.

 Remember

that there will be more

points available than the number you
need to score full marks for content (8
marks).

Therefore,

it is possible to score full

marks for content!

Lets

start obtaining the points

from Paragraph 4.

The sweet potato is superior in nutritional value

to most other root crops. Its vitamin content is
comparable to most fruit and vegetables as
well. It is a rich source of beta-carotene,
thiamin, Vitamins C and E as well as antioxidants. Anti-oxidants help in the prevention
of heart diseases and certain types of cancer.
They can also increase the bodys ability to
detoxify pollutants and counteract the effects
of ageing. Furthermore, sweet potatoes contain
insoluble and soluble dietary fibre. Soluble fibre
helps to bring down blood cholesterol levels
while insoluble fibres prevents constipation.

 Keep

in mind what are the3key areas you

should focus on when gathering points :

The

different parts of the sweet potato

plant.

The
The

uses of these different parts.

nutritional benefits of these different

parts.

Criteria

Points

Different parts Root/Flesh

Uses / benefits Benefits

High vitamin and mineral content.

High in anti-oxidants to prevent heart
diseases and cancers, keep the body
healthy and youthful.
Contains insoluble and soluble dietary
fibre to prevent constipation and high
blood cholesterol levels.

Presently, research is being carried out

to produce more innovative food
products using the sweet potato. In
Japan, a dark-purple hued sweet potato
variety known as Ayamurasaki is used
to make purple flour as well as natural
food coloring. As the nutritional
composition of the sweet potato is
similar to certain fruits, it is possible to
make jams, juices and can it in syrup.

Criteria

Points

Different parts Root/Flesh

Uses / Benefits Uses

Purple colour from the flesh [its purple

flesh] used to make purple flour and
natural food colouring.

Uses

The sugary flesh can be used to make

syrups, jams and juices.

 Even

the leaves and shoots of the sweet

potato are useful. They are a rich source of
polyphenols powerful anti-oxidants that
prevent cancer. In several South-east Asian
countries, sweet potato shoots are cooked
and eaten as a vegetable. Japanese
scientists are currently experimenting with
the use of the leaf or vine in the production
of sweet potato green tea, bread or cakes
and green sweet potato noodles while keep
the anti-oxidative properties intact.

Criteria

Points

Different parts Leaves and

shoots
Uses / Benefits Benefits
Uses

Rich source of cancer-preventing antioxidants.

Shoots can be cooked and eaten as
food in [many South-east Asian
countries.]
Possible to use the leaves and vines in
everyday / common food products. /
tea or staple foods.

1.
The root has high vitamin and mineral content.
2.
High in anti-oxidants to prevent heart diseases and
cancers (terminal diseases?)
3.
Keep the body detoxed and youthful.
4.
Contains insoluble and soluble dietary fibre
5.
Prevent constipation
6.
and lowers blood cholesterol levels
7.
Purple colour from the flesh [The purple flesh] is used to
make purple flour
8.
and natural food colouring.
9.
The sugary flesh can be used to make syrups, jams and
juices.
10. The leaves and shoots are a rich source of cancerpreventing
anti-oxidants.
11. Shoots can be cooked and eaten as food.
12. Possible to use the leaves and vines in everyday /
common food
products. / tea or staple foods.

You have learned a lot about the

assessment of content, and have
developed some strategies to ensure you
locate and identify as many content
points as possible.
Now,

let's look at style. There are 7

marks allocated to the style in which
your summary is written.

 The

examiners judge the style of

your summary writing under 2
categories:

1.

Use of own words

2. Use of English

The

next slide shows a modified set

of rubrics in which style is graded.

Grade

Descriptor

Perfect

Re-phrasing of language is very successful; excellent ability to

use your own words. No lifting from passage. Accurate and
correct language.

Above
average

Tries to re-phrase the passage and is generally successfully.

Lifting of text is limited to one or two sentences. Language is
mostly accurate with few errors.

Pass

Tries to re-phrase the passage but not often successful. Lifts

from text often, trying to inject own words into lifted
sentences. Tries to substitute words but not always correct.
Language is quite accurate but present more errors.

Below
average

A lot of copying from the text is done but it is not a complete

copy. Lifting is very common. Single words are substituted
rather than phrases or group of words. Serious errors are
frequent. May add in irrelevant information not required by the
question.

Fail

Copies totally from the text without any focus on the question.

 Golden

rule: The more you manage to

avoid the original wording (without
losing the original meaning), the higher
your mark for own words will be.

However,

this does not mean you have

to substitute all the words in the
passage. You just need to use your own
words as far as possible!

This can be classified under 3 sections:

1.

Mechanical accuracy

2.

Sentence structure

3.

Organisation and linking

1. Mechanical Accuracy
The

ability to write without making

errors of grammar, spelling or
punctuation.

2. Sentence structure
The ability to write in sentences and to
vary their types by using:
Conjunctions, eg. and, but, since,
Present participles, ie. the part of

when
the

verb ending in -ing

Relative pronouns, ie. who, whose,
whom, which, that

3. Organisation and linking

The ability to organise and link your
content points by:
Combining points
Taking a point in a later stage of the
text and linking it to one made earlier
Using linking devices
- To indicate a change of direction, eg.
however, although, nevertheless
- To indicate a continuation of ideas, eg.
in addition, also, furthermore

Refer to all the points we have surfaced earlier

from the passage.

Remember that you should use your own words

as far as possible, check your mechanical
accuracy, and have varied sentence structure.

You may want to classify these points into the 3

key areas required by the question, so as to
have better organisation and linking for your
summary.

For now, do not worry about the word limit.

 Learning Points
Let's review the summary

writing skills
we have learned together!

Summary Question
Read the question properly.
Pick out the key instruction words.
Check the area of text to be summarised.
Keep to the word limit laid down for the
summary.
Use the opening words provided in the
question.

 Content
Locate and

identify at least 12 content

points.
Avoid the distractors and elaboration points.

Style
Organise your content points according to
key areas required by the question.
Use your words as far as possible.
Use a variety of sentence structures.
Use linking devices.
Check that your summary does not have
grammar, spelling or punctuation errors.
Adapted from http://summary-writing.tripod.com/index.htm for the new