HOW TO WRITE A SUMMARY 6) Adhere to the word limit.

7) Write the summary in one

Important Details
paragraph only!
Change direct speech to indirect 8) Check and edit your summary if
speech necessary

Use linkers and conjunctions for Things to avoid

cohesions
1. Do not include information not in
Tested in section C which carries 25 the text.
marks and divided into two parts ;
2. Do not include your own ideas or
comprehension and summary. 10
opinions.
marks are for comprehension and 15
marks for summary 3. Do not spend too much time
paraphrasing as you might end up
Tips in writing a summary:
losing marks for content unless you
can do so without altering/distorting
1) Read the text given carefully.
meaning.
2) Identify and underline the
important points. 4. Do not repeat ideas. Sometimes,
3) Start writing the summary based an idea is repeated in the text and
on the main points you have you may not notice it as it may have
gathered. been paraphrased.
4) Rephrase the important points
5. Do not include material from
and use our own words.
other lines in the text.
5) Organize your ideas/points in the
manner which they are found in the
text.
___________________________________________________________

1
 Linkers and connectors

LINKERS result / Therefore

. As a consequence of / As a result
of Followed by a noun phrase.
. So Introduces a sentence. No
Contrast
commas.
. In spite of / Despite Link two
Addition
contrasting ideas. Followed by a noun
phrase.
. Moreover / Furthermore / In
. Although / (Even) though Link two
addition / Besides / What's
contrasting ideas. Followed by a
more Used after a strong pause and
sentence.
separated from the sentences. They
. However / Nevertheless / Still / Yet
are introduced by a comma.
/ Even so / On the
. As well as / In addition
contrary / In contrast. Introduce a
to / Besides Used to add one more
new idea which marks a contrast with
piece of information. Followed by a
previously stated ideas. Introduced by
noun phrase.
a comma.
. On the one hand ... On the other
. Exemplification
hand. Links two contrasting ideas /
paragraphs.
For example / For
. In contrast to / Contrary to. Link
instance Introduces an example
two contrasting ideas. Followed by a
referring to previously stated ideas.
noun phrase.
. Such as Introduces an example
. Whereas Link two contrasting ideas.
referring to the last idea.
Not separated by commas.

Reason and cause

. Because / As / Since / Seeing

that Introduce a sentence. CONNECTORS
Subordinate sentences introduced by
because always appear in final Contrast
position.
. Because of / On account . but / yet: followed by a noun phrase
of / Owing to / Due to. Introduce a or a sentence.
noun phrase. The book is short but / yet interesting

Purpose . in spite of / despite: It is placed at

. In order to / So as to Introduce an the beginning or in the middle of the
infinitive of purpose. sentence.
. In order that / So that Introduce a He arrived on time despite / in spite of
sentence. getting up late

Consequence although / though/ even though / in

spite of the fact that: followed by a
. Consequently / As a complete sentence. They can be
consequence / As a placed at the beginning or in the

2
middle of the sentence. If it is placed at
the beginning we need to use a
comma after the clause.
Although / though / even though / in
spite of the fact that the pupils had not
studied, they all passed their exams.
. however, nevertheless, even so,
on the one hand, on the other hand,
on the contrary:
He was quite ill however/
nevertheless/ even so, he went to
school
. while, whereas
This film is very interesting,
while/whereas that one is quite boring
Succession
. - First of all / Firstly / To begin with
/ First .
- Second / Secondly / Then
- Third / Thirdly / After that...
- The next stage
- Finally / in short / to sum up / in
conclusion / lastly / last but not
least
Result
. As a result of:
As a result of his brave action, he was
awarded a military medal.

Reason and cause Therefore, as a result,

consequently, for this reason:
. because, as since, seeing that: Consequently / for this reason, it
Because / as / since / seeing that its always passes its annual road test.
late, we should go home

. because of, on account of, owing Order

to, due to:
Because of / on account of / owing to / First paragraph
due to the weather, we stayed at
home At first sight
First
. in order to, so as to, to: First of all
She uses her video in order to / so as In the first place
to / to record TV programmes To start with

Add information
Second paragraph
. for example, for instante, such as:
Vegetables are a good source of In the second place
vitamins: for example / for instance, Second
oranges have vitamin C Secondly
Third
. more over, furthermore, besides, Thirdly
in addition to:
In addition to soul music, she likes
rap Conclusion

. apart from, except for: Finally:

Apart from English, she speaks In conclusion
French. Lastly:
And eventually

3
Adding information Expressing facts
actually
apart from as a matter of fact
in addition in fact
in addition to really
Whats more
moreover
on top of that
besides Expressing a personal opinion
On the one hand as far as I am concerned
On the other hand from my point of view
and eventually I agree
I disagree
in my opinion
in my view
Contrast I think that
it is true that
all the same personally
however to be honest,
instead of to tell the truth,
in spite of / despite
nevertheless
on the contrary
whereas / while Explain
though / although that is (to say)
in other words
in short
all in all
Reason at least
basically
because of + noun especially
due to + noun essentially
due to the fact that + sentence in general
for this / that reason in particular
owing to + noun more or less
owing to the fact that + sentence on the whole
to a certain extent

Result
Exemplifying
as a result and so on
because of for example
consequently for instance
so such as
that's why
therefore

4
Summarizing
all in all
in brief
in conclusion
in short
on the whole
to sum up

Sequencing
after that
all of a sudden
Finally
First of all
in the end
in the meantime
meanwhile
next
suddenly
then
while