Useful Summary Writing Tips for CXC English A




Your summary writing skills are tested on Section A of the English A examination. You are given 40 minutes to write a summary of no more than 120 words. 

Below are several tips you can apply as you prepare your summary piece for the English A                 examination.
  1. Read ALL instructions that are connected to Section A and adhere to them.
  2. Read the passage at least twice. The first reading is for you to get an overall understanding of the extract's focus and the other readings should allow you to identify the main idea and its supporting points.
  3. As you read, pay attention to how the extract is organised. For example: Is the passage aimed at presenting cause, effects and solutions associated with a specific topic? Since the passage focuses on a general topic, what does each paragraph highlight about it?
  4. Underline key sentences and make jottings as you work on identifying the main idea and supporting details. You can make these jottings in the box that has been provided by CXC.
  5. Omit irrelevant details such as repetition/redundancies, statistics, examples, figures of speech etc. Only the most relevant points of the extract should be in your summary.
  6. Write a list of FIVE main points from the extract on the lines that have been provided in your examination booklet. These main points should be paraphrased.
  7. Combine the information in a single, coherently organised paragraph. This means you are to ensure that you move from one point to the next smoothly using appropriate transitions.
  8. Please note that the summary you write should not be limited to the FIVE main points you have listed.
  9. Use your own words as much as possible. This means no lifting! If you use exact phrases or sentences from the original passage, you will lose marks.
  10.  Give the summary piece a title and write the number of words used in brackets at the end.
  11. Do not go over the word limit as additional information will not be considered and will affect your score.
  12. Here is a trick to avoid exceeding the word limit: Estimate the number of words you write per line on average and calculate how many lines you would need for 120 words. Count the lines in your CXC booklet and mark an X. That X will signal to you if you are going over the prescribed word limit.
  13. PROOFREAD!


REMINDER: It's very important for you to ensure that you understand the passage before you attempt to summarize it. 


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