English · Summary Writing
Summary & Precis Writing
How to cut a passage to a third of its length without losing its argument, with worked examples.
A summary restates a passage in your own words at about one third of its length, keeping the main argument and dropping everything that merely illustrates it. The skill being tested is judgement about what matters, which is why copying sentences out of the passage scores badly even when the sentences chosen are the right ones.
This section holds 6 pages. Each one opens with a short, direct answer, then teaches the format step by step, then gives a complete model answer you can study and adapt — not copy, since an answer lifted whole from a website is the one thing an examiner reads hundreds of times.
How to use it
- Read the answer at the top — for a format question that is often all you need.
- Work through the format before the model, so you can see why the model is laid out the way it is.
- Pair it with the grammar rules — a well-structured letter still loses marks for tenses and articles.
All Summary Writing Pages
Summary Writing Rules with Examples
The full method for writing a summary, with a worked passage and the marks checklist.
Summary and Precis — The Difference
What separates a summary from a precis, and what each one is marked on.
How to Find the Main Idea of a Passage
The technique for locating what a paragraph is actually saying, with worked examples.
How to Summarise a Narrative Passage
Summarising a story or an account of events, with a worked example.
How to Summarise an Argumentative Passage
Reducing an argument to its claim and reasons, with a worked example.
Common Mistakes in Summary Writing
The errors that cost the most marks in a summary, and how to avoid each one.