Summarisation of Written Text: Overview & Tips | Speaking & Writing Section for PTE PDF Download

Overview

Begin by dedicating 1-2 minutes to reading the text from start to finish. As you progress through each sentence, gain a clearer understanding of the text's main ideas. During this reading phase, identify key sentences that likely encapsulate the main points, typically found at the beginning and end of paragraphs.

Once you've identified these key points, your next step is to craft a single-sentence summary. Two approaches can be employed here. If you're confident in your language skills, articulate the essence in your own words. For those less confident, adopt the second approach. Present the key sentences consecutively, then rephrase them, utilizing synonyms and other language variations to make them appear as your own sentences. Finally, combine them into a cohesive single sentence using appropriate conjunctions and punctuation.

Allocate a few minutes at the end to review your work. Firstly, assess the content. Does the summary encompass the main ideas of the text? Have you logically connected different parts of the sentence? If affirmative, excellent – you've effectively captured the key points. If not, consider adding pertinent information and potentially removing unnecessary details.

Evaluate your response to ensure it falls within the word limit, ranging from a minimum of 5 words to a maximum of 75 words. Aim for an optimal length of around 40-45 words, ensuring all essential details are included.

Additionally, scrutinize for grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Given the requirement for a single sentence, it's crucial to connect sentence parts appropriately. Merely using commas between independent sentences is inadequate; the correct use of punctuation and conjunctions is essential. It's established that points may be deducted for improper punctuation usage, emphasizing the importance of precision in your response.

Tips

1. Make sure your response is in the correct form

The objective is to condense the provided text into a single grammatically correct sentence. Examine the given passage to comprehend its content. When composing your response, ensure it forms only one sentence, starting with a capital letter and concluding with a single full stop. The summary should fall within the 5-75 word range; deviating from this range results in a zero score. Emphasize correct grammar and spelling, refraining from using words of uncertain spelling.

2. Pick the key points only

During your initial reading of the text, aim to pinpoint sentences that encompass the essential points. In essence, your summary should solely encapsulate these key points, omitting examples or minor details.

3. Don’t refer to the passage

Refrain from commencing your summary with phrases like "In the passage..." or "The author...". Your summary should stand alone as an independent sentence, effectively communicating the main points to the reader. Additionally, with a limited 75-word allowance, it is unnecessary to consume the word limit by referencing the original transcript.

4. Practice using compound and complex sentences

Craft your response in a single sentence, utilizing a complex or compound structure to effectively summarize the main point of the passage and briefly touch on supporting details. While the passage may present multiple facts and figures, your summary need not include them all. Aim for a concise sentence that conveys the overarching idea the passage intends to communicate.

5. Don’t copy whole sentence from the paragraph

Please keep in mind that “paraphrasing” is very important. Don’t copy exact whole sentence from the paragraph; always rewrite the information in your own words. Below is a list of the most commonly used connectors.

Mastering the Summarize Written Text task involves proficiency in constructing complex sentences, with connectors serving as an effective strategy to prevent excessive comma usage and enhance sentence complexity.

6. Leave time for review

Manage your time judiciously and allocate a portion at the end for a comprehensive review of your written response. Your review should encompass:

• Content: Have I addressed all essential points?
• Grammar: Have I employed accurate sentence structures? Have I appropriately connected different parts of the sentence?
• Vocabulary: Can I enhance the vocabulary? Are there opportunities to substitute certain words with synonyms?
• Punctuation: Have I utilized correct punctuation in crafting the single sentence?