SIMPLE GUIDELINES TO SUMMARY WRITING - PMR

1. Before you start summarizing, make sure you understand the meanings of all the clue words given below. These clue words are crucial in guiding you to select appropriate main ideas.

• list, state, name ,arrange, narrate
• steps, ways, procedures, measures, process, rules
• causes, reasons, factors, problems
• effects, results of
• advantages, benefits, good, useful, likes
• disadvantages, bad, dislikes
• features, characteristics, types, methods
• events
• attractions, places , spots
• activities
• how to …overcome , solve , plan , make, celebrate
• how the …incident, disease,
• work
• scene
• experience
• importance / significant
• conditions
• contributions
• favourite
• purpose, aim, objective
• prevent, avoid

2. Then, familiarize yourself with simple conjunctions and sequence connectors as below:

• and , also, too
• next, then, after that, later
• besides that, apart from that
• firstly, secondly, thirdly…
• first, second, third…
• consequently, as a result of
• another…, other…

3. After that, practise selecting correct main ideas.

4. Next, construct the selected main ideas and shorten the ideas.

5. Finally, join, reorganize or rephrase the ideas.