SUMMARY

                                      

Hello teachers and students!

 Today we are going to discuss about the summary writing. As we know we have to write a summary of given text. It is a 4 marks question which is asked in section A of our question paper [for more details go through the syllabus of class 12^th].

 

What is a summary?

A summary is a brief statement or restatement of main points, especially as a conclusion to a work. It is generally one third of the original text.

                            ♦ How To Summarise A Given Passage

• Read (First Read): Read the passage very carefully and critically. Read the passage straight through. Do not stop to look up anything that gives you trouble at the first reading. You should get a feel for the author’s tone, style and main idea.
• Reread (Second Read): Rereading should be active reading. Underline the topic sentences and key facts with pencil. Label the areas that you want to refer to as you write your summary. Also label the areas that you find irrelevant. Identify areas that you do not understand and try to clarify those points.
• One Sentence at a time: Now write the main idea of each paragraph in one well-developed sentence. Make sure that what you include in your sentence are key points and not minor details.
• Check for Accuracy: Reread your summary and make sure that you have accurately represented the author’s ideas and key points. Make sure that your summary does not contain your own comments.
• Revise: Revise your summary for style, grammar and punctuation. Correct all the errors in composition and rewrite it if needed.
  

  Example of a summary

  Write a summary of the text in English, including the most important points, using your own words wherever possible (maximum 50 words,).

   As today's bride and groom celebrate their wedding, they have every excuse for being nervous. They exchange promises of lifelong fidelity and mutual support. However, all around them, they can see that many people do not and cannot keep these promises. Their own marriage has a one in three chance of divorce, if present tendencies continue. Traditional marriage is facing a crisis, at least in Britain. Not only are there more and more divorces, but the number of marriages is falling. Living together is more popular than before. The family is now no longer one man, one woman and their children. Instead, there are more and more families which include parents, half sisters and brothers, or even only one parent on her / his own. Although Britain is still conservative in its attitudes to marriage compared with other countries such as the USA, Sweden and Denmark, the future will probably see many more people living together before marriage - and more divorce. Interestingly, it is women rather than men who apply for divorce. Seven out of ten divorces are given to the wife. Also, one of the main reasons for divorce, chosen by ten times more women than men, is unreasonable or cruel behaviour. Perhaps this means that women will tolerate less than they used to.

    Summary:  

  In Britain, there are more divorces than before and less / fewer marriages. These days people live together instead of getting married, and modern families are different from / than / to traditional ones. Usually the woman asks for a divorce, not the man, because her husband is cruel or not reasonable.