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Year 8 English — Note-making and summarising

Turn a passage into short notes under headings, and write a summary that keeps the meaning in far fewer words.

Name: ________________________

Before you start

A page of notes, with every line drawn as a block. Find out what each line is, and notice how far along the page each one begins.

123456
  1. 1. The main heading — what the whole passage is about
  2. 2. A sub-heading
  3. 3. A point belonging to that sub-heading
  4. 4. Another point belonging to the same sub-heading
  5. 5. The next sub-heading
  6. 6. A point belonging to the second sub-heading

The further right a line begins, the smaller the idea it belongs to. That indentation is doing as much work as the words are, which is why a page of notes can be taken in at a glance and a paragraph cannot.

  1. 1.What is the main purpose of a summary?

    • a) To give the main ideas in far fewer words
    • b) To repeat the passage word for word
    • c) To list every example in the passage
    • d) To add your own opinion about the passage

  2. 2.Which would make the best heading for a passage about how bees make honey?

    • a) Bees are insects that live in colonies and are found on every continent except Antarctica
    • b) Bees
    • c) How bees make honey
    • d) Honey is sweet

  3. 3.Match each short form to the words it stands for.

    • govt.
    • &
    • e.g.
    • etc.
    • yrs
    • info
    • government
    • years
    • for example
    • information
    • and so on
    • and

  4. 4.Which is the best note for this sentence? "The Sun is the star at the centre of our solar system, and it provides the energy that keeps life on Earth going."

    • a) Sun — star at centre of solar system; gives energy for life on Earth
    • b) The Sun is very important to all of us.
    • c) The Sun is the star at the centre of our solar system.
    • d) Sun, star, centre, solar, system, energy, life, Earth

  5. 5.A passage of 200 words is to be summarised. Which is the most sensible length for the summary?

    • a) About 5 words
    • b) About 65 words
    • c) About 200 words
    • d) About 400 words

  6. 6.Sort each statement by whether it describes what a set of notes does.

    Groups: A note does this · A note does not do this

    • Leaves out small words like "the" and "of"
    • Uses abbreviations to save space
    • Uses a heading and sub-points
    • Uses short phrases instead of sentences
    • Adds your own opinion of the passage
    • Keeps every example in full
    • Copies whole sentences out of the passage
    • Is written in complete grammar

  7. 7.Sort each line by whether it is written in note form.

    Groups: Note form · Not note form

    • Uses of bamboo: houses, baskets, paper
    • There are several causes of soil erosion, such as rain.
    • The population of the city is two million.
    • Causes of soil erosion — rain, wind, farming
    • Pop. of city — 2 mn
    • Bamboo is used to make houses, baskets and paper.

  8. 8.Put the steps of note-making in the right order.

    • Read the notes on their own to check they still make sense.
    • Look at the underlined points and write one heading that covers them all.
    • Underline the points that matter most.
    • Turn each underlined point into a short phrase under that heading.
    • Read the whole passage from start to finish.

Answer key — Year 8 English — Note-making and summarising

  1. 1. a) To give the main ideas in far fewer words
  2. 2. c) How bees make honey
  3. 3. govt. → government; & → and; e.g. → for example; etc. → and so on; yrs → years; info → information
  4. 4. a) Sun — star at centre of solar system; gives energy for life on Earth
  5. 5. b) About 65 words
  6. 6. Uses short phrases instead of sentences → A note does this; Uses abbreviations to save space → A note does this; Uses a heading and sub-points → A note does this; Leaves out small words like "the" and "of" → A note does this; Copies whole sentences out of the passage → A note does not do this; Adds your own opinion of the passage → A note does not do this; Keeps every example in full → A note does not do this; Is written in complete grammar → A note does not do this
  7. 7. Causes of soil erosion — rain, wind, farming → Note form; Uses of bamboo: houses, baskets, paper → Note form; Pop. of city — 2 mn → Note form; There are several causes of soil erosion, such as rain. → Not note form; Bamboo is used to make houses, baskets and paper. → Not note form; The population of the city is two million. → Not note form
  8. 8. 1. Read the whole passage from start to finish. 2. Underline the points that matter most. 3. Look at the underlined points and write one heading that covers them all. 4. Turn each underlined point into a short phrase under that heading. 5. Read the notes on their own to check they still make sense.