The PMR English
Language Paper 2 has three questions:
- Question 1 – Tests your skills on writing an essay.
- Question 2 – Tests your skills on summarising a passage.
- Question 3 – Tests your knowledge of understanding the literature component taught in school.
Let us look at
Question 2.
Students are
given a text and are required to summarise the passage in not more than 60
words.
The passage can
be based on any subject matter. It can be:
- a descriptive text or
- factual in nature or
- even a narrative
Just remember:
- that summary writing is the process of condensing and reducing the text
- the relevant details must be included
- the meaning must not be altered.
GUIDELINES TO SUMMARY WRITING
Summary-writing
is easy. Just keep in mind the acronym BROOMSTICK when you do your summary.
Bracket
|
Bracket all relevant parts needed for your
summary after reading the text.
|
Rephrase
|
Look at the bracketed section and rephrase
wherever possible.
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Omit irrelevant details
|
Omit all
irrelevant details like examples, elaborations, long descriptions and
explanations, repetitions, quotations and figurative language. Text that is
not related to the question should be ignored.
|
Own words
|
Remember to
use your own words as far as possible. Do not copy word for word.
|
Meaning must be retained
|
Do not change
the original meaning of the text. Maintain the original meaning.
|
Speech
|
If there is
speech in your text, convert it into Indirect Speech. You cannot use direct
speech in your summary.
|
Tenses
|
Maintain the
same tense as in the original text. If the text is in the past tense your
summary should also be in the past tense. If it is in the present tense your
summary should also be in the present tense.
|
Information
|
Your summary must be based on the
information found in the passage only. Do not bring outside information or your
own opinion into your summary.
|
Copy draft
|
Copy out the draft you have made correctly
in a paragraph.
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Keep to the word limit
|
Keep to the number of words specified in the
question. Do not go over the word limit. After the 60th word, all
information will be ignored and marks will not be awarded.
|
Tips on how to count the number of words
For example:
Jalan Liku – 1
word
Mohamad Ali –
1 word
Sungai Perak –
1 word
For example:
Didn’t – 2 words
Shouldn’t – 2
words
Mustn’t – 2
words
I’d – 2 words
We’ll – 2
words
She’s – 2
words
Can’t – 1
word.
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