Practise summarising a text accurately in your own words. Attempt each before revealing; all passages are our own original material.
1Original text: 'Cycling to school keeps students fit, saves families money on transport, and means fewer cars near the gates at busy times.' Summarise the advantages of cycling to school in about 25 words, in your own words.
Show plan, model opening & checklist
Plan: Identify the three advantages, then combine and rephrase them within the word limit.
Model opening: Cycling to school improves students' fitness, reduces family travel costs, and lowers the amount of traffic near the school entrance during busy periods.
Checklist:
- Captures all the key points
- Own words, not lifted phrases
- Within the word limit
- Reads clearly and accurately
2Original text: 'The festival was cancelled after heavy rain flooded the field. Organisers said the ground was unsafe and refunds would be given.' Summarise why the festival was cancelled and what will happen next, in one sentence.
A trial lesson can start from your child's attempt at ESL summary practice tasks, with feedback from an experienced teacher.
Show plan, model opening & checklist
Plan: Combine the cause (flooding, unsafe ground) and the consequence (refunds) into one rephrased sentence.
Model opening: The festival was called off because rain left the flooded field unsafe, and organisers will refund the people who bought tickets.
Checklist:
- Includes cause and consequence
- A single clear sentence
- Rephrased in own words
- Accurate to the text
3Original text: 'The app helps users track spending. It sends a weekly report, warns when a budget is nearly used up, and rounds up purchases to save the difference.' Summarise what the app does in about 30 words.
Show plan, model opening & checklist
Plan: List the functions concisely and rephrase; watch the word count.
Model opening: The app tracks users' spending, sends weekly summaries, alerts them when a budget is almost gone, and puts aside small amounts by rounding purchases up.
Checklist:
- Covers the main functions
- Concise and within the limit
- Own words throughout
- No key point omitted
See the worked annotated model response for ESL summary, or the method in our ESL summary skills guide.