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SingaporeGeneral PaperQuick questions
Comprehension and the Application Question
Quick questions on Summary writing technique explained: H1 General Paper
5short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is respect the boundaries of the question?Show answer
A summary question defines exactly what to summarise: a topic (for example, "the reasons given for and against X") and a span of text. The first discipline is selection at the boundary: include only material that answers the question and falls within the specified span. Points outside the scope, the writer's anecdotes, asides or framing, earn nothing and waste words.
What are extract distinct points?Show answer
Within the boundaries, identify each separate point. A point is a distinct idea or reason; the same idea restated for emphasis is one point, not two. Work through the span systematically, marking each new point as you meet it. This is where most marks are won or lost: the score is essentially the count of relevant distinct points you capture and express.
What is q1?Show answer
Explain why an example in the passage should usually be excluded from a summary. [2 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
A passage states a benefit twice in different words. How many times does it appear in your summary, and why? [2 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Explain why a summary that captures more points usually scores higher than one with better prose but fewer points. [3 marks]
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