How do I find only the points the summary question asks for, and ignore everything else in the passage?
Select only the relevant points from the part of the passage set by the summary question, using the focus of the question to decide what to include and what to leave out
How to find only the relevant points for a summary: reading the question focus carefully, working within the lines set, and leaving out examples, repetition and details that do not answer the question.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
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What this dot point is asking
SEAB wants you to select only the relevant points for the summary in Paper 2. The summary question sets two limits: a range of lines to use and a focus (the topic you must summarise, such as "the reasons" or "the effects"). Your job is to find the points in those lines that answer that focus, and to leave out everything else: examples, repetition, descriptions and off-topic details. Selecting the right points is the first and most important step; if you summarise the wrong material, even perfect English will not score.
The answer
Read the question focus carefully
The summary question always has a focus: what you are summarising. It might be "the reasons people recycle", "the dangers of the sport", or "how the festival is celebrated". Underline this focus before you read the passage. Every point you select must answer it. A point that is true but does not match the focus is irrelevant and earns nothing.
Work only within the set lines
The question tells you which lines to use (for example "lines 12 to 28"). Stay inside them. Points from outside the set lines do not count, even if they fit the focus. Mark the start and end of the set lines so you do not stray.
Pick out the points
Go through the set lines and underline each point that answers the focus. A "point" is a separate idea, not a whole sentence. One sentence may contain two points, or none. Aim to find as many relevant points as the marks suggest (a 5-mark summary usually needs several points).
Leave out the rest
A summary keeps main points, not the supporting detail. Leave out:
- Examples and illustrations (the points they support are what you keep).
- Repetition (count a repeated point only once).
- Direct speech and minor descriptions that do not answer the focus.
This pruning is what makes a summary concise and on-topic.
Examples in context
Example 1. A "dangers" focus. For "summarise the dangers of using social media", a passage might mention cyberbullying, time wasting, exposure to false information, and also describe the colours of a popular app. You select the three dangers and leave out the description of the app's colours, because only the dangers answer the focus.
Example 2. A "how" focus. For "summarise how the village prepares for the festival", you select actions of preparation (cleaning the streets, cooking special food, decorating the temple) and leave out the history of the festival or a description of the weather, because the focus is on how they prepare, not why or when.
Try this
Cue. A summary asks for "the reasons exercise is good for you", and a sentence describes one runner's red shoes. Keep it or drop it? Drop it; the colour of the shoes is not a reason exercise is good for you.
Cue. A passage says "pollution harms health" twice, in different words. How many points is that? One point; repetition of the same idea counts only once.
Cue. Explain why staying within the set lines matters. Points from outside the set lines do not count toward the summary, so reading beyond them wastes time and risks adding irrelevant material.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SEAB exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Original5 marksA summary question asks: 'Using lines 10 to 25, summarise the reasons people enjoy hiking.' A student copies a sentence describing what one hiker wore. Explain why this is a mistake, and how to decide which points to include.Show worked answer →
Including the sentence about what a hiker wore is a mistake because it is not a reason people enjoy hiking; it is an irrelevant detail. The question focus is "reasons people enjoy hiking", so only points that answer that focus should be selected.
How to decide: read the question focus carefully, then go through the set lines and underline only the points that match it. A point about fresh air, exercise, or beautiful views is a reason and should be kept; a point about clothing, the date, or a named place is not, and should be left out.
What markers reward: choosing only points that answer the exact focus of the question, and recognising that descriptive or off-topic details, even if they are in the set lines, do not count as relevant points.
Original4 marksExplain why a summary question gives you specific lines to use and a clear focus, and describe two kinds of material you should leave out.Show worked answer →
A summary question gives specific lines and a clear focus so that you summarise the right part of the passage and only the points that matter; it stops you from summarising the whole text or wandering off the topic. The lines limit where you look, and the focus tells you what to look for.
Two kinds of material to leave out: (1) examples and illustrations, because a summary keeps the main points, not the detailed examples that support them; (2) repetition, because the same point said twice should be counted only once. Direct speech and minor descriptive details should also be left out.
What markers reward: understanding that the lines and focus narrow the task, and knowing to drop examples and repetition so the summary keeps only the relevant main points.
Related dot points
- Paraphrase the selected points into your own words for a summary, changing the wording while keeping the meaning, and joining the points into clear connected sentences
How to paraphrase summary points into your own words: changing the wording while keeping the meaning, joining points smoothly, and avoiding lifting whole phrases from the passage.
- Keep a summary within the word limit of about 80 words by writing concisely, counting words, and cutting unnecessary words while keeping every relevant point
How to keep a summary within the 80-word limit: writing concisely, using the given opening words, counting as you go, and trimming wasteful words without losing any relevant point.
- Answer comprehension questions in your own words by rephrasing the relevant part of the text accurately, changing the wording without changing the meaning
How to answer comprehension questions in your own words: finding the right part of the text, rephrasing it accurately, and avoiding the trap of copying whole phrases straight from the passage.
- Answer inference questions by reading between the lines, using evidence from the text to work out what is suggested rather than stated
How to answer inference questions in comprehension: reading between the lines to work out what the text suggests, and backing your answer with evidence from the passage.
- Select and use the relevant information from the visual text or stimulus in a situational writing task, addressing all the bullet points and reorganising details into your own writing
How to pull the relevant details from the visual text or stimulus in a Situational Writing task, cover every bullet point, and rework the information into your own writing instead of copying it.