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DSE English | Summary and Note-making Practice Paper 1 (Summary Basics and Word Control)
DSE English | Summary and Note-making Practice Paper 1 (Summary Basics and Word Control)
Work backwards from a 200-word cap to a budget per point, practise splitting a topic sentence from the points, then draw the line between paraphrasing and copying.
Attempt first, mark afterwards Allow about thirty minutes; write the word-count arithmetic for each item before drafting any sentence.
01 Paper details (check answers afterwards)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 10 items |
| Suggested time | About 30 minutes |
| Difficulty mix | Foundation 4 · Intermediate 3 · Challenge 2 · Error redo 1 |
| Chapter | Chapter: DSE English | Summary and Note-making Skills |
| Level | S4 (Secondary 4) English |
02 Questions (10 items)
- FoundationA summary is capped at 200 words: a 25-word topic sentence, with the remaining words split evenly across four points. How long is each point?
- FoundationThe source text is 600 words and the summary cap is 200 words. The source is how many times the summary?
- FoundationIn a 90-word paragraph the topic sentence takes 20 words. What percentage of the paragraph is supporting detail (one decimal place)?
- FoundationFive paragraphs total 750 words. Compressed to one quarter, roughly how many words is the summary?
- IntermediateThe task asks for three points at two sentences each. How many sentences in the summary body?
- Intermediate600 words must be read in 15 minutes. What reading speed per minute is required?
- IntermediateMay a summary copy sentences straight from the source?
- ChallengeShould a summary include your own opinion or examples?
- ChallengeWhat do the note-taking symbols “→”, “∵” and “∴” mean?
- Error redoError drill: a student copies all three examples from the source into the summary. What is wrong?
03 Answers and one-line notes
| # | Answer | One-line note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 43.75 words | (200 − 25) ÷ 4 = 175 ÷ 4 = 43.75: subtract the topic sentence first, then divide what is left among the points. |
| 2 | Three times | 600 ÷ 200 = 3: the multiple tells you that only about one third of the content can survive. |
| 3 | 77.8% | (90 − 20) ÷ 90 × 100 = 70 ÷ 90 × 100 = 77.8%: the support is the bulk, which is exactly what a summary strips out. |
| 4 | 187.5 words | 750 ÷ 4 = 187.5: a quarter is a common summary ratio, and the target should be fixed before drafting. |
| 5 | Six sentences | 3 × 2 = 6: two sentences per point is enough for a point plus its gloss; more starts to copy the source. |
| 6 | 40 words per minute | 600 ÷ 15 = 40: knowing the required rate is what makes a reading-and-writing timetable realistic. |
| 7 | No — it must be rewritten; copying strings of source wording counts as plagiarism and loses marks | A summary tests compression and paraphrase; lifting whole sentences copies rather than condenses. |
| 8 | No: it reproduces the source points only, and added opinion or new examples take it off task | Summary marks attach to what the source says; your own position belongs in a discursive answer. |
| 9 | “→” marks cause, effect or change; “∵” means because; “∴” means therefore | Symbols are a speed tool: used consistently they read back cleanly, but mixed usage turns them into private code. |
| 10 | Examples are supporting material: they eat the word limit without being points, squeezing out what must be answered | A summary keeps points and essential support only; examples can go, and every extra one pushes the answer further off task. |
04 What to do after marking
- After marking, redo only the wrong items and write down which step went wrong (formula, unit, or misread number).
- Repeat the same item two days later; move to the next paper only when both attempts are correct.
- Parents only need the answer and note columns; there is no need to explain every item.
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