HKDSE English | Summary and Note-making Lesson Prep Guide

HKDSE English | Summary and Note-making Lesson Prep Guide | Compression, Word Limits, Timing

2026-11-02

Tutor lesson-prep guides · Secondary English

Students think a summary is just shorter sentences, so 300 words turn into 140, which is 50 over. This lesson replaces copying with three countable moves.

Objectives — Students can: (1) cut a 300-word text to 90 words (30%) by deleting examples, merging repetition and keeping topic sentences; (2) write 8 notes within 250 words, each note no longer than 7 words; (3) finish a 12-mark task in 20 minutes and count their own words.

01 Prerequisites (3-minute check)

If any of these fails, fix it before the lesson starts.

Skill	Quick check	Pass mark
Topic sentence	What does the first sentence of a paragraph do	States the main point
Word counting	How to count words quickly	About 10 words per line
Linkers	Name two contrast linkers	however, although

02 Lesson flow (60 minutes)

Time	Stage	Tutor does	Student does
0-8 min	Model the three cuts	Teacher deletes examples live	Down to 90 words
8-20 min	Students compress	Same text, their own cuts	Under 90 words
20-34 min	Note structure	Four subheadings, eight notes	Each note within 7 words
34-46 min	Timed run	20 minutes, 12 marks	0.6 marks a minute
46-54 min	Peer word count	Classmates count by line method	Within 10 words
54-60 min	Exit check	Three quick questions	All three correct

03 Teaching script (read it out)

Scene 1: A summary is compression, not rewriting

Split the text into topic sentences and support sentences: keep the first, delete examples, merge repetition.
300 words to 90 keeps about 30%; students must count on the answer sheet.
Shortening sentences changes almost nothing, so the mark stays low.

Ask the student: which sentence is only an example, and does the main idea survive without it.

Scene 2: Note limits force short points

250 words over 8 notes averages 31 words per note, but 7 words is usually enough; the rest of the budget buys keywords.
Format: subheading plus phrase, never a full sentence.
Model cutting one note from 18 words to 7 live.

Ask the student: why notes work better as phrases than full sentences.

Scene 3: Time follows the marks

12 marks over 20 minutes is 0.6 marks per minute; reading 300 words at 200 words a minute takes 1.5 minutes, drafting takes 10, checking takes 3.
Those blocks add up to 20 minutes, so any overrun is borrowed from drafting.
Exam rule: get all 8 notes down first, then trim.

Ask the student: with six minutes left and two notes missing, what do you do.

04 Question types and worked steps

Type	Example	Steps	Answer
Writing	Summary compression	Delete examples, merge repetition, keep topic sentences	90 words
Writing	Notes	Subheading plus phrase, max 7 words	8 notes
Timing	Exam pacing	Read 1.5, draft 10, check 3 minutes	0.6 per minute
Proofreading	Word limit check	Line method plus sentence check	Error within 10 words

Sanity check (teach this): Count the summary by hand: lines times words per line, and leave a one or two word margin.
Any note longer than 7 words is a full sentence and must be cut.
Marks divided by minutes below 0.5 means that part is eating the clock.
If the summary contains an example the source never had, the student added rather than deleted.

05 Independent practice (3 questions)

Question	Answer	What to watch
Compress 300 words to 30%	90 words	300 x 0.30
8 notes within 250 words, average cap	31 words	250 / 8
Efficiency of 12 marks in 20 minutes	0.6 a minute	12 / 20

06 Common mistakes and what to say

Mistake	Student writes	Say this
Copying and shaving words	Ends at 140 words	Shaving adjectives is not summarising; delete whole example sentences.
Writing notes as full sentences	18 words for one note	7 words is enough; markers look for keywords, not grammar.
Writing notes before reading the text	Misses the ending	Skimming loses the conclusion, which usually holds the final answer.
Submitting without counting	Over by 50 words	Use the line method: lines times 10 words, 30 seconds.

07 Homework (paper, section and question numbers)

Paper 3 integrated skills: note-making task (Task 2) — Write 8 notes, then count
Paper 2 writing: paragraph topic sentences (Q3) — One topic sentence per paragraph
All lesson prep guides — Compare the ten-section structure across subjects

08 Exit check (last 5 minutes)

Question	Answer	Decision
300 words at 30% is how many words	90	Three correct means move on
250 words over 8 notes, average	31 words	One miss means reteach the limit
12 marks in 20 minutes, efficiency	0.6 a minute	Two misses means act three again

09 Tutor FAQ

Can a summary quote the source?

Topic sentences may stay, but example sentences must go.

Do notes in point form lose marks?

No, the task asks for notes, so phrases fit the requirement.

Is a small overrun acceptable?

There is tolerance, but ten percent over is risky; stay five words under.

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A TutorZone lesson-prep guide. Written by the TutorZone team; questions and lesson flow are original and are not taken from any school or publisher material.