26

Year 9
2025-2026

a uage
(Core)

First

Mr Hamdy Hussain Al-Shalawy

Note-Taking

Mr Hamdy Hussain Al-Shalawy

 Revise for IGCSE in ESL exam

General Points Regarding TIME

 The exam lasts for 2 hours (= 120 mins for the extended and 90mins
for the core level) and there are a total of 84 marks for the
extended and 56 for the core level. You should aim to manage your
time as follows:
Extended level
 Ex. 1 and 2 about 20 mins
 Ex. 3 (form-filling) - about 10 mins
 Ex. 4 (note-taking) - about 12 mins
 Ex. 5 (summary) - about 15 mins
 Ex. 6 (informal writing) - about 30 mins
 Ex. 7 (formal writing) - about 30 mins

Core level
 Ex. 1 and 2 about 15 mins
 Ex. 3 (form-filling) - about 10 mins
 Ex. 4 (note-taking) - about 10 mins
 Ex. 5 (summary) - about 5 mins
 Ex. 6 (informal writing) - about 20 mins
 Ex. 7 (formal writing) - about 20 mins

NB: The suggested times for Exercises 5-7 include editing time. Do not write
frantically until the invigilator calls out, “The exam is over. Please stop writing
now.”
You must spend a few minutes re-reading your work and making necessary
changes – not just corrections, but possibly also adding improvements such as
transition phrases (“As a result of this”, “On the other hand”, “Finally” etc) or
more expressive vocabulary (e.g. so fun thrilling / exhilarating).

General Points Regarding READING Tasks

 Do not waste time reading the text before you look at the
questions. Do glance through it quickly so you know what type of
text it is (e.g. travel brochure, magazine article) and what the topic
is. Then go straight to the questions and let each question guide
your more detailed reading.

Page | 1
  You will not lose marks for grammatical, spelling or punctuation
errors (unless, of course, your answer is impossible to understand!).
 For most questions, a short answer is fine. There is no rule that you
should write in full sentences. In fact, you would be wasting valuable
time if you wrote lots of long answers.
 The first 15-20 questions require fast (but accurate!) reading: think
of the 1 mark questions as needing about one minute of reading on
average.
 Practise reading texts in newspapers, magazines or textbooks and
making notes of the main points. This can help you prepare for both
the note-taking and summary writing tasks.

General Points Regarding SUMMARY Tasks

 Read the instructions carefully: what are you being asked to
write about?
 Half the marks are awarded for including relevant points, half
for "quality of language". Underline or box the relevant points
in the original text before you try to write your summary.
 Do not write a long introduction! You might need to write
something like “There are three main advantages of home
schooling. Firstly …” but basically you should go straight to the
point: do only what the instructions ask you to do!
 Organise the points in some way – e.g. chronologically, or
Problem-Solution, or Advantages-Disadvantages. Whatever
seems right for the task!
 Simple connectives such as "Firstly/Secondly/Thirdly" or "In
addition/Also" or "Consequently" can help to make your
summary more coherent.
 Use your own words/phrases where possible. Feel free to
change the order of points if that seems logical.
 Do not write too much: you will not receive any credit for points
made after the word limit. (On the other hand, do not get
stressed about writing a few words too many. You are allowed
to go up to 120 words for the extended level and 70 for the
core level).

Page | 2
General Points Regarding LISTENING
 If you want to do some Listening practice, remember you have 2
CD-ROMs in your copy of “IGCSE English as a Second
Language” by Peter Lucantoni.
 For most of the questions, all you need is a brief answer (often
just one word).
 Do not just listen for words; listen to the meaning of what is
being said! Try to predict what is coming next.
 Use the pauses for writing: if you write too soon, you may miss
something you should be listening to!
 In the note-taking tasks, think about the type of word that is
required. For example, if a heading says “Purpose”, then it is
likely that you need a list of verbs (e.g. To raise awareness, To
conserve wildlife, To educate schoolchildren). By contrast, if a
sentence says “This boat has attracted more _________ than
any other boat in the race”, then you should expect a noun to
fill the gap – e.g. publicity, funding, attention, visitors, trouble,
photographers?
 If you write 2 answers and the first one is wrong, no points will
be awarded.
 Spelling usually does not matter. However, if an incorrect
spelling could cause confusion about your meaning, then it will be
marked incorrect. For example, "bored" is good; "bord" is
incorrect but acceptable; but "board" is unacceptable.

General Points Regarding WRITING Tasks

There are some useful things you can do:

 Use a thesaurus (www.thesaurus.com) to build up a variety of

vocabulary – e.g. ways of expressing common concepts:
The trip was good. enjoyable, interesting, educational,
informative, fascinating, eye-
opening, inspirational, life-changing
I felt scared. anxious, apprehensive, nervous,
fearful, terrified
I saw a man running down the street. sprinting, running at full pelt

Page | 3
I saw a woman stepping off the spotted, noticed, observed
pavement into the road.
The council should make a skate park. construct, create,
Opponents say that foxhunting is an argue, claim, insist, maintain
important part of English culture.
She is a really nice person. warm, generous, considerate,
helpful, easygoing, supportive
 Re-read model essays such as those below and think about how they
are organised.
 Read your notes on various OPINION or "for/against" topics or (see a
couple of examples below); use these to scribble essay plans.
 Re-read good examples of informal/formal letters
 Notice and practise writing common phrases found in formal letters:
 Re-read your notes on how to begin/end informal letters; make notes
for a letter to a friend about a recent experience (e.g. taking part
in a performance, winning a competition, meeting your hero,
meeting an old classmate, visiting a foreign country, learning a new
skill); work out what each paragraph is going to be about; make a
note of likely connectives (the following day, by the end of our
conversation, as a result, because of this, in the end etc.); write the
letter!
 Re-read old essays and think about your most common errors
(especially tenses, missing "a"/"the", plural "-s", uncountable nouns,
prepositions of time/place -in Jakarta, in March, at night etc.;
vocabulary – go shopping, to be interested in…, to apply for…);
write new sentences that follow the correct patterns (e.g. My brother
went shopping while my two sisters and I went fishing.)

 Revise lists of connecting words/phrases:

· Firstly, … Secondly, … Thirdly, … Finally …
· For example, … For instance, …
· In addition, … Also, … Furthermore, … What is more,
· As a result, … Because of this, … Consequently, … Therefore, …
· On the one hand, … On the other hand, …
· It is true that … However, …
· …, however, … In contrast, … On the other hand, …
· Similarly, …
· Another argument against _____ is that …
· Another disadvantage of _____ is that …

Page | 4
Informal Letters
An informal letter should be fairly informal – but don’t overdo it! The
examiner will not be impressed by text messaging shorthand such as "U" for
you. Likewise, avoid excessive use of slang: your objective is to demonstrate
your knowledge of standard English vocabulary and grammar.
The content of informal letters is difficult to predict. However, they often
include an account of recent events. If you have to write a letter like this, then
take care with your verbs! Also, try to use some time phrases (e.g. Shortly
after that, Later, That afternoon, After dinner, …) Try to use a good range of
vocabulary too, avoiding dull words such as "nice", "fun" and "scary".

BEGINNINGS
 It was good to hear from you.
 Sorry for not replying sooner. I have been very busy.
 Sorry for taking so long to reply. I have been revising for my
exams.
CONCLUSIONS
 Well, that’s all my news for now.
 It’s getting late, so I’d better stop now.
 I’d better stop now. It’s past midnight and I have an exam
tomorrow.
 I’d better finish – I’m running out of space.
 I can hardly wait to meet you.
 Please write again soon.
 Please keep in touch.
 Give my regards to …
BEST WISHES
 Lots of Love
 Regards
 Thinking of you

Useful vocabulary:

Ring me up, pick me up, keep my fingers crossed that…, drop me a line, catch
up on our news, let me know, put pen to paper, put you up,

Page | 5
Sample informal letter:

You are abroad spending your holidays in a very exciting places you
have always wanted to visit. The people you travel with are really nice so
you enjoy their companionship. Write a letter to your friend describing
what you have been doing so far and what you still plan to do.

Dear Amy,

Thank you a lot for your last letter. It was a nice surprise to hear from you. It's
taken me ages to reply but I had to organize some things concerning my trip.

As you probably remember I've always wanted to visit some unusual places.
And now, at last, off I went! But you'd never guess where I've chosen to spend
my holiday. It's Antarctica! You would never think of it, would you? I'm so
excited about the whole event!

The people I travel with are incredible. It's their fourteenth expedition there.
They know every path in the snow by heart and they are very helpful. They
share their knowledge and experience with me. Would you believe that here
everything is different? You even need to set your tent in a special way. It's
all very challenging. Tomorrow we plan to move further North so I may not be
able to stay in touch for a while.

Anyway, hope you are enjoying your holiday. I hope we will meet soon so
that we can catch up on our news. Drop me a line and let me know when we
can arrange meeting. I can even come and pick you up in my new car! Keep
smiling!

Love,
Becky

Page | 6
Formal Letters
Dear Sir or Madam >>>>> Yours faithfully
Dear Ms Bates >>>>> Yours sincerely
Use a formal tone: this affects your choice of vocabulary and grammar. For
example, the first text below would not be appropriate in a formal letter,
whereas the second would be:

Hey
I saw some stuff in your mag about activities for kids and I just
wanna say that the activities in this town suck. I mean what are we
supposed to do in the evenings?
Dear Sir or Madam
With regard to your recent feature on leisure activities for young
people, I would like to make a few suggestions.

NOTE: You should not use short forms (e.g. don’t, won’t, isn’t).

SAMPLE FORMAL LETTER

Dear Mrs Talker,
I am writing to inform you that I was very disappointed with my visit to your
restaurant two days ago. I read your advertisement in the newspaper and
decided to spend an evening there with my friend. Unfortunately, I have a
couple of complaints concerning this visit.

According to your advertisement the place is perfect for having private

conversations in relaxing atmosphere. However, it turned out that the music
was so loud that I could hardly concentrate on the chat with my friend. The
waiter asked to turn the music down shrugged his shoulders and said that
other guests liked it that way. Is that what you mean by 'discreet service'?

Page | 7
To make matters worse, the place was crowded and waiting for an ordered
meal was intolerably long. I must admit that the cuisine was quite good but
the prices were way too high.

I would like you to take my points under consideration and I expect a refund
from your restaurant. I trust you will give this matter immediate attention. I
look forward to receiving a reply from you.

Yours sincerely,
David Beckham.

OPINION ESSAYS
Structure of an opinion essay (5 paragraphs):

1. INTRODUCTION
2. One viewpoint and justification and/or example
3. Second viewpoint and justification and/or example
4. Opposing viewpoint which you contradict
5. CONCLUSION (you can also add a possible solution to the
issue being discussed)

1. Argument/Counter-Argument
You have already practised writing an opinion essay following the
"argument/counter-argument" approach. Look also at my model essay
on zoos below. Using this approach, you present each of your
opponents’ arguments in turn and then “counter” it – i.e. demonstrate that
it is false or weak.

Below you can read an example on the topic of zoos. (Phrases have
been highlighted to draw your attention to the way the essay is
organised.)

Page | 8
 Zoos –should they be abolished?

Zoos have been popular for hundreds of years, introducing a wide variety of
animals to visitors who otherwise would never have seen them. Times change,
however, and we must question whether zoos are still relevant in a world
where we wish to treat animals humanely.

It is often said that zoos are educational. They teach people, especially
children, about animal behaviour and encourage an interest in animal welfare.
This may be partly true, but does a captive animal behave like its counterpart
in the wild? Zoo animals are often confined to a very small area compared
with their vast natural habitat. As a result, many animals develop unnatural
habits such as pacing back and forth or swaying.

Another argument put forward in favour of zoos is that they help to

conserve endangered species through breeding programmes. Thus, for
example, a rare species can be protected and encouraged to reproduce in a
zoo environment. For example, attempts to breed pandas in captivity have
been very costly and unsuccessful. Evidently zoo life does not prepare
animals for the challenges of life in the wild.

Supporters of zoos sometimes claim that the inhabitants are even better off
than their counterparts in the wild. On the contrary, the zoo is an unnatural
environment that exposes animals to numerous dangers. Diseases often
spread between species that would never co-exist naturally. For example, zoo
animals are often exposed to chemicals, solvents and other toxic substances.
Furthermore, it is not uncommon for visitors to tease and provoke confined
animals.

In summary, therefore, the continued existence of zoos cannot be defended.

They do not educate people; they do not conserve wildlife; and they do not
treat animals humanely. They are cruel prisons and the time has come to
abolish them.

Page | 9
FOR AND AGAINST ESSAYS
A different approach to a writing exercise is to look at both sides of the
argument in a more balanced way. In the end, you must indicate your opinion.
The following is an example of how such an essay might be structured:
o Introduction: The issue of handgun ownership
A. Some people believe individuals should not own
handguns
B. Others believe ownership is an important personal right
 Disadvantages of handgun ownership
- Adults and children can have accidents
- People can use guns for crimes
 Advantages of handgun ownership
+ People can protect themselves from intruders
+ People can use guns for recreational purposes
 Conclusion - summary & evaluation of arguments presented
o Problems of accidents and crime make gun ownership
difficult to accept
o Gun ownership should not be allowed in the interest of a
better society
Tips:
 State the problem/topic once again in the beginning of your essay. Just
assume that your reader doesn't know the question. Do not start with: It
is right (what is right?); I agree/do not agree with this statement
(what statement?)
 Separate positive and negative aspects of the problem you discuss.
 Remember that here you take the floor. Your potential opponents do
not have the opportunity to present their ideas. It is your task to present
both yours and theirs and keep proper balance.
 Use linking words. They help to follow your way of reasoning. The most
common linking words are and, or and but. You may want to
interchange these words with their more sophisticated counterparts in
your essay.

Page | 10
Useful expressions:
Expressing opinions:
 I agree/ disagree with the above statement (that...)
 In my opinion...
 I believe that...
 I am in favour of...
 I am against the idea of...
 It seems to me that...
 I sympathize with...
Presenting and contrasting arguments:
 The main argument in favour/ against is...
 First of all I should like to consider...
 The first thing (I would like to consider) to be considered is...
 Apart from that...
 Despite the fact that .../ In spite of...
 On the other hand...
 What is more...
 What matters most in this case is...
 It is a fact that...
 There is no doubt that...

Reasoning:
sth happened  owing to  as a consequence
 because of
 through of
 as a result
 due to  on account of
of

Page | 11
Concluding:
 To sum up/ altogether
 On this basis, I can conclude that...
 Given this, it can be concluded that...
 Having proved this, I would like to...
 In conclusion, I would like to stress that...
 All in all, I believe that...

Vocabulary for Argumentative Writing

When we write an argumentative essay, our opinions carry more weight if we
look at both sides of the issue. In other words, we acknowledge our
opponents’ views but try to convince the reader that our own argument is
stronger.
Our essay would be extremely dull if we used the words "supporters" and
"opponents" all the way through. Similarly, it would be unimpressive if we only
used the verb "say" to refer to people’s opinions. The following tables contain
a list of useful alternatives.

+ -

Supporters Opponents

Proponents Opponents

Those in favour of … Those opposed to …

Defenders of … Critics of …

Advocates of … Objectors

Pro-… (e.g. Pro- Anti-… (e.g. Anti-

abortionists) abortionists)

say that …

argue allege

Page | 12
Claim insist

maintain contend

assert suggest

contend point out

SAMPLE TOPICS
NARRATIVE
 During a recent holiday by the sea, you spotted someone in
trouble and helped to rescue him/her. Write a letter to a friend
or relative describing what happened. (About 150-200 words)
 A person you admire a lot (e.g. a sportsperson, musician or
leader) recently visited your town. Write a letter to a friend
describing the visit. Include the following points:
 why you admire the person
 why he/she was visiting
 what happened
 your feelings
(About 150-200 words)
 Recently you witnessed a road accident involving a car, a
motorbike and a pedestrian. Write a report for the police
describing what you saw. Include the following:
 where you were and what you were doing
 a brief description of each vehicle, as well as its approximate
speed, direction etc.
 how the accident happened
 what happened afterwards
(About 150-200 words)

ARGUMENTATIVE (OPINION) ESSAY

 Some people argue that the Internet is just as harmful as it is
helpful. Write an article for your school magazine giving your
views. You may wish to consider some of the following
arguments:
“electronic shopping and search engines make life far more
convenient than in the past."

Page | 13
 “Teenagers become addicted, wasting their time playing games
instead of studying or playing sport."
"Frequent Internet users become loners and lose the skills they
need for healthy human relationships."
"Email and ‘Chat rooms’ allow lonely or busy people to develop
friendships with others who have similar interests."
(About 150-200 words)
 Your school newspaper has invited suggestions for making the
school more environmentally friendly. Write a letter with
practical suggestions for creating a "greener" campus. The
slogan "Reduce, Re-use, Recycle" may help you to think of some
ideas. (About 150-200 words)
 "Ban the car!" An environmental organisation has proposed that
cars should be banned since they cause pollution, traffic jams,
road deaths and stress. Write an article for a newspaper giving
your opinion. (About 150-200 words)

FORMAL LETTER
 A student magazine is running a "Teacher of the Year"
competition. Students have been invited to write to the magazine
with recommendations. Write a letter nominating one of your
teachers and giving reasons why you think they should receive
the award. (Please do not use a real name!) (About 150-200
words)
 Your principal has asked for ideas about how to improve the
school’s facilities. Write him/her a letter giving your suggestions.
(About 150-200 words)

Page | 14
10 This section links to pages 6–9 of the Workbook. Unit 1: Mysteries Section 1 Summarising 11

Section 1 Skills Boost: Using context for understanding

*Note-Taking When you read a text, you may sometimes find that you lose understanding.
Try some of these techniques to help you correct that misunderstanding.
In this section, you will develop your reading and note-taking skills. • Reread the sentence or paragraph you did not understand.
• Read it yet again, more slowly. Which word or phrase do you not understand?
• Look at the context of that word or phrase: the rest of the sentence and the text.
The extract below is a mystery story. Can you solve it? The answer is at the bottom of the page.
Use it to help you guess the meaning of the word or phrase.
▼ Read the extract and then answer the questions that follow it.
1 The word ‘bound’ in the following sentence from the extract on page 10 could be
The Great Gold Robbery confusing because it has several possible meanings.
1 In the 1840s and 1850s, gold was frequently being In Boulogne, the boxes were removed from the iron
The gold was sealed in three boxes, bound with iron bars.
transported by jewellers and goldsmiths between safes and weighed again. It was noted that one
London and Paris. Robberies had been attempted and box appeared to be 40 pounds (18 kg) lighter than
The word ‘bound’ can mean:
so security had been increased. it should have been, and yet there was no sign of
30 damage to the box. The boxes were then transported • tied or wrapped up The book was bound with leather.
5 On 15th May 1855, gold with a value of £12,000 –
to Paris and weighed again. They were found to be
more than £1.25 million today – was to be taken
unchanged from the weights noted in Boulogne. When The plane was bound for Lagos.
by train from London Bridge station to the port of • on the way (to)
all three boxes reached their final destinations, they
Folkestone in Kent, across the English Channel to
were opened and found to contain nothing but a large She cleared the hurdle in a single bound.
Boulogne, and then by train to Paris. The gold was • leap or jump
35 quantity of heavy lead shot.
10 sealed in three boxes, bound with iron bars.
• inevitable or unavoidable I could see the crash was bound to happen.
At 7.40 p.m. on 15th May, the three sealed boxes were
delivered by Mr Chaplin to London Bridge station. The
boxes were weighed and then put into the railway What do you think ‘bound’ means in the sentence from the extract above? Write
company’s iron safes. The safes were locked and an explanation in your own words.
15 required two keys to open them, each key held by a 2 Look at the sentences below. Each one contains a nonsense word. Use the context
different railway employee. The safes were placed
of each sentence to suggest what each nonsense word could mean.
in the guard’s van at the rear of the train. The guard,
a) I was sleeping when a loud crash spadoddled the house.
James Burgess, had worked for the railway company
for thirteen years and had always been found to be b) She sat down and ate a huge crangle of ice cream.
20 honest and reliable.
When the train arrived at Folkestone, the boxes were
removed from the train and carried onto the Lord Activity 1: Identifying and linking key ideas
Warden, a steam ship that took them across the
channel to Boulogne, France. The ship’s captain was To answer the questions below, you will need to identify key information from the
25 given keys to the safes. extract on page 10. For some questions, you will need to gather information from
different parts, therefore you'll need to read the extract again, carefully.
Key vocabulary
1 The extract describes the route along which the three boxes travelled. Note down
lead shot: small, heavy balls of lead
the four stages of that journey.
that can be fired from shot guns

been discovered. 2 At what point in the journey did someone realise that the gold had been stolen?
and then resealed the boxes and locked them back in the safes. The gold was back in London before the theft had even

3 Note down all of the security measures taken to stop the gold being stolen.
keys months earlier, broken into the boxes on the train between London and Folkestone, moved the gold into their own bags,
ANSWER: Four men, including James Burgess, were found guilty of the crime. They had stolen and made copies of the safe
12 Section 1 Unit 1: Mysteries Unit 1: Mysteries Section 1 Summarising 13

Activity 2: Selecting information Activity 4: Writing Notes

When you write a summary, you need to select only the key information from a text. The extract on page 10 contains approximately 300 words. You are going to write
Look again at the second paragraph of the extract on page 10: Notes of the extract in 100 words or fewer.

On 15th May 1855, gold with a value of £12,000 – more than £1.25 million today – was to be taken by train from Gather information
London Bridge station to the port of Folkestone in Kent, across the English Channel to Boulogne, and then by train 1 In Activity 2, you selected key information from the second paragraph of the
to Paris. The gold was sealed in three boxes, bound with iron bars. extract.
a) Look again at the first paragraph of the extract. Note down any important
This paragraph contains the following ten pieces of information. information from this paragraph.
A 15th May 1855 B gold worth £12,000 b) Look at paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 in turn. Note down any important information
C more than £1.25 million today D taken by train you find in each one.
E from London Bridge F to Folkestone
G across the Channel to Boulogne H by train to Paris Paragraph 3:
I sealed in three boxes J bound with iron bars • Boxes weighed
1 Look at points B and C. Which is more important? • Locked in safes

2 Select the five pieces of information from the second paragraph that you would Write
include in a summary of the extract.
2 Write your Notes, using all the information you
3 Write one sentence containing all five pieces of information. have noted. Include the sentence you wrote in
answer to Activity 2, question 3: your
summary of the second paragraph.

Activity 3: Using your own words Review

3 Count the words in your Notes.
When you write a summary, do not simply copy words from the text. Aim to rewrite a) Are there more than 100? If so, complete the rest of this question. If not, move
the key information using your own words. on to question 4.
b) Have you used just a few words too many – or many, many more than that? Use
1 Look at the sentences below. Rewrite each sentence in your own words. your answer to this question to guide your choices in question 3c.
a) The guard had always been found to be honest and reliable. c) Look through all the information you have written. Cross out the less-important
b) The boxes were weighed again when they arrived in Boulogne. words or pieces of information.
c) When the boxes were opened, they found bags of lead shot. Adjust the sentences, if needed,
so that your summary still makes
How do I do that? sense with words cut out.

• Look at the
The safes required two keys to open them. 4 Look again at each sentence in
key information.
your summary.
• Try restructuring a) Re-write each sentence in your
Two keys were required to open the safes.
the sentence. summary, using your own words.
b) Finally, count the number of words
• Replace some words Two keys were needed to unlock the safes. in your re-written summary. Do
with synonyms. you need to cross more out?
 Unit 1: Mysteries Section 1 7
6

Set extension activity

Section 1 3 You have been asked to write a worksheet for other students to practise working out the

*Note-Taking
meanings of unusual words using the context of the sentence. Identify ten words that students are
unlikely to know the meaning of. If you cannot think of ten suitable words, try using a dictionary or
searching online for ‘unusual words’.

In this section, you will practise developing your reading and note-taking skills.
a To prepare, write down your chosen ten words and their definitions.

Using context to understand words

1 Read the sentences below and try to work out what the underlined words mean. For each one, write
down your own definition and explain how the rest of the sentence helped you work out the meanings.

a The woman, who always walked around the small lake at lunchtime, continued to perambulate
even as the rain grew more intense.

b At the age of 12, this precocious boy was playing cricket in the under-21 team.

b Now create your worksheet activities. You should include ten sentences, each containing one of
your chosen words. It should be possible for people who do not know what the word means to
c There was no sign of a burglary, but the necklace had vanished from the safe. The police were work it out by using the context of the rest of the sentence. Continue in your notebook if needed.
completely flummoxed.

Identifying key ideas

2 Look again at the extract on page 10 of the Student Book. It presents events in chronological
order except for the robbery, which is presented at the end. Write a chronological account of the
story, noting key information such as what happened and when, including the robbery.
 8 Section 1 Unit 1: Mysteries Unit 1: Mysteries Section 1 9

Selecting information Set extension activity

4 Look at the following paragraph, which is the first part of a description of a robbery. 7 You are going to write a summary of what you have learned from Section 1 of the Student Book
(pages 10–13) and from completing the activities on the previous three pages of this Workbook.
On a rainy Tuesday in November last year, Amira was just about to go on her lunch break. She had been sitting behind
her desk at the bank helping customers with their enquires for four hours and she was looking forward to a walk in the
a Note down everything that you have learned from this section on summarising, using as much
park. Just as she was about to leave, four masked men came into the bank and demanded that she hand over the keys
detail as possible. Base your contents on the headings to make sure you cover all the learning.
to the bank’s safe. Amira handed the keys over and, while the robbers opened the safe, she called the police.

a Note down every piece of information in this paragraph.

b Look back at your answers to Activity 4a. Place a tick next to the pieces of information that are
important for the reader to understand what is happening. Place a cross next to those that are not.

c How did you decide which pieces of information were important and which were not? Explain
your answer below.

Using your own words

5 Rewrite each of the four sentences in the paragraph from Activity 4, using your own words.

b Now write a concise summary of the key points you have learned from Section 1.

Summarising key ideas

6 Summarise the paragraph from Activity 4 in your own words, in no more than two sentences.
Include only the key information.