Year 3 English · Reading non-fiction · Lesson 9.6

Year 3 English: Summarising the main points

Part of the Year 3 English reading non-fiction chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

9.6

Summarising the main points

Year 3
Identify the main ideas from more than one paragraph and summarise them, Record facts from non-fiction in notes, Give a short talk to a group, with a plan

Story. Jack has to tell his class what a text is about, in one sentence. First he finds the main idea of each paragraph.

A summary gives the main points of a text in a short form, in your own words. It leaves out small details and examples.

To summarise, find the main idea of each paragraph. Then join the main ideas into one or two sentences. Check that your summary says what the whole text is about.

When you read for information, you can also record facts in notes, such as a table. A table makes the facts easy to find later.

Read the explanation in the box. Then answer the questions in exercise 9F.

Why Leaves Change Colour (explanation)

In spring and summer

Leaves are green in spring and summer. The green colour comes from a substance called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll helps the leaf make food from sunlight.

In autumn

As the days get shorter and colder, the tree stops making chlorophyll. The green fades, and the yellow and orange colours that were already in the leaf begin to show.

Why leaves fall

Many trees do not need their leaves in winter. A layer of cells forms where the leaf joins the stem, and the leaf falls off.

Three steps to write a summary: find the main ideas, join them, and check the summary.

Key ideas

A summary gives the main points in your own words, and leaves out small details.
To summarise, find the main idea of each paragraph, then join them into one or two sentences.
A summary of a whole text covers every main idea, not only the first paragraph.
Record facts in notes or a table so you can find them later.
When you give a short talk, plan one fact to start with and one question for the listeners.

Worked example 9.6.1

What is the main idea of the section Why leaves fall?

Method. Read the section and find what happens to the leaf.

Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: Why leaves fall.
Why leaves fall
Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:
A layer of cells forms where the leaf joins the stem
Write the answer.
A layer of cells forms where the leaf joins the stem, and the leaf falls off.

Check. The section says a layer of cells forms, and the leaf falls off. ✓

Worked example 9.6.2

Summarise the first section, In spring and summer, in one sentence.

Method. Find the main ideas, then join them in your own words.

Find the main ideas. The section says the leaves are green, and why.
green; chlorophyll
Join the ideas. Use your own words and keep only the main points.
green because of chlorophyll, which makes food
Write the answer.
Leaves are green in spring and summer because chlorophyll makes food from sunlight.

Check. The sentence keeps the two main ideas. ✓

Watch out. A summary is shorter than the text. Leave out the small details.

Worked example 9.6.3

Record the facts about spring and summer, and about autumn, in a two-column table.

Method. Choose two columns, then find one fact for each row.

Choose the two columns. Use one column for the season and one for the leaves.
Season | leaf colour
Find the facts. Each season has one main fact in the text.
spring and summer: green; autumn: yellow and orange
Write the answer.
Spring and summer | green. Autumn | the green fades; yellow and orange show.

Check. Each row has one season and one fact from the text. ✓

Watch out. Keep the facts short. A table is for notes, not for whole sentences.

Watch out

Watch out: a summary is not a copy. Do not copy whole sentences from the text; say the main idea in your own words.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to tell you what one paragraph is about in one sentence. Then ask them to say one fact and one question, as if they were talking to a class.