Year 6 English: Summarising non-fiction and retrieving facts
Part of the Year 6 English reading poetry and non-fiction, and comparing texts chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Summarising non-fiction and retrieving facts
A summary gives the main ideas of a text in fewer words. Read the whole text, find the main idea of each paragraph, and combine them. A key detail is a fact that supports a main idea. To retrieve information, find the words that answer your question, and copy only what you need.
How Honey Is Made
1Honey begins as nectar, a sweet liquid that flowers produce. Worker bees visit thousands of flowers to collect it, and each bee carries the nectar back to the hive.
2Inside the hive, the bees pass the nectar from one to another. As they do, they add substances that help to change it into honey.
3Next, the bees spread the liquid across the honeycomb, which is made of six-sided wax cells. They fan their wings to speed up the drying, until the honey is thick enough to store.
4Once it is ready, the bees seal each cell with a thin layer of wax, so that the honey can be kept for later in the year.
Key ideas
- A summary includes the main ideas, and leaves out small details.
- A key detail supports a main idea.
- Record the facts in your own words, and check them against the text.
Method. Read the first paragraph, and find its key idea.
- Read the paragraph. Honey begins as nectar, which bees collect from flowers.nectar
- Find the main idea. The main idea is that honey starts as nectar, from flowers.nectar from flowers
- Write it briefly. Nectar becomes honey, through the work of the bees.nectar becomes honey
- Write the answer. nectar becomes honey
Check. The main idea is about nectar and honey. ✓
Method. Find the detail in paragraph 3.
- Find the detail. Paragraph 3 says the bees fan their wings to speed up the drying.fan their wings
- Copy the detail. The key detail is fan their wings.fan their wings
- Write the answer. fan their wings
Check. The detail is stated in paragraph 3. ✓
Method. Combine the main ideas of the two paragraphs.
- Find the ideas. Paragraph 3 is about drying; paragraph 4 is about sealing.drying, sealing
- Combine them. The bees spread, dry and seal the honey.spread, dry and seal
- Write the summary. Bees spread the nectar, fan it dry, and seal it in wax cells.Bees spread the nectar, fan it dry, and seal it in wax cells.
- Write the answer. Bees spread the nectar, fan it dry, and seal the honey in wax cells
Check. The summary keeps the key ideas. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: a summary is not a copy. Use your own words, and leave out the small details that are not key.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask your child to read one paragraph of a non-fiction book, then to tell you its main idea in three words.
Exercise 11C Practice: summarising and retrieving facts
Method. Find the words in the text that answer the question.
- Find the words. The text says: visit thousands of flowers to collect it.visit thousands of flowers to collect it
- Copy the answer. The text states what the bees visit.thousands of flowers
- Write the answer. thousands of flowers
Check. The fact is stated in the text. ✓
Watch out. Copy only the words that answer the question.
Method. Find the words in the text that answer the question.
- Find the words. The text says: six-sided wax cells.six-sided wax cells
- Copy the answer. The text describes the cells as six-sided.six-sided
- Write the answer. six-sided
Check. The fact is stated in the text. ✓
Watch out. Copy only the words that answer the question.
Method. Find the words in the text that answer the question.
- Find the words. The text says: a thin layer of wax.a thin layer of wax
- Copy the answer. The text names the sealing material.a thin layer of wax
- Write the answer. a thin layer of wax
Check. The fact is stated in the text. ✓
Watch out. Copy only the words that answer the question.
Method. Find the words in the text that answer the question.
- Find the words. The text says: the honeycomb, which is made of six-sided wax cells.the honeycomb, which is made of six-sided wax cells
- Copy the answer. The text names the structure.honeycomb
- Write the answer. honeycomb
Check. The fact is stated in the text. ✓
Watch out. Copy only the words that answer the question.
Method. Find the main idea of each paragraph, then combine them in fewer words.
- Find the main idea. Each paragraph has one key idea.paragraph ideas
- Combine the ideas. Write one sentence that covers the key ideas in fewer words.Inside the hive, the bees pass the nectar and change it.
- Write the answer. Inside the hive, the bees pass the nectar and change it.
Check. The summary keeps the key ideas. ✓
Watch out. A summary is shorter than the text, and it uses your own words where you can.
Method. Find the detail, then rewrite it.
- Find the detail. The bees seal each cell with a thin layer of wax.seal each cell
- Rewrite it. The honey is stored safely in sealed wax cells.stored safely
- Write the answer. Bees seal each cell with wax, so the honey can be stored for later.
Check. The key detail is recorded. ✓
Method. Look at the main idea across the paragraphs.
- Look at the title. The title is How Honey Is Made.How Honey Is Made
- Name the main idea. The main idea is the process of making honey.how bees make honey
- Write the answer. how bees make honey
Check. The main idea is the process. ✓
Method. Choose three facts, one from each main idea.
- Choose the facts. Nectar, cells and sealing are three key facts.nectar, cells, sealing
- Write the record. Each fact is a short bullet point.a short bullet
- Write the answer. Nectar is collected from flowers; cells are six-sided; the cells are sealed with wax.
Check. The three facts are correct. ✓
Method. Look for the drying process.
- Find the process. Paragraph 3 describes the drying.drying
- Write the number. Paragraph 3 is the third paragraph.three
- Write the answer. three
Check. Paragraph 3 describes the drying. ✓
Method. Find the main idea, then write it in your own words.
- Find the main idea. Bees collect nectar and carry it back.collect nectar
- Write the summary. Bees collect nectar and carry it to the hive.carry it to the hive
- Write the answer. Bees collect nectar from flowers and carry it back to the hive.
Check. The summary keeps the key idea. ✓
Method. Look for the word that describes the cells.
- Find the cells. The cells are wax cells.wax cells
- Find the description. The cells are six-sided.six-sided
- Write the answer. six-sided
Check. six-sided describes the cells. ✓
Method. Think about the purpose of a summary.
- Think about the purpose. A summary is shorter than the text.shorter
- Think about the content. It keeps the main ideas and key details.main ideas
- Write the answer. The summary keeps only the main ideas and key details, so it is shorter and clear.
Check. A summary keeps the key points. ✓