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Summarize Written Text is a long-answer task that integrates reading and writing. You read an academic passage and condense its key points into ONE sentence (5–75 words) in 10 minutes. Your response is scored on Content, Form, Grammar and Vocabulary — and any response outside the 5–75 word range is auto-scored zero.
Read the passage below and summarize it using one sentence. Type your response in the box at the bottom of the screen. You have 10 minutes to finish this task. Your response will be judged on the quality of your writing and on how well your response presents the key points in the passage.
Read the passage below and summarise it using one sentence. Type your response in the box at the bottom of the screen. You have 10 minutes to finish this task. Your response will be judged on the quality of your writing and on how well your response presents the key points in the passage.
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released a new report on anthropogenic climate change. The findings of the report include the following:
• The world's average surface temperature has increased by around 0.74°C over the past 100 years (1906–2005). A warming of about 0.2°C is projected for each of the next two decades.
• The best estimates for sea-level rise due to ocean expansion and glacier melt by the end of the century (compared to 1989–1999 levels) have narrowed to 28–58 cm, versus 9–88 cm in the 2001 report, due to improved understanding. However, larger values of up to 1 m by 2100 cannot be ruled out if ice sheets continue to melt as temperature rises.
• Sea ice is projected to shrink in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Large areas of the Arctic Ocean could lose year-round ice cover by the end of the 21st century if human emissions reach the higher end of current estimates. The extent of Arctic sea ice has already shrunk by about 2.7 per cent per decade since 1978, with the summer minimum declining by about 7.1 per cent per decade.
• Snow cover has decreased in most regions, especially in spring. The maximum extent of frozen ground in the winter/spring season decreased by about 7 per cent in the Northern Hemisphere over the latter half of the 20th century. The average freezing date for rivers and lakes in the Northern Hemisphere over the past 150 years has arrived later by some 5.8 days per century, while the average break-up date has arrived earlier by 6.5 days per century.
• It is "very likely" that precipitation will increase at high latitudes and "likely" it will decrease over most subtropical land regions. The pattern of these changes is similar to what has been observed during the 20th century.
3 strategies that work
The mindset before the click.
- 1Strategy 1
Skim and scan
Skim once for the gist, then scan to underline keywords and the main argument.
- 2Strategy 2
Notes → one sentence in your own words
Turn the keywords into quick notes without looking back, then condense into ONE precise sentence.
- 3Strategy 3
Check form, length, grammar, spelling
One sentence only, 5–75 words, essence retained, no spelling/grammar slips — outside word count = zero.
Try each strategy
Guided practice you can do alone or with a partner.
1Skim and scan
You have 10 minutes — but extracting the essence and condensing it in your own words takes longer than students expect. Stay focused and read with purpose: skim for gist, scan for details.
- Spend ~30 seconds skimming the whole passage to identify the gist (e.g. climate change: rising surface temperature → sea-level rise, shrinking sea ice & snow cover, changes in precipitation).
- Spend ~1 minute scanning to underline keywords and important points (e.g. UN report, climate change, surface temperature increase, sea level rise, ocean expansion, glacier melt…).
- Skim for gist, scan for details — those are different reading speeds. Don't read every sentence carefully on the first pass.
- Look for the topic sentence (usually first sentence of the passage / each bullet) — that's where the main claims live.
- Practice drill: give yourself only 30s to read, then write the gist in 5 words. Compare with a partner.
2Notes → one sentence in your own words
Once you have keywords, build the summary fast. Use the keywords to write quick notes/phrases that capture the main argument — then condense them into one clear sentence using your own words (paraphrasing where possible).
- Arrange your keywords into brief notes without looking back at the passage — e.g. 'UN report on climate change states that…; increases in surface temperatures are causing sea levels to rise, oceans to expand, and glaciers to melt…'
- Paraphrase wherever you can. Use synonyms (rising → increasing, claim → state, result in → cause) and change structure (active ↔ passive, noun phrases ↔ verb phrases).
- Use one-sentence connectors to fit everything in: relative clauses (which, who, that), participle phrases, and coordinating conjunctions (and, but, because, although).
- Avoid sentence-starters that force a new sentence — words like However, Furthermore, Therefore. They split your response into two sentences = 0 for Form.
- Sample one-sentence shape: 'A new UN report finds that increasing surface temperatures around the world are causing rising sea levels, shrinking sea ice and snow cover, and changes in precipitation.'
- Pair drill: A writes notes, B writes the sentence; compare, then swap. Discuss what could be tighter.
3Check form, length, grammar, spelling
Before you submit, spend 1 minute checking. The Form score is binary: ONE sentence only, between 5 and 75 words. Fail either and the whole response is automatically scored zero — regardless of content quality.
- ONE sentence only — count the full-stops. A response with two sentences scores zero for Form.
- Word count must be 5–75 — use the on-screen counter. Below 5 or above 75 = automatic zero.
- Essence retained — does your sentence cover the topic + the main supporting points? If a key point is missing, fold it in with a relative clause.
- Grammar and spelling — re-read once for subject-verb agreement, article use (a/the), prepositions, and tricky spellings (e.g. 'intergovernmental').
- Don't copy long strings from the passage — copying full clauses without paraphrasing hurts your Vocabulary score.
- Final pair drill: in groups of 4, rank each other's sentences from weakest → strongest using Content, Form, Grammar and Vocabulary as the four criteria.
One-sentence builders — keep your summary inside one sentence
Use these connectors and openers to fold every key point into ONE long sentence. Avoid 'However', 'Furthermore', 'Therefore' — they force a new sentence.
- Reporting opener: "A new UN report finds that…" / "The passage explains that…" / "According to the article…"
- Adding ideas inside one sentence: "…and…", "…as well as…", "…along with…"
- Cause / effect (inline): "…causing…", "…which leads to…", "…resulting in…"
- Contrast (inline): "…although…", "…while…", "…despite…"
- Relative clauses (fold extra info in): "…, which has…", "…, who…", "…that…"
- Listing supporting points: "…such as A, B and C." / "…including A, B and C."
Skim the passage in 30s. Scan and note keywords for 1 minute. Then write ONE sentence (5–75 words) in your own words. Reveal the key points + sample responses to compare with your sentence.
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released a new report on anthropogenic climate change. The findings of the report include the following: • The world's average surface temperature has increased by around 0.74°C over the past 100 years (1906–2005). A warming of about 0.2°C is projected for each of the next two decades. • The best estimates for sea-level rise due to ocean expansion and glacier melt by the end of the century (compared to 1989–1999 levels) have narrowed to 28–58 cm, versus 9–88 cm in the 2001 report, due to improved understanding. However, larger values of up to 1 m by 2100 cannot be ruled out if ice sheets continue to melt as temperature rises. • Sea ice is projected to shrink in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Large areas of the Arctic Ocean could lose year-round ice cover by the end of the 21st century if human emissions reach the higher end of current estimates. The extent of Arctic sea ice has already shrunk by about 2.7 per cent per decade since 1978, with the summer minimum declining by about 7.1 per cent per decade. • Snow cover has decreased in most regions, especially in spring. The maximum extent of frozen ground in the winter/spring season decreased by about 7 per cent in the Northern Hemisphere over the latter half of the 20th century. The average freezing date for rivers and lakes in the Northern Hemisphere over the past 150 years has arrived later by some 5.8 days per century, while the average break-up date has arrived earlier by 6.5 days per century. • It is "very likely" that precipitation will increase at high latitudes and "likely" it will decrease over most subtropical land regions.
Reveal key points + B1 / B2 / C1 sample sentences
KEY POINTS: A new UN report finds that increasing surface temperature around the world is causing rising sea levels, shrinking sea ice and snow cover, and changes in precipitation. — B1 RESPONSE — "United intergovermental panel on climate change report that climatict changes in northern hemisphere will cause drastick change in sea current and will raise the sea level." Explanation: Includes one key detail; other information is omitted or misinterpreted. Missing/incorrect prepositions and verbs hurt the grammar score. Vocabulary is appropriate. Three spelling errors. Poorly constructed but still ONE complete sentence. — B2 RESPONSE — "Due to the latest report of IPCC about the wordwide climate, Green House Effect has affected the earth severely on various aspects." Explanation: Topic is touched on but specific supporting points (sea level, sea ice, snow cover, precipitation) are missing. 'Green House Effect' is not in the passage. Spelling/word choice slips. One sentence. — C1 RESPONSE (model) — "A new UN report finds that increasing surface temperatures around the world are causing rising sea levels, shrinking sea ice and snow cover, and changes in precipitation." Explanation: Topic accurately covered; all supporting points included. Precise vocabulary. No spelling errors. One complete sentence — full marks for Content, Form, Grammar, Vocabulary.
Do it under time
Simulate the real test.
Press Start. You have 10 minutes inside the Pearson screen to skim, scan, plan, write ONE sentence (5–75 words) and check. Cut/Copy/Paste is available inside the response box. Reveal the three sample responses afterwards to compare and rank.
Reveal key points + B1 / B2 / C1 sample sentences (Q2)
KEY POINTS: Thanks to Mona Khalil and Habiba Fayed, the sea turtles in Lebanon have a chance for survival. — B1 RESPONSE — "For the millions of years the turtles were coming laying their eggs in summer and the babies run seperates their nests, ignoring in war torn until two women set out to protect them and mona khalil saw the turtles and decided to do something so in the end the baby turtle to emerge after a month." Explanation: Includes some main points but other key information is omitted and information not in the passage is present. Limited control of simple grammatical structures. Basic vocabulary. One spelling mistake. One sentence. — B2 RESPONSE — "Mediterranean sea turtles which is an endangered species lay their 70 to 100 eggs at the shore of southern Lebanon but now Mona Khalil with her team protecting turtle's egg from dameging or from pradators by buring iron grid in the sand above the nests." Explanation: Topic accurately discussed with supporting points. Missing/incorrect prepositions and verbs prevent full credit for grammar. Vocabulary appropriate. Three spelling errors. One sentence. — C1 RESPONSE (model) — "After millions of years of being endangered in war-torn coast of southern Lebanon, Mediterranean sea turtles were finally protected by two women, Mona Khalil and Habiba Fayed, who opened a bed-and-breakfast and with the help of the guests, protected turtles' eggs by burying an iron grid in the sand above the eggs." Explanation: Topic accurately discussed with supporting points. Good control of standard English grammar; very few errors. Vocabulary appropriate. No spelling errors. One sentence.
Read the passage below and summarise it using one sentence. Type your response in the box at the bottom of the screen. You have 10 minutes to finish this task. Your response will be judged on the quality of your writing and on how well your response presents the key points in the passage.
For millions of years, Mediterranean sea turtles have been coming to the shore of southern Lebanon to lay their eggs. Every summer, their babies hatch and literally run for their lives on the strip of sand that separates their nests from the sea. An endangered species, they had been largely ignored in this part of Lebanon until two women set out to protect them.
The next year, 2000, she returned and teamed up with Habiba Fayed, who shares her passion for the environment. They opened a bed-and-breakfast in the Khalil family home to finance their efforts. Guests could simply vacation, or, in the spirit of ecotourism, they could help the owners protect the turtles' nests and keep the beach clean.
Female turtles travel to the exact spot where they were born to dig their nests in the sand, laying an average of 70 to 100 eggs. This is the moment when the women intervene. They protect the nests from predators by burying an iron grid in the sand above the eggs. The spaces on the grid are large enough to allow the baby turtles to emerge after a month and find their way to the sea…and to a chance at life.
Compare & learn
Listen to sample answers and rank them.
Read all three sample responses. Try ranking them from weakest → strongest before reading the notes below each one.
For the millions of years the turtles were coming laying their eggs in summer and the babies run seperates their nests, ignoring in war torn until two women set out to protect them and mona khalil saw the turtles and decided to do something so in the end the baby turtle to emerge after a month.
Q2 — Includes some main points but other key information is omitted and information not in the passage is present. Limited control of simple grammar. Basic vocabulary. One spelling mistake. One sentence.
Mediterranean sea turtles which is an endangered species lay their 70 to 100 eggs at the shore of southern Lebanon but now Mona Khalil with her team protecting turtle's egg from dameging or from pradators by buring iron grid in the sand above the nests.
Q2 — Topic accurately discussed with supporting points. Missing/incorrect prepositions and verbs prevent full grammar credit. Vocabulary appropriate. Three spelling errors. One sentence.
After millions of years of being endangered in war-torn coast of southern Lebanon, Mediterranean sea turtles were finally protected by two women, Mona Khalil and Habiba Fayed, who opened a bed-and-breakfast and with the help of the guests, protected turtles' eggs by burying an iron grid in the sand above the eggs.
Q2 — Topic accurately discussed; all supporting points included. Good control of standard English grammar; very few errors. Vocabulary appropriate. No spelling errors. One sentence.
Tick each box only when you can do it without looking back. This unlocks your next chapter.