ENGLISH

FACILITATION
SESSION S.4
2025
Date:

Wednesday, 18 June 2025

By: Angela Nagunja Melissa

 SECTION A

SUMMARY WRITING

General facts about Summary writing

• It is assessed at 2 levels i.e. Summary Structure (free scores) is about writing a

good title, and a proper indented proper paragraph

Writing a proper Title

Reference from the ENGLISH Test Paper (Thursday 24th April, 2025)

Tips

Where do we get our title?

The moment you read the title, after the instruction of the number of words that you
should write for example “In not more than 120 words, summarise the reasons for
drinking alcohol and its effects” that is where your title will come from. Write your
Title in CAPITAL letters, and there you go! free scores!

Write a proper title and a well indented paragraph.

Summary Content.

For that one (paragraph with the content), they want the reasons and the effects of
drinking alcohol, and that is where you should pick up your points from. Extract
whatever you think is a point. Don’t forget to transition if the information is a 2-part
one, e.g. Negative and Positive effects of drinking alcohol.

3 levels are assessed in summary writing.

1. Identification of points
2. Sentence reduction and sentence size, and punctuation
3. Expression.

Some key aspects of Summaries

• In the passages or extracts that you are to summarize, they be full of hints! Be
sharp enough to spot the properly.
• Also, the points are usually clear and on spot .
• Always focus on the aspect that you have to summarise

Examples of the points (from the extract)

 Reasons as to why people drink alcohol

• The business man drinks to please his clients.

• A teenager drinks in order to be accepted among peers
• Some people drink to enjoy the intoxicating effects of alcohol

Important things to know when writing a summary

✓ Punctuation is important. You do not need to write the entire summary

continuously without making stop-by (full stops and commas). You should have
a maximum number of 2 commas in a sentence. And end your sentences (mainly
points) with full stops. When you’re writing complete statements, year earn half a
score.
✓ With the tense, follow the one that the question has. Write the summary in the
tense of the question, e.g. the question telling you to “Summarize the reasons
for drinking and its effects” you write the summary in the Present Tense.
✓ Use words to transition your points e.g. However, Negatively, Positively and
avoid words like In addition to, when trying to contrast or transition from the
negative to the positive or otherwise. Instead, use such word when adding more
to the point that you’re already talking about.
✓ The topic sentence is important. This sentence is made at the beginning to add
clarity to what you are going to summarize. Usually, you derive this sentence
from the TITLE that you’ve written, and which that title still reflects on what the
task has demanded you to summarise information in an extract. The topic
sentence, reflects on what you’re going to summarize. Example of a Topic
Sentence: “In order to overcome poverty, young people should.........” this
sentence has followed the title for the summary; “THE MEASURES YOUNG
PEOPLE SHOULD TAKE TO OVERCOME POVERTY”. Everything you write in your
summary should be coherent i.e. flowing in line wit the required summary
information as the task demands.
✓ You can write the word count at the end of your summary paragraph e.g. Word
Count: 120 Words. But is the question’s task has instructed you to write ‘about
120 words’, this means that you may get an allowance of 5-10 more extra words.
But if the task is specific that ‘in not only 120 words’ do not exceed the word
count that is needed. Also, don’t try to fool the examiner by writing the exact
word count and yet you’ve exceeded the required number of words in your
summary. Its really annoying to the and if they are able count the number of
words in your summary, they will spot that and it will cost you a lot!
✓ When writing capital letters in your summary title, a full stop is unnecessary.
✓ Your work is to extract words effectively from the Passage or Article or extract
whatsoever.
 ✓ The Rough Copy is yours to use, to maintain the gist of the matter, and to do the
surgery from. In other words, it’s where you shape your summary, so that you
can transfer a final good piece in the Final Copy.

SENTENCE REDUCTION IN SUMMARY WRITING

Examples of sentences

1. All people must show support for their indigenous culture.

All people must show support for their indigenous culture.
Hence: People must support their indigenous culture.

2. In accordance with the law, child labour is not acceptable in Uganda.

In accordance with the law, child labour is not acceptable in Uganda.
Hence: Child labour is not acceptable in Uganda

3. The Headteacher said, “It’s important to have a personal timetable”

The Headteacher said, “It’s important to have a personal timetable”
Hence: It’s important to have a personal timetable.

COMPREHENSION

This is the section in the English paper that requires absolute understanding of the
passage or article or extract whatsoever that you read. Answering questions is one thing
that has to be done carefully. When answering the questions, answer them according to
the tense of the Extract/passage/article, etc. If in the present tense, past or future tense,
answer accordingly to the tense of the question. Mind the tense and how the
word/phrase has been used.

Things to note when answering

✓ In this section when answering a question that requires you to narrate the
character of a person in the passage or extract, you should state and illustrate
the character traits of that person. E.g. Shaka Ssali was a persistent
person........ This is something that will earn you the score for character trait
illustration.
✓ When you’re explaining how you feel or how the character in the passage feels,
its better if you don’t again use words like ‘feel’ instead, used words like
‘nostalgic’ and more expressive sparks. e.g. a sentence like, “The narrator is
nostalgic about the life that he spent with Shaka Ssali.” Also, you can form
your sentence like, “The narrator is depressed about the loss of his very close
friend.” Just don’t start like, “The narrator feels.......” that doesn’t make it sound
authentic enough for the examiner/scorer. But you can still use the word ‘feel’, if
 this word is going to be accompanied with a very suitable adjective e.g. “The
narrator feels (the suitable adjective) ....”. Make sure that the feelings are well
illustrated and explained accordingly.
✓ When also answering the questions that require you to state what you’ve learnt
from a passage, it’s better to state it factually, i.e. Hard work pays. Sample
sentence, “I learn to be optimistic and never let backlash from people affect
me/make me detract from my way” If the English seems to be too tough for,
you, keep it simple. At least try to express yourself very well. You get a point for
using “I learn” when the point is well stated. Writing the word “I learn” is not
what earns you a mark, but what you learn is what earns you the mark. Other
cooler ways to state lessons, Hard work Pays, Not all that glitters is gold, etc.
✓ If answering questions that ask for your opinion basing on what the passage or
story is about Make sure your opinions are moral, realistic practical, and ideal;
not like “I’d cut off the students head if he disrespected the teacher!” but, “I
would talk him out of what he did to disrespect the teacher, and advise him
not to do so again” Also make sure that your opinion is backed up
✓ With prediction questions, your predication should be realistic, and should be in
tandem with the passage.

Areas mainly found in the Comprehension section

1. Explanation of concept,
2. Grammar usage,
3. Feelings, advice and lessons
4. Opinion of your perspective

NB: Your job is to just go into the paper and do your best in the paper in this
comprehension section.
 SECTION B

WRITING

This is the section in which you have to carefully reconsider how you should present
your composition/narrative/story, amongst others. Here, you may be tasked to write
functionally, creatively, or narratively. Sometimes, you may need to write letters
(official or friendly letters) which this fall under the category of Functional Writing.

Things to note

✓ If the recipient is one and maybe you need to advise this person, recommended
that you do functional writing. Know your format very well. Is if a friendly letter,
write one and make sure that you squeeze yourself and write such a letter in its
exact format so that you can earn marks.
✓ Remember that when you’re writing a letter in UNEB, do not write the actual
name of your school (the school that you study in or the centre that you’re doing
the exam in)
✓ If you are to write to someone to either talk to them or inform them whatsoever,
you should know that you are supposed to write functionally (writing a letter)
✓ Remember that after choosing the format that you’re going to write the content
is also assessed by the examiner. For instance, since you’ve chosen to write the
what you want the recipient to receive, through writing a letter, what are you
going to tell him or her? For this instance, your content is going to be in the body
of your letter.
✓ Choose the best format of presentation that brings out your idea of solution
according to the scenario. E.g. when addressing a school, what do you need to
do? Write a Speech!
✓ In a speech, you can use proverbs, idioms, and so on, not many, maybe one, or
maybe two. All these are important for someone who is doing functional writing.
✓ In creative writing, you have to load your essay, or narrative with vocabulary
(sparks), idioms, proverbs, etc. Making sure that they all contextualise with the
scenario.
✓ It will be very unfortunate to write functional writing when you have to or need to
write creative writing.

SAMPLE QUESTION

Recently, a close friend of yours came to you crying and said that she had been rejected
by her groupmates due to her body size and shape. She feels excluded and wants to
leave the school. In about 300-400 words, advise your friend.

What would you write to your friend? What format/approach would you use?
I’m going to write to her a friendly letter

What are you going to tell her?

I’m going to tell her that;

• She needs to not consider the bad that people say about her appearance
• She is enough just as she is
• She is a perfection in the eyes of God because she was wonderfully and fearfully
made
• She is beautiful just the way she is
• People using the appearance and traits of others against them is something that
happens and its okay.
• She should not bother herself with the need of pleasing others.

From there, build your letter (friendly one) in the best format, focusing on the context in
your body relating everything much with the scenario. Every aspect in the question must
be reflected because it’s what the question is.

In your letter, you best highlight the following according to the scenario in the context of
the body of your letter

❖ Highlight your felling towards what she is going through and express empathy,
exhibiting the vocabulary, relevancy and using the right tense.
❖ Highlight what advise you want her to know about the situation that she is going
through.
❖ Advise her more
❖ Show more sympathy and maybe recommend her to someone who can help her,
probably a friend or family member or maybe a professional helper like a
therapist.
❖ Promise her that you’ll support her all the way e.g. “If you need to talk, I’ll be
here for you when you need me” and so on and so forth.

Creative Writing

This is mainly so when your job is to creatively write compositions such as narratives,
stories, etc. You be creative when writing these/such through loading your composition
with sparks (intriguing vocabulary), idioms, sentence phrases, and make everything
matching, eye catching and hooking to the reader.
Things to note

✓ The introduction should be eye catching, spell-binding, enthralling, and very

brief.
✓ Your narrative should be filled with idioms too as well as sparks.
✓ Description in your narrative is very important. Use similes, adjectives, sparks
and more to spice up your descriptions in the compositions.
✓ Make sure that you always edit your work.

WISHING YOU ALL SUCCESS IN THE FORTHCOMING EXAMS

Compiled by:

Madam Angela Nagunja Melissa (Facilitator)

SEBAKIGYE GABRIEL S.4 West