AQA GCSE English Language: Summary and Synthesis (8700)

Summary and synthesis is the reading skill of picking out the main ideas in a text, putting them concisely in your own words, and bringing together information from two texts to show how they are similar or different. In AQA GCSE English Language (8700) it is tested most directly by the 8-mark summary question in Paper 2, Section A, where you write a summary of the differences (or similarities) between something described in two linked sources, using inferences supported by evidence from both.

This guide covers the “summary and synthesis” content of 3.1.1 Critical reading and comprehension in the AQA GCSE English Language specification (8700), for GCSE exams from June 2017. The specification defines it as “identifying the main theme or themes; summarising ideas and information from a single text; synthesising from more than one text”. It is assessed through AO1: “identify and interpret explicit and implicit information and ideas” and “select and synthesise evidence from different texts”. For the rest of Paper 2 see the Paper 2 study guide; for quick recall, use the summary and synthesis revision notes; and for practice, the Paper 2 practice questions, which include a synthesis task.

Where is summary and synthesis assessed?

Paper	Question	Marks	What it asks
Paper 1 (Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing)	Short-form question	4	Identify explicit or implicit information from one source (AO1)
Paper 2 (Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives)	Short-form question	4	Identify which statements about a source are true (AO1)
Paper 2	Longer-form question	8	Summarise differences or similarities between two sources, using details from both (AO1, synthesis)

Each paper lasts 1 hour 45 minutes and is worth 80 marks, with 40 marks for reading. The specification gives AO1 about 2.5% of the GCSE on Paper 1 and 7.5% on Paper 2. The Paper 2 sources are one non-fiction and one literary non-fiction text, one from the 19th century and one from the 20th or 21st century, on a linked theme.

What is the difference between summary and synthesis?

Skill	Definition	Example
Identifying the main theme	Saying what a text is mainly about	“Both sources are about how children spend their free time.”
Summarising one text	Putting the key ideas of one text concisely, in your own words	“Source A shows a boy whose free time is spent working to support his family.”
Synthesising	Combining information from two texts into one point that shows how they relate	“While the Victorian boy has almost no leisure, the modern girl’s free time is so full of organised activities that it feels like work.”

Synthesis is more than putting two summaries side by side. A synthesised point links the two sources in a single idea, usually with a comparative connective.

What makes a strong 8-mark summary?

The question usually names a focus, such as “the differences between the two writers’ experiences of school”. A strong answer:

1. Stays on the focus. It summarises only what the question asks about, not everything in the sources.
2. Makes inferences. It goes beyond what is stated to what is implied: not just “the room was cold”, but “the pupils’ comfort did not matter to the school”.
3. Uses evidence from both sources. Short, well-chosen quotations or references support each inference.
4. Synthesises. Each paragraph connects a point from Source A with a point from Source B.
5. Does not analyse language. The summary question rewards understanding of content (AO1). Commenting on techniques belongs to the language question (AO2) and the comparison question (AO3).

A paragraph structure that works

Point of difference -> evidence from Source A -> inference
-> comparative connective -> evidence from Source B -> inference

Useful connectives: whereas, while, in contrast, however, on the other hand; for similarities, similarly, likewise, both.

Worked example

The two short extracts below were written for this page.

Source A (1880s diary, invented for practice): “Up at five to light the fires before Master wakes. My hands crack in the cold. I eat what Cook leaves, standing, and may not sit until the family has dined.”

Source B (modern blog, invented for practice): “Weekend shifts at the café are tiring, but I choose them, I take a break when I need it, and the money pays for my driving lessons.”

Question focus: the differences between the two writers’ experiences of work.

Model paragraph: The diarist has no control over her working day, whereas the blogger’s work fits around her own choices. In Source A the diarist is “up at five” to serve “Master”, which suggests her hours are set entirely by her employer, and she “may not sit until the family has dined”, implying she is treated as lower in status than the people she serves. In contrast, the blogger in Source B says “I choose them” and “I take a break when I need it”, showing that she has freedom over when and how she works. Her wages pay for “driving lessons”, which suggests her job brings her independence and a future, while the diarist’s work seems only to keep her alive.

Why it works: it opens with a clear synthesised point; it makes inferences (control, status, independence) from short quotations; it uses “whereas” and “In contrast” to link the sources; and it never drifts into analysing language techniques.

How do you summarise a single text?

Summarising one text is also part of the specification and of everyday reading in both papers.

1. Read the whole text and ask: what is it mainly about? Write that in one sentence (the main theme).
2. Find the key ideas: often one per paragraph.
3. Leave out examples, repetition and minor details.
4. Write the ideas in your own words, in a logical order.

This habit helps the 4-mark identification questions too: you must find relevant information quickly and precisely.

How should you manage your time?

The question carries 8 of the 40 reading marks on Paper 2, so plan your time in proportion. Many teachers suggest around 8 to 10 minutes: one minute to highlight details linked to the focus in each source, then two or three synthesised paragraphs. Quality of inference matters more than length.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to write about language in the summary question? No. The summary question is assessed on AO1, understanding and synthesising information. Language analysis is rewarded in a different question.

Should I write about similarities or differences? Whichever the question asks for. Read the wording carefully: it names both the focus and whether you are summarising similarities or differences.

How many quotations should I use? Enough to support each inference from both sources. Short, embedded quotations of a few words are usually more effective than long ones.

What does “synthesise” mean in simple terms? To bring together information from two texts into one connected point, so the reader sees how they relate.

Common mistakes

• Summarising each source separately with no links between them.
• Retelling the sources instead of making inferences.
• Analysing language techniques, which earns no extra credit here.
• Drifting away from the focus named in the question.
• Using evidence from only one source.
• Copying long quotations without explaining what they suggest.

Official syllabus

AQA GCSE English Language (8700) specification, for GCSE exams June 2017 onwards: 3.1.1 Critical reading and comprehension (summary and synthesis), assessment objective AO1, and the Paper 1 and Paper 2 question structure in the scheme of assessment.