When you summarise a notice, find the facts the question asks for and restate them in fewer words of your own. The notice gives you the details, and your job is to choose and rephrase.
This skill appears in reading tasks and in writing tasks that start from a leaflet, advert or message. It belongs to study, work and future interests, where the texts are about courses, clubs, work experience and similar opportunities.
What should I look for first?
Most opportunity notices answer the same six questions. Underline them before you write a word.
- Qui ? Who is it for (age, level, school)?
- Quoi ? What is the activity?
- Quand ? Dates and times.
- Où ? Place.
- Combien ? Cost, or whether it is free.
- Comment ? How to apply, and the deadline.
How do I turn the facts into a summary?
- Read the question first. It tells you which of the six points count.
- Mark the matching facts in the notice.
- Change the wording. Swap a verb (rédigent for écrivent), or turn a noun phrase into a verb phrase.
- Keep numbers and names exact. Dates, ages, prices and times must be copied accurately.
- Write short, complete sentences with a subject and a verb, and check that each one answers a point.
Worked example
This notice is fictional.
Atelier de journalisme au lycée Camille-Claudel. Pour les élèves de 15 à 17 ans. Du lundi 8 au vendredi 12 avril, de 14 h à 17 h. Les participants écrivent un article pour le journal du lycée. L’atelier est gratuit, mais il faut apporter un ordinateur portable. Inscription avant le 22 mars auprès de Mme Fabre, au CDI.
Task: summarise who can take part, when it happens, what it costs and how to join.
Le lycée propose un atelier de journalisme aux élèves de 15 à 17 ans. Il a lieu pendant cinq après-midi en avril, et c’est gratuit. Pour participer, il faut s’inscrire avant le 22 mars auprès de Mme Fabre et apporter un ordinateur.
Step 1, who: aux élèves de 15 à 17 ans keeps the ages exact.
Step 2, when: Monday 8 to Friday 12 is five days, each from 14 h to 17 h, so cinq après-midi en avril is accurate and shorter.
Step 3, cost: gratuit becomes c’est gratuit.
Step 4, how: the deadline and the person are copied exactly, and il faut apporter is reused because the verb is needed.
Step 5, check: all four points are answered, and the summary is shorter than the notice.
What mistake should I watch for?
The usual slip is to copy the notice line by line, including details nobody asked about.
Mistaken answer: Les participants écrivent un article pour le journal du lycée. Pour les élèves de 15 à 17 ans. Inscription avant le 22 mars.
The first sentence answers nothing in the task, and the other two are fragments without a verb.
The correction is to start from the task points, not from the notice. Write Le lycée propose un atelier pour les élèves de 15 à 17 ans. Il faut s’inscrire avant le 22 mars. Each sentence has a verb and answers a point.
Check yourself
Use this second fictional notice: Club de théâtre : tous les mercredis de 16 h à 17 h 30, salle 12, pour les élèves de 13 à 15 ans. Cotisation : 15 euros par trimestre. Premier cours le 18 septembre.
1. Summarise who can join, when it meets and what it costs in one sentence.
Show answer
Model: Le club de théâtre accueille les élèves de 13 à 15 ans le mercredi après-midi et coûte 15 euros par trimestre. Check that the ages and the price match the notice.
2. Which details are not needed if the question asks only for the cost and the age group?
Show answer
The room number (salle 12), the time and the first-lesson date are extra. The age group and 15 euros par trimestre are what the question needs.
3. Rewrite in your own words: Premier cours le 18 septembre.
Show answer
Model: Les cours commencent le 18 septembre. The date stays exact, and the verb is new.
Where does this lead next?
Once you can summarise a notice, move on to asking an appropriate question about an activity, where you ask for the facts the notice does not give. The integrated practice for this module mixes all four skills.
Some students understand the notice and still lose marks by copying. Our teachers work on summarising in online one-to-one French tuition.