Summarize

verb · Command words

Definition

Give the main points briefly.

Explanation

Leave out detail and examples. Focus on key ideas and use your own words.

Example

Summarize the passage in three sentences.

In an exam

Command-word meanings can vary between subjects, exam boards and mark schemes, so check your own board's guidance. See Exam Command Words: What Each Instruction Asks For.

Common confusion

A summary is not a paraphrase. A paraphrase restates a passage at similar length; a summary is shorter.

Related terms

Study guides that use this term

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