How to write a summary: Procedures and rules on the web-site for teachers and learners of English as a secondary language from a German point of view
Click here and you will always get back to the table of contents
Table of Contents
How to write a summary: procedures and rules HOMEback to the homepagePAGE back to the previous page back to
Summary writing: principles
go on to
Summary: Functions
on to the next page

How to write a summary: Procedures and rules

Procedures: How to prepare for a summary

1. Understand the text.
2. Underline the sentences which are important for the summary.
3. Divide the text into paragraphs.
4. Find headings for the different paragraphs.
5. Write down key-words (not more than 20) which are important for the
    summary.
6. Learn the vocabulary and the structures you need for the summary
7. If necessary transform direct speech into reported speech - only if there is
    an important idea or fact in it.
8. Write the summary in your own words using conjunctions, relative clauses
    or participle constructions.


1. Don't start before you have finished reading and
     understanding the text.

2. Don't panic at all - if you know what to write you will find that 
     you can write it down quickly.

3. Be accurate, never change the meaning of the original.



Rules: How to write a summary

  • Find important facts, statements and ideas
  • Leave all statistics, dates and names, quotations, details and comparisons, examples, opinions, and decorating expressions unless they are important for the understanding of the text.
  • Cut the original text to one third.
  • The summary is usually written in the present tense.
  • But past events may be reported in the past, future events may be reported in the future.
  • Statements or questions which were made in the past may be reported in the past tense or the past perfect.
  • Statements and questions which were made in the past but concern the future may be reported in the conditional.

Click here and you will always get back to the table of contents
Table of Contents
How to write a summary: procedures and rules HOMEback to the homepagePAGE to the top back to the previous page back to 
Summary writing:
principles
go on to
Summary: Functions
on to the next page