The key to writing an accurate, non-plagiarised summary lies in manipulating all the grammatical resources so that while the text is still acknowledged as essentially another's meaning, it is in your own words.

The language skills involved in writing a good summary are the same as the ones for writing paraphrases:

• Using Synonyms:

  Synonyms are words or expressions which have a similar meaning in a particular context: e.g., expect/anticipate, independent/self-reliant...

• Changing the Voice of a Sentence

  Active sentences allow the focus to be placed on who/what is making things happen. Passive sentences allow the focus to be on who/what is affected by the event/ process.

• Changing the Word Form

  Many words have more than one grammatical form such as; noun, adjective, verb or adverb: e.g. expectation, expectant, expect, expectantly.

• Packing/Unpacking Word Groups:

  Often one word is inadequate to describe a thing, process, or circumstance. However English grammar allows us to combine words into groups so that one idea is more precisely expressed.

  By demonstrating a professional approach in assignments, students will meet their lecturers expectations.

  The lecturers expect students to demonstrate a professional approach in their assignments.

  The group "their lecturers expectations" has been unpacked into three simple word groups 'lecturers', 'expect' and 'students'.

  Being able to combine words into groups or 'unpack' their meaning into simpler terms is a valuable skill for summarising. It requires a good understanding of how grammar relates ideas to other ideas. This ability to manipulate vocabulary and grammar can also assist in reading comprehension.

Exercise:

The best way to learn how to write summaries is to practise. In the following site you will find a variety of texts to summarise with some suggested answers:

Using English for Academic Purposes: Summary - Exercises