Summary Writing

​1. Highlight the main points in the text, and exclude minor details, examples and repetitions.

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​2. Try to use your own words and not copy word to word from the whole text. Paraphrase it.

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​3. There is no word limit of the summary. Target 1/4 of the length of the whole text.

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​Paraphrase = use your own words and not copy word to word.

​You can also read the text 2-3 times thoroughly then take a break of 5 minutes, and then try to remember what was in the text. Write what you remember from the original text. This can help you start the process.

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​But beware do not solely rely on this technique. It is more important to highlight main points and remove minor details than this technique.

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​aforementioned = mentioned before; mentioned previously

​You cannot add any more ideas than already available in the original text.

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​You cannot add your judgements, opinions or any other extra ideas that are not in the original text.

​we should remove "or, as doctors and scientists call it" because excluding it doesn't make any significant different. It is just a minor detail. After removing the sentence will change to:

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​"Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been part of everyone’s life since mid-March 2020, when most schools, businesses, and communities quickly changed how they operated to prevent the spread of the virus."

Replace multiple words with one word

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been part of everyone’s life since mid-March 2020, when most schools, businesses, and communities quickly changed how they operated to prevent the spread of the virus.

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​Sometimes a group of words can be reduced to one word; if that the group belongs to one category, or can be categorized as belonging to one category.

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​Remember sometimes the group is important at others it is not. You have to decide it yourself.

​Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been part of everyone’s life since mid-March 2020, when most schools, businesses, and communities quickly changed how they operated to prevent the spread of the virus.

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​Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been part of everyone’s life since mid-March 2020, when most everyone quickly changed how they operated to prevent the spread of the virus.

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