Which statement best defines a summary?

Which statement best defines a summary?

• A. A condensation in the reader's own words of the passage's main points.
• B. A detailed critique including opinions.
• C. A complete excerpt copied verbatim.
• D. A preference for the author's voice.

Answer: (A)

A summary is a brief restatement in your own words of a text’s main ideas. The best option captures that idea by describing a condensation of the passage’s main points, expressed in the reader’s own words. That’s exactly what a summary does: it distills the core ideas into a shorter form without adding new details or personal judgments. The other choices don’t fit because they describe different ways of engaging with text. A detailed critique including opinions goes beyond summarizing and moves into analysis or evaluation. A complete excerpt copied verbatim is a quotation, not a summary. A preference for the author’s voice is a personal reaction, not a summary of the content.

A summary is a brief restatement in your own words of a text’s main ideas. The best option captures that idea by describing a condensation of the passage’s main points, expressed in the reader’s own words. That’s exactly what a summary does: it distills the core ideas into a shorter form without adding new details or personal judgments.

The other choices don’t fit because they describe different ways of engaging with text. A detailed critique including opinions goes beyond summarizing and moves into analysis or evaluation. A complete excerpt copied verbatim is a quotation, not a summary. A preference for the author’s voice is a personal reaction, not a summary of the content.