To summarise it means condensing the content into a smaller number of words, limiting oneself to exposing the essential points, or the plot. The essential points: that is, the bare minimum without getting lost what is needed. But what is it for? You learn this slowly, with experience. Start by removing adjectives, adverbs, direct speech, incisive speech, etc.; underline what is essential for understanding; highlight the keywords: the rest will follow automatically.
The summary rework, in a simpler but shorter form, a source text and provides all the important information on the content.
The first step, then? Remove the useless, remove everything that, even if it weren't there, the text would still make sense. But how do we know if we're doing well? Let's question the text with essential questions: let's see how it responds. For example, if we are dealing with a political or news event, let's try asking these five questions (the famous five w):
- Who?
- What?
- When?
- Why?
- Where?
Are you not answering some questions? That's no good. Are the answers not clear and effective? That's no good. Are the answers too long? That's no good.
A good summary must be concise, functional, objective. That is, it must provide only the information that is needed, use as few words as possible, get straight to the point, get rid of personal comments and present the facts in an objective and neutral manner.
Try proceeding this way. After underlining the important parts, highlight the key words and write them down on a piece of paper. After this, try to make an outline of the content of the text using these words. Finally, write your summary.
Let's take an example. Let's take an Aesop's fable and proceed.
The deer and the lion
A deer came at a source; as he drank, he saw his image in the water and he rejoiced, seeing That his horns they were so large and branched. His legs, however, displeased him who he found too weak and thin. He was still having these thoughts back when a lion appeared and began to chase him, but the deer was ahead of him by a good distance in his flight. And as long as the plantless plain stretched out in front of him, he was able to outrun the lion, but when then a wooded area began the deer, due to horn, got caught in the branches and, no longer able to run, he was seized by the lion. As he was killed he exclaimed: “I was truly a fool not to trust in what was my salvation and instead trust in what was my downfall.”
It often happens to us in life, when we find ourselves in danger, that those among our friends who had aroused suspicions in us become our saviors and, instead, those who had earned our trust turn out to be traitors.
(Aesop, Tales, edited by F. Maspero, Bompiani.)
The most important parts of the text are highlighted in bold.
Who is the protagonist of the story? The deer. What are its important characteristics for the fairy tale? He loves his horns and despises his legs. Who is his antagonist? The lion. What is the main action? The lion chases the deer and kills it. What events help him? The antlers block the deer. What are the important words in the text? Deer, lion, horns, legs, chase, kill.
So what is the summary of this tale?
A deer is chased by a lion and dies because of the antlers he loved so much; even though the legs he despised so much could have saved him.
Do you see? From 173 words we went to 26. Do you think something is missing from the summary? It doesn't seem like it to me. I would say that all the necessary information is contained therein.
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