A summary gives the reader the substance in fewer words.

The idea

Identify the main point, select facts needed to understand it and restate them in your own words. Keep the source’s meaning.

Examples

  • El artículo trata sobre un huerto urbano.The article is about an urban garden.
  • El barrio convirtió un solar en jardín.The neighborhood turned an empty lot into a garden.
  • Ahora las familias cultivan verduras allí.Families now grow vegetables there.
  • El proyecto también organiza talleres gratuitos.The project also organizes free workshops.
  • Según el artículo, participan cincuenta vecinos.According to the article, fifty neighbors take part.
  • En resumen, el huerto reúne a la comunidad.In short, the garden brings the community together.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Spanish voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not add your opinion or copy a minor detail as if it were the main point.

Try it yourself

  1. A report says a town opened a library and lends books free. What do we call its central message? (idea principal / detalle)

    Show answer or example answer

    idea principal

    idea principal identifies the central message.

  2. The article says a bus now reaches an isolated village. What belongs in a concise summary? (dato esencial / adorno)

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    dato esencial

    dato esencial keeps the information needed to understand the project.

  3. A report describes a park opening. Which addition should a neutral summary avoid? (opinión / hecho)

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    opinión

    opinión adds a judgment that the source may not make.

Use it today

Summarize a short article in two sentences, retaining its main point and one essential fact.