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# summary

«summary» in Mova's school dictionary: **a short version of something longer, giving only the main…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 3 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a summary, summaries); adjective (summary — formal)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A summary is a short version of something longer, giving only the main points. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/summary/#m1)

2) (formal, adjective) Summary means done quickly, without the usual steps: «summary justice». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/summary/#m2)

3) «In summary» means «to put it briefly». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/summary/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In English lessons pupils write a summary of a story or a chapter. In science a summary of results ends a report. In maths a «summary table» shows totals. In everyday life news and websites give summaries. Phrases: «in summary», «a brief summary», «write a summary».

### examples

- Write a summary of the story in five sentences. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/summary/#x1)
- The news gave a short summary of the match. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/summary/#x2)
- In summary, plants need light, water and air. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/summary/#x3)
- The teacher read our summaries aloud. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/summary/#x4)
- The summary at the end of the chapter helps with revision. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/summary/#x5)
- A summary table shows the total sales for each day. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/summary/#x6)
- The book's back cover has a summary of the plot. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/summary/#x7)

### note

Plural: summaries. Verb: summarise (UK) or summarize (US). A summary should be shorter and in your own words; copying sentences is not a summary. Do not confuse with «summery» (like summer). Formal «summary dismissal» means being sacked at once.

### In the corpora

- [A summary leaves things out, and a bot's summary can even get the story wrong.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/ai/10-using-ai-to-learn-not-to-copy/10/)
- [A summary tells the main events in a few words, not every detail.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/22-reading-a-story-characters-plot-and-setting/26/)
- [A summary of a news report sticks to the facts and leaves out your own opinions.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/50-listening-following-talk-asking-good-questions/12/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «summary» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/summary/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.