This French B2 lesson explains summarize a text in French step by step, with examples in French and English. Then practise with the worksheet on summarize a text in French and check yourself with the quiz.
Quick answer: To summarize a text in French, keep only the author’s main ideas, restate them in your own words in the present tense and third person, link them with connectors, and respect the word limit. Leave out opinions, examples, quotations and anecdotes. A margin of 10 % is usually accepted.
Level: French B2 (CEFR upper intermediate) · Standards: CEFR B2, Writing
Summarize a text in French: the lesson
How do you summarize a long text in French?
Le résumé
A résumé keeps the ideas of the author, in your own words, in far fewer words. It has no opinion, no quotation, no example and no anecdote. It is written in the present tense, in the third person: L’auteur explique que… — The author explains that…
Work in four moves: read the whole text once, mark the main idea of every paragraph, rebuild each idea in a short sentence, then link the sentences with connectors and count your words.
How do you shorten a sentence without losing the idea?
Reformulation means saying the same thing with fewer, more abstract words. Five tools do most of the work.
| Tool | Original | Shorter |
|---|---|---|
| Verb becomes noun | Les prix ont augmenté. | la hausse des prix |
| List becomes one word | les bus, les trams et le métro | les transports en commun |
| Relative clause becomes adjective | un quartier où il y a peu de bruit | un quartier calme |
| Clause becomes phrase | parce qu’il y a une grève | à cause de la grève |
| Two sentences become one | Il pleut. Le match est annulé. | Le match est annulé à cause de la pluie. |
Which connectors keep the logic of the original?
| Relation | Connector | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Addition | de plus, en outre | moreover |
| Cause | en effet, car | indeed, because |
| Consequence | par conséquent, donc | therefore |
| Contrast | cependant, en revanche | however, on the other hand |
| Concession | bien que + subjunctive | although |
| Conclusion | en somme, finalement | in short, finally |
Reporting verbs to avoid repeating dire
- L’auteur souligne que… — points out that
- Le texte dénonce le manque de… — denounces
- Selon l’article, la ville doit… — according to the article
- Elle conclut que… — concludes that
How many words should the summary have?
A task usually gives a limit, for example a quarter of the original or a fixed number. The accepted margin is often 10 % either side: for 150 words, aim for 135 to 165. Always check the instruction of your own task.
Common mistake
English speakers copy whole sentences, add Je pense que… or keep the first example. Do none of that. Also, un résumé is a summary: the English word résumé for a job document is un CV in French.
Culture note
The contraction de texte is a classic school task in France: students shrink a text to about a quarter or a third of its length, with a margin of 10 %.
Zoé’s tip
After each paragraph, close the page and say its idea aloud in one sentence. If you cannot, you have not understood it yet. Write only what you said.
Key points to remember
- A summary uses the present tense and the third person: L’auteur explique que….
- Five tools shorten a text: noun phrases, general terms, adjectives, clauses to phrases, merged sentences.
- Connectors such as cependant and par conséquent keep the logic of the original.
- The usual margin is 10 % either side of the target length.
- Un résumé is a summary; a résumé for a job is un CV.
Summarizing a long text with precision: frequently asked questions
How long should a summary be?
It depends on the task. A quarter or a third of the original is common, with a margin of 10 %. Read the instruction and count your words.
Can I quote the text in a summary?
No. Rephrase every idea in your own words. Short key terms from the text are fine, but whole sentences are not.
Which tense should I use?
Use the present tense and the third person: L’auteur explique…, Le texte montre…. Do not write je or give your opinion.
How do I find the keywords?
Underline the nouns and verbs that carry the main idea of each paragraph. Skip examples, figures that only illustrate and repeated ideas.
What is the difference between a summary and a synthesis?
A summary condenses one text. A synthesis compares and organizes several documents around one question, with its own plan.