Which statement best defines a summary vs a paraphrase?

• A. They are identical in length and detail.
• B. A summary restates main ideas in your own words, but a paraphrase copies the original wording exactly.
• C. A summary restates main ideas concisely; a paraphrase restates a specific passage in your own words with similar length and detail.
• D. A summary always uses quotes.

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is how to distinguish a summary from a paraphrase. A summary condenses the overall main ideas from a larger text into a shorter version, told in your own words, and it focuses on the big picture rather than every detail. A paraphrase, by contrast, rewrites a specific passage in your own words, but keeps about the same length and level of detail as the original. So the statement that best defines the difference is that a summary is concise and captures the main ideas, while a paraphrase restates a particular part in your own words with similar length and detail to the original. The other ideas aren’t accurate: summaries aren’t about copying the exact wording, and paraphrases aren’t about copying the original text verbatim or requiring quotes.