English words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have differing meanings are called homophones. Like most languages, English has many homophones, and they can all be confusing.
Summery and summary sound identical when pronounced aloud, but they have different meanings that never overlap. One is related to the four seasons, and the other is a structural element in writing.
Continue reading to learn more about these confusing words.
What is the Difference Between Summery and Summary?
In this post, I will compare summery vs. summary and use each of these words in several example sentences. This way, you can see them as they appear in context.
Plus, I will share a mnemonic tool that makes it easy to choose summery or summary correctly each time you need to use one of these words.
When to Use Summary
What does summary mean? Summary is a noun. A summary is a brief encapsulation of something’s main points.
Most scholarly research articles include summaries. Books and movies often include a short print summary of their plots either on the ordering page or the backside of a physical copy.
Here are some examples of summary in sentences,
- It is a good idea to include a summary as a basic structural element of any essay longer than a paragraph.
- It is common practice among graduate students to carefully read the abstract and summary of research articles, while skimming or ignoring the other sections.
Summary can also be used as an adjective, where it means comprehensive.
Here is an example,
- The department published a summary report on the findings of its investigation.
When to Use Summery
Summery, meanwhile, is an adjective. It means having the qualities of summer, namely sunshine and brightness, freshness and airiness, or lightness and a lack of stress.
A drink with a summery taste, for instance, is probably sweet, cold, and refreshing: perfect for drinking on a hot summer’s day. A summery shirt might be brightly colored, thin, and sleeveless.
Here are some examples,
- The neighborhood’s party in the park was all about summery vibes, even though the event took place in early May.
- Due to an extreme heat wave, summery temperatures persisted well into October.
Trick to Remember the Difference
Summary is the only noun of these options; so if you need a noun, spell it summary. Both words can be adjectives, though.
Summary is related to the noun summation, which means the process of adding things together. Both summary and summation are related to the root verb sum, which can mean to add.
Summary vs. Summery Check: Summary, summation, and add are all spelled with an A. This letter is your clue that summary refers to restating your main points, or in other words, adding everything up into a conclusion.
Summary
Is it summary or summer? These two words are not interchangeable, so it is important to remember their differences.
- Summary is a noun that means a restatement of main points, and an adjective that is a synonym of comprehensive.
- Summery is an adjective that means having the qualities of summer.
Contents