Discourse markers for summarising — englishillustrated.com

What Are Discourse Markers for Summarising?

Discourse markers are linking words or phrases that help organize your ideas and guide the reader through your text. Summarising discourse markers are special connectors that signal you are about to present a conclusion, final point, or overview of what came before. They make your writing clearer and more professional by showing that you are bringing different ideas together into one main point. These markers are essential in essays, presentations, reports, and academic writing at the B2 level and beyond.

Common Discourse Markers for Summarising

The most frequently used summarising markers include: 'in summary', 'in conclusion', 'to summarise', 'in short', 'ultimately', 'to sum up', 'in brief', and 'all in all'. Each of these phrases introduces a concluding statement that brings together the main ideas from your previous sentences or paragraphs. Some markers are more formal (such as 'in conclusion' and 'ultimately') and work well in academic or professional contexts. Others, like 'in short' and 'to sum up', are slightly less formal but still appropriate for most written communication. Understanding when and where to use each marker will improve the flow and readability of your writing.

Position and Function in Sentences

Summarising discourse markers typically appear at the beginning of a sentence, followed by a comma. They prepare the reader for a concluding idea that connects to everything mentioned before. For example, you might write three sentences explaining different points, then use 'in summary,' to introduce a single sentence that ties those points together. The marker should be followed by the main summarising statement. In longer texts, these markers often introduce the final paragraph or the last part of a section. Remember that the idea after the marker should be a genuine summary or conclusion—not a completely new thought.

Summarising Discourse Markers at a Glance

Marker	Formality	Typical Context	Example	Usage Note
In conclusion	Formal	Essays, reports, speeches	In conclusion, the evidence strongly supports renewable energy.	Opens the final paragraph; signals a wrap-up of all main points. Avoid in casual writing.
To summarise	Neutral–Formal	Academic writing, presentations, meetings	To summarise, three key factors drive inflation.	Can appear mid-text as well as at the end. Slightly less final than "In conclusion".
To sum up	Neutral–Informal	Speeches, presentations, semi-formal writing	To sum up, the project was a success.	More conversational than "To summarise". Good for spoken summaries.
In summary	Formal	Reports, academic essays, business writing	In summary, costs exceeded the budget by 15%.	Interchangeable with "In conclusion" but feels slightly more neutral and less rhetorical.
Overall	Neutral	Essays, data analysis, reviews	Overall, the results were positive.	Concise and versatile. Works well when drawing a general conclusion from data or evidence.
On the whole	Neutral–Formal	Essays, evaluations, opinion writing	On the whole, the policy has been effective.	Implies a balanced judgment; acknowledges exceptions while stating a general trend.
All in all	Informal–Neutral	Spoken English, informal essays, blogs	All in all, it was a great conference.	Warm and conversational. Avoid in formal academic writing; better for personal or creative pieces.
In brief	Formal–Neutral	Business writing, executive summaries, reports	In brief, the merger reduced operating costs.	Signals a condensed restatement. Best when word count is limited; implies brevity is intentional.
In short	Neutral	General writing, journalism, everyday use	In short, we need more funding.	Very common and flexible. Often used to cut through detail and state the core message directly.
To conclude	Formal	Academic essays, formal speeches	To conclude, both approaches have merit.	Close synonym of "In conclusion". Often followed by an evaluative or decisive statement.
Ultimately	Formal–Neutral	Academic essays, arguments, editorial writing	Ultimately, individual choices shape society.	Emphasises the most fundamental conclusion after considering all factors. Adds rhetorical weight.
In a nutshell	Informal	Spoken English, blogs, casual writing	In a nutshell, the app saves you time.	Idiomatic; means "in the fewest possible words". Avoid in academic or professional formal writing.

Examples

First, mobile technology connects people instantly. Second, it provides access to information anytime. In summary, smartphones have transformed modern communication.

Academic writing · Concluding a paragraph

The research shows improved test scores, better student engagement, and higher graduation rates. To sum up, the new teaching method has been highly successful.

Report writing · Final conclusion

Climate change affects agriculture, increases extreme weather, and threatens wildlife populations. Ultimately, we must take action to protect our environment.

Essay · Bringing ideas to final point

The company faced budget cuts, staff shortages, and supply chain disruptions. In brief, it was a challenging year for management.

Business communication · Quick conclusion

Education improves job opportunities, increases earning potential, and promotes critical thinking. All in all, investing in education benefits both individuals and society.

Formal writing · Comprehensive conclusion

The data reveals three significant trends in consumer behaviour. To conclude, businesses must adapt their strategies to remain competitive.

Analysis · Professional context

When to use it

Essays & Academic Writing

Use summarising markers to conclude paragraphs or restate your thesis in the final paragraph. They help readers understand how individual points support your main argument.

"The evidence shows significant progress in renewable energy adoption. In conclusion, we can expect continued growth in this sector."

Business Reports & Presentations

Summarising markers help executives and stakeholders quickly grasp key findings and recommendations. They signal the most important takeaway.

"Sales increased by 25%, customer retention improved by 15%, and market share expanded. To sum up, our strategy has delivered strong results."

Debates & Arguments

These markers strengthen your position by bringing multiple supporting points into one powerful closing statement that reinforces your viewpoint.

"Social media enables connection, spreads awareness, and creates communities. Ultimately, its benefits outweigh its drawbacks."

News & Journalism

Journalists use summarising markers to help readers quickly understand the main point of a longer article or to wrap up complex information.

"The investigation uncovered three major violations. In brief, the company failed to meet environmental standards."

Signal words

in summary in conclusion to summarise to sum up in short in brief ultimately all in all to conclude in essence

Common Mistakes

Wrong

We need better infrastructure, educated workers, and strong leadership. The city is beautiful.

✓

Correct

We need better infrastructure, educated workers, and strong leadership. In summary, economic development requires these three elements.

The new sentence must actually summarise the previous ideas, not introduce an unrelated thought.

Wrong

To conclude the students improved their grades and attendance increased. Furthermore, the programme was popular.

✓

Correct

To conclude, the students improved their grades and attendance increased. Furthermore, the programme was popular.

Summarising markers need a comma after them before the main clause.

Wrong

In summary, the project faced multiple challenges but the team persevered and learned valuable lessons. Finally, we started a new project.

✓

Correct

In summary, the project faced multiple challenges but the team persevered and learned valuable lessons. Ultimately, we applied these lessons to our next initiative.

The concluding idea should genuinely summarise—not jump to a completely new topic.

Wrong

The report shows growth, profitability, and expansion. In conclusion that is a good company.

✓

Correct

The report shows growth, profitability, and expansion. In conclusion, this is a strong company.

The summarising sentence should be grammatically complete and appropriately formal.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

What to Remember

Summarising discourse markers signal conclusions and overviews, helping readers understand how ideas connect together.
Use markers like "in summary," "in conclusion," and "to sum up" to introduce final points.
Place summarising markers at the beginning of sentences or clauses to clearly signal a summary coming.
These markers work best in formal writing like essays, reports, and presentations at B2 level.
Avoid overusing summarising markers; use them strategically to emphasize main ideas, not in every paragraph.

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Discourse markers in spoken English