condense the text

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "condense the text" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want someone to shorten or summarize a piece of writing while retaining its main ideas. Example: "For the report, please condense the text to highlight the key findings and recommendations."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

and your senior editor, you came in on Day 5 and were greeted by galleys from Makeup with notes on them that said "Green 5" or "Green 8" or "Green 15" or some such, telling you to condense the text by that number of lines or the piece would not fit in the magazine.

The New Yorker

Please try to condense the text from the subsection "A minimal BubR1-binding region of Bub1" until "Functional relevance to kinetochore recruitment of BubR1" in the Results section, perhaps to half the current length.

eLife

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

This included systematically identifying the major themes arising, coding and condensing the text based on these thematic areas, and summarizing each thematic area identified.

Journal of International Humanitarian Action

In a typeface chosen (naturally) by Mr. Mau -- Helvetica Neue bold condensed -- the text trumpeted the show's central theme: "a change in global design culture so audaciously hopeful, so advanced, so optimistic, so generous and so global that we call our project Massive Change".

The New York Times - Arts

Indexing frequently accompanies abstracting, a technique for condensing the full text of a document into a short summary that contains its main ideas (but invariably incurs an information loss and often introduces a bias).

Encyclopedia Britannica

The PI condensed the Arabic text into meaning units followed by English coding and categorization.

BMC Women's Health

The first author condensed the Arabic text into meaning units followed by English coding and categorization.

BMC Women's Health

The meaningful units were condensed to shorten the text without losing the message.

BMC Health Services Research

The meaning units were then condensed to shorten the text while maintaining the essential content.

BMC Nursing

Much about that now seems quaint: the curved edges of the text condensing to unreadability back near the fold, the accidentally upside-down or out-of-order pages, those little coin slots on the machine and later the charge cards.

The New Yorker

Meaning units were initially identified from the text, condensed and coded.

BMC Public Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you need to "condense the text", prioritize retaining key information and the author's original intent to avoid misinterpretation.

Common error

Avoid excessively "condensing the text" to the point where clarity is compromised or essential details are omitted. Ensure the shortened version remains coherent and informative.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "condense the text" functions as an imperative verb phrase, where "condense" is the verb and "the text" is the direct object. It is used to instruct someone to shorten a written piece, as confirmed by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "condense the text" is a grammatically correct and usable imperative phrase in English, instructing someone to make a written piece shorter while preserving its main ideas. Ludwig AI confirms this with real-world examples from various sources, primarily in science and news media. The phrase is generally considered to have a neutral to professional register and, while not exceedingly common, is well-understood. When using this phrase, ensure clarity and avoid over-condensing to maintain the text's integrity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

summarize the text

Replaces "condense" with "summarize", focusing on providing a summary.

shorten the text

Uses "shorten" instead of "condense", emphasizing brevity.

abridge the text

Replaces "condense" with "abridge", implying a more formal reduction in length.

trim the text

Substitutes "condense" with "trim", suggesting careful removal of unnecessary parts.

reduce the text

Employs "reduce" in place of "condense", pointing to a general decrease in length.

streamline the text

Uses "streamline" instead of "condense", emphasizing improved efficiency and clarity through reduction.

compact the text

Replaces "condense" with "compact", highlighting the packing of more information into less space.

downsize the text

Substitutes "condense" with "downsize", suggesting a reduction in size or scope.

tighten up the text

Uses "tighten up" instead of "condense", focusing on making the text more concise and effective.

cut down the text

Replaces "condense" with "cut down", indicating a reduction in length, often by removing words or sections.

FAQs

What does it mean to "condense the text"?

To "condense the text" means to shorten it while retaining its main ideas and essential information. This involves summarizing, cutting out unnecessary details, and making the writing more concise.

How can I "condense the text" effectively?

To effectively "condense the text", focus on identifying the core message, eliminating redundancies, and using concise language. Ensure that the shortened version remains clear and coherent.

What can I say instead of "condense the text"?

You can use alternatives like "summarize the text", "shorten the text", or "abridge the text" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "condense the text" and "summarize the text"?

While both involve shortening text, "condense the text" often implies a more general reduction in length, whereas "summarize the text" specifically refers to providing a brief overview of the main points.