Summing Up a Story in a Few Sentences

Write or say a short summary that tells only the most important parts.

A summary is even shorter than a retell. It tells the most important parts in just two or three sentences. Read this longer story: 'Ivy's class was having a bake sale to buy library books. Ivy baked muffins with her dad.

On sale day, it rained, and few people came. Ivy had an idea and sold muffins at her dad's office. The class earned enough for ten new books. ' A summary: 'Ivy's class held a bake sale for books, but rain kept people away.

Ivy sold muffins at her dad's office, and the class got ten books. '

• 1A summary is shorter than a retell.
• 2It uses only two or three sentences.
• 3It keeps the goal, the problem, and the ending.