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Writing lesson · Summarizing
Write a Summary: Main Idea and Key Details in Your Own Words
Shrink a passage or story into a few sentences: find the main idea, keep only key details in order, use your own words and leave out opinions.
The idea
Your friend missed a movie and asks what it was about. You do not tell every scene. You say something like, "A boy loses his dog, searches the whole city and finds it at the train station." That is a summary: a short version that keeps only the most important parts.
A summary is different from a retelling. A retelling goes through the events one by one, often with first, then, then, then. A summary chooses. It gives the main idea and two or three key details, and it leaves the rest out.
Start with the main idea. Ask: What is the whole text mostly about? In a nonfiction paragraph, the topic sentence often helps, but it is not always first. In a story, the main idea is usually who wanted something, what got in the way and how it turned out.
Then choose the key details. Keep the ones a reader needs to understand the main idea. Cut examples, numbers and descriptions that are interesting but not necessary. If the text gives steps or events, keep them in the same order.
Write it in your own words. Copying sentences does not show that you understood. Look away from the text, say it aloud, then write it down. You can still use important topic words, such as monarch or migration.
Finally, check it. A summary has no opinions (I think, the best part was) and no new facts that the text did not give. Reread the text and make sure every fact in your summary matches. For a story, the frame Somebody–Wanted–But–So–Then from the Daily Read on The Buddy Bench is a quick way to start.
See the difference
A first attempt
The article was about monarch butterflies. First they start flying. Then they fly a lot. They go over lakes and farms. Then they get to Mexico. Mexico has mountains and forests and it is warm there. I think monarchs are the coolest bug. Then in spring they come back. The end.
Every fall, monarch butterflies from Ontario fly thousands of kilometres south to spend the winter in the mountain forests of Mexico. In spring, they head north again. The return trip is so long that it takes more than one generation of monarchs to finish it.
Why this works: Both versions are invented examples based on the invented passage in the practice section. The weak version is a retelling: it strings together small details with then, adds details the passage never gave (lakes and farms, warm weather), includes an opinion and never states the main idea clearly. The strong version opens with the main idea, keeps three key details in order, uses its own words and adds nothing the passage did not say.
Worked examples
Example 1 · Find the main idea
Paragraph (invented): "Beavers build dams across streams. The dam makes a pond. In the pond, the beavers build a lodge with an underwater door, where they are safe from wolves." What is the main idea?
- Ask: what is the whole paragraph mostly about?
- Each sentence is about what beavers build and why.
- Say it in one sentence.
Beavers build dams and lodges that make a safe home in a pond.
Example 2 · Keep or cut
Which details from the beaver paragraph should a short summary keep?
- Keep: dam, pond, lodge, safe.
- Cut: underwater door and wolves; they explain safety but are extra detail.
- Check: does the summary still make sense without them? Yes.
Keep the dam, the pond and the safe lodge; cut the door and the wolves.
Example 3 · Own words
Turn "Beavers build dams across streams" into your own words.
- Look away from the text.
- Say what happens: beavers block a stream with sticks and mud.
- Write it, keeping the topic word beaver.
Beavers block streams with dams.
Example 4 · Summarize a story
Use Somebody–Wanted–But–So–Then on the story of the three little pigs.
- Somebody: three pigs. Wanted: safe houses.
- But: a wolf blew down the straw and stick houses.
- So: they hid in the brick house. Then: the wolf could not get in.
Three pigs built houses, but a wolf blew down two of them, so they hid in the brick house, which kept them safe.
Example 5 · Check for accuracy
A summary says, "Beavers build dams so they can catch fish." Is it accurate?
- Reread: the paragraph says the dam makes a pond for a safe lodge.
- It never mentions catching fish.
- A summary cannot add new facts.
No. Change it to: Beavers build dams to make a pond where their lodge is safe.
Common mistakes
Why this fails: That keeps all the small details. Choose the main idea and two or three key points instead.
Why this fails: Copying does not show understanding. Look away, say it aloud and write it in your own words.
Why this fails: I think and my favourite belong in a response, not a summary.
Why this fails: Everything in a summary must come from the text. Reread to check.
Why this fails: A list of details without the big idea leaves the reader asking, so what was it about?
Why this fails: For steps or story events, keep the same order as the text.
Foundation
Foundation practice
Tell a summary from a retelling and find the main idea.
1. Which sentence best describes a summary?
- Every detail from the text, in order
- Your opinion about whether the text was good
- A short version of the main idea and the most important details, in your own words
- The first sentence of the text copied out
2. Read the passage: (Invented passage) Every fall, monarch butterflies in Ontario start a long trip south. They fly thousands of kilometres to forests in the mountains of Mexico. There, millions of monarchs cluster together on the trees to stay warm through the winter. In spring, they start flying north again. It takes more than one generation to finish the return trip. What is the main idea?
- Mexico has mountains.
- Monarch butterflies make a long trip south each fall and north again in spring.
- Monarchs like to stay warm.
- It takes more than one generation to finish the trip.
3. For a summary of the monarch passage, which detail is LEAST important to keep?
- They fly to forests in Mexico.
- They return north in spring.
- The trip south happens every fall.
- They cluster together on trees to stay warm.
4. Which is the best own-words version of "millions of monarchs cluster together on the trees"?
- Millions of monarchs cluster together on the trees.
- Huge groups of monarchs crowd onto the trees.
- Monarchs are pretty.
- Trees in Mexico are tall.
5. "First the monarchs started flying. Then they flew over Lake Erie. Then they rested on a tree. Then they flew some more. Then …" What is the problem?
- It is a step-by-step retelling of small details, not a summary.
- It is too short.
- It uses the word monarchs.
- It has an opinion in it.
6. Which sentence should NOT go in a summary of the monarch passage?
- Monarchs fly south each fall.
- They spend the winter in Mexico.
- I think monarchs are the coolest insects.
- They return north in spring.
Practice
Practice practice
Shrink paragraphs, choose key words and write a topic sentence.
7. Which is the best one-sentence summary of the monarch passage?
- Monarchs fly.
- Monarchs are orange and black and have six legs.
- In the passage, it says that every fall monarch butterflies in Ontario start a long trip south and fly thousands of kilometres to forests in the mountains of Mexico.
- Each fall, Ontario's monarch butterflies fly thousands of kilometres to Mexico for the winter, and their offspring fly back north over several generations in spring.
8. Story: Kai wanted to win the class spelling bee, but he kept mixing up their and there. So he made flash cards and practised every night. Then he spelled every word right. Which summary uses the frame best?
- Kai is in a class.
- Kai wanted to win the spelling bee, but he mixed up their and there, so he practised with flash cards, and then he spelled every word right.
- There was a spelling bee and Kai was in it and he practised and he had cards and he won.
- Spelling bees are hard.
9. You are summarizing a paragraph about recycling. Which set of key words would help most?
- the, and, it, was
- sort, blue box, plastic, paper, reuse
- I, think, really, very
- first, then, next, last
10. "Gina packed her bag, put on her boots, zipped her coat, pulled on her mitts and grabbed her hat." Which is the best short version?
- Gina got dressed for the cold.
- Gina packed.
- Gina's mitts were red.
- Gina packed her bag, put on her boots and zipped her coat.
11. A summary of a how-to text should keep the steps …
- in any order you like
- in reverse order
- in the same order as the text
- only the last step
12. An article is 6 paragraphs long. About how long should a short summary be?
- 6 paragraphs
- 1 word
- Exactly 100 words
- 2–4 sentences
Think
Think practice
Judge summaries and fix common problems.
13. "Monarchs fly to Mexico in the fall. They are my favourite bug. They come back in spring. Mexico has tacos." Which two sentences should be removed?
- Sentences 2 and 4
- Sentences 1 and 3
- Sentences 1 and 2
- Sentences 3 and 4
14. Why is copying the first sentence of each paragraph not always a good summary?
- Because first sentences are always wrong.
- Because summaries must have no sentences.
- Because the first sentence is too short.
- Because the main idea is not always in the first sentence, and copying is not using your own words.
15. The passage says monarchs fly to Mexico. A summary says monarchs fly to Florida. What is wrong?
- The summary changed a fact from the text.
- Nothing; both are south.
- The summary is too long.
- The summary uses own words, which is not allowed.
16. Story: Rosa's kite would not fly. She tried running faster, then a longer string. At last she moved to the open field where the wind was stronger, and the kite soared. Which sentence is the best summary?
- Rosa tried running.
- Kites are fun.
- Rosa's kite would not fly until she found a windier place in the open field.
- Rosa had a kite, a string, a field and some wind.
Challenge
Challenge practice
Write and improve summaries of your own.
17. Write a one-sentence summary of the Rosa kite story using Somebody–Wanted–But–So.
18. Make this summary better: "There were butterflies and they went somewhere and then came back."
19. Write a two-sentence summary of your school day. Leave out at least three small details.
20. Why is writing a summary a good way to check that you understood what you read?
Your turn to write
Choose a short article, a chapter or one of the Daily Read lessons, such as the one on the Welland Canal or the wheel and axle. Read it twice. Then write a summary of three to five sentences: start with the main idea, add two or three key details in order, and use your own words. If you choose a story, try Somebody–Wanted–But–So–Then.
Helpful sentence starters
- This article is mostly about ...
- The main idea is that ...
- One important detail is ...
- Another key point is ...
- In the end, ...
- [Somebody] wanted ..., but ..., so ...
- Then ...
Write in a notebook or a document. The model and checklist are available without signing in.
Check and improve
- My first sentence states the main idea.
- I kept two or three key details, in the same order as the text.
- I used my own words and did not copy whole sentences.
- I left out small details and examples that are not needed.
- I did not add my opinion.
- I did not add any facts the text did not give.
- My summary is three to five sentences long.
This checklist is for parent-and-child self-review. No automatic writing score is assigned.
Answer key
- 1. A short version of the main idea and the most important details, in your own words
A summary is short and keeps only what matters most. Every detail is a retelling, an opinion is a response, and copying one sentence leaves out the rest of the ideas. - 2. Monarch butterflies make a long trip south each fall and north again in spring.
The whole passage is about the round trip. Mountains and staying warm are details, and the generation fact is one important detail, not the whole idea. - 3. They cluster together on trees to stay warm.
Where they go, when they go and that they return are needed to understand the trip. How they spend the winter is interesting but can be cut from a short summary. - 4. Huge groups of monarchs crowd onto the trees.
It keeps the meaning with new words. Copying the original sentence is not own words, and saying monarchs are pretty or trees are tall changes the meaning or adds something the text never said. - 5. It is a step-by-step retelling of small details, not a summary.
A string of then … then … usually means every detail is being kept. A summary picks the main idea and a few key points. - 6. I think monarchs are the coolest insects.
A summary reports what the text says. Your own opinion belongs in a response, not a summary. The other three are facts from the passage. - 7. Each fall, Ontario's monarch butterflies fly thousands of kilometres to Mexico for the winter, and their offspring fly back north over several generations in spring.
It names the who, what, where and when in one sentence. Monarchs fly is too vague, the colour fact is not in the passage, and the sentence beginning In the passage copies the text and stops halfway. - 8. Kai wanted to win the spelling bee, but he mixed up their and there, so he practised with flash cards, and then he spelled every word right.
Somebody (Kai), Wanted (win), But (mixed up words), So (flash cards), Then (spelled every word right). The others are too vague, a run-on list, or an opinion. - 9. sort, blue box, plastic, paper, reuse
Key words carry the content of the topic. Small linking words, opinion words and order words help sentences flow but do not tell what the paragraph is about. - 10. Gina got dressed for the cold.
One general phrase covers the whole list. Gina packed misses most of it, red mitts is a new detail, and listing three of the actions just shortens the list. - 11. in the same order as the text
For steps or events, order matters, so keep it. Changing or dropping the order would confuse the reader. - 12. 2–4 sentences
A short summary of a short article is usually a few sentences: the main idea plus a few key points. Six paragraphs is the whole article, one word says too little, and there is no fixed word count. - 13. Sentences 2 and 4
Sentence 2 is an opinion and sentence 4 is a new fact the passage never mentioned. Sentences 1 and 3 are the main points. - 14. Because the main idea is not always in the first sentence, and copying is not using your own words.
Topic sentences are often first, but not always. A summary also needs your own words to show you understood. - 15. The summary changed a fact from the text.
A summary must be accurate. Own words are good, but the facts must stay the same. - 16. Rosa's kite would not fly until she found a windier place in the open field.
It gives the problem and the solution. The others give one small detail, an opinion or a list without the story. - 17. Example: Rosa wanted to fly her kite, but it would not stay up, so she tried new ideas until she moved to a windy field, where it soared.
Check that your sentence names who, the goal, the problem and how it was solved. - 18. Example: Each fall, monarch butterflies from Ontario fly to Mexico for the winter, and new generations fly back north in spring.
Replace vague words (somewhere, butterflies) with exact ones (Mexico, monarch butterflies) and add when. - 19. Example: Today we practised column subtraction in math and read a story told by a girl named Nadia. At recess it was cold, so we played tag to stay warm.
A good summary picks a few important events, not every moment. - 20. Because you have to decide what the main idea is and say it in your own words; if you cannot, you may need to reread.
Summarizing makes your understanding visible.