Write a summary of a story that states the topic and only the most important events, in the reader's own words.
A summary tells what a story is mostly about in just a few sentences -- it is the version you would give a friend who has never heard the story and has about ten seconds to listen. A good summary is short, but it is also complete: it should not leave out anything truly important.
A complete summary has four ingredients: the topic, the most important events in order, the writer's own words, and nothing else. That means no tiny details (the color of someone's shirt) and no personal opinions (whether you liked what a character did) -- just what actually happened, and only the parts that matter most.
Mastery looks like: They can write a two- to three-sentence summary of a short story that names the topic and only the most important events, in their own words.
Common stumbles: Including too many small details or personal opinions instead of sticking to the most important events.
See it visually
Interactive, spoken-aloud tools that show this idea in motion.