Summary writing examples

A summary is like a highlight reel of a text—it captures the main points and leaves out unnecessary details. But a good summary goes beyond just condensing words.

Think of it as distilling the core message, including subtext and context, so your reader doesn’t have to dig back into the original text.

It’s about reading between the lines to grasp what the author is saying and presenting it clearly in your own words.

Step 1: Dive into the Text

The first step to a solid summary is understanding the original text.

• Read it once. Get the general idea—no pressure to absorb every detail just yet.
• Read it again. This time, focus on structure and key points.

  Highlight or jot down sentences that stand out, like the thesis or topic sentences.

• Categorize it. Is it an article?
  Summary writing format

  A story? An essay? Identifying its purpose helps you figure out what’s most important.

Step 2: Identify the Big Ideas

Now that you’ve grasped the text, it’s time to pull out the essentials:

• Find the key points. These are often in topic s
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