Summarizing Fiction vs. Nonfiction
Setting: Where does the story take
place?
Characters: Who is the story
about?
Beginning: What happened?
Middle: What happened?
End: What happened?
Theme: What was the overall lesson
learned or message the author wanted
you to get?
Summarizing Fiction Practice
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a princess was sitting alone in a castle. For years, the princess had been
locked away with no one there to talk to. One night, she heard a mysterious tapping coming from the boards
beneath her bed. Curious, the princess peered into the darkness under her mattress. In her gaze, she saw a
floor board gently moving up and down in the dim light. In fear, the princess stumbled away from the
movement over to the other corner of her room. Paralyzed by her fright, the princess kept a stern eye on her
bed, still hearing the tapping. For hours, she did nothing but stare. As night fell, the only light that lit her room
came from a small, waxy candle. The flame glimmered low, casting a faint light on the small room. Her eyes
remained on the bed, drooping with exhaustion. Just as she was about to slip off into her slumber, a grey and
wrinkly hand flung out from beneath her mattress.
Directions: Highlight or underline the key information (beginning, middle, end). Then summarize the story in
3-5 sentences.
Summary: ____________________________________________________________________
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