Retell a Story in My Own Words
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What you will learn
- 1Identify the four key parts of a story — who, setting, problem, and solution
- 2Retell a story in your own words using the four parts in the correct order
- 3Use retell starter sentences to organize your retell clearly
Mini Lesson
When you finish reading a story, can you tell someone what happened — without looking at the book? That is called a retell. A good retell covers the four key parts of every story.
The four key parts of a story
- Who — the main character (or characters). Who is the story about?
- Setting — where and when the story happens. Is it a farm? A city? Long ago or today?
- Problem — the challenge or conflict the main character faces. What goes wrong or what does the character need?
- Solution — how the problem is fixed. What does the character do? How does the story end?
How to retell in the right order
- Start with Who and Setting — introduce the character and the world.
- Then explain the Problem — what challenge did the character face?
- Finally, describe the Solution — how was the problem solved, and how did the story end?
- Use retell starters: "This story is about… The story takes place… The problem is… In the end…"
Retelling vs. summarizing
- A retell includes the main events in order — it is a little longer.
- A summary gives just the most important idea in one or two sentences.
- Both use your own words — not the exact words from the book.
Words to know
Retell
Telling what happened in a story using your own words, covering the main parts in order
e.g. After reading, I retold the story using who, setting, problem, and solution.
Who
The main character or characters of the story
e.g. The main character is Old Ben, the lighthouse keeper.
Setting
Where and when the story takes place
e.g. The story takes place on a rocky island on a foggy December night.
Problem
The challenge or conflict the main character faces
e.g. The warning bell broke and a boat was heading for the rocks.
Solution
How the problem is fixed — how the story ends
e.g. Pip the dog barked loudly and the captain turned the boat away.
Retell frame
The four-part structure (who, setting, problem, solution) that helps organize a retell
e.g. Using the retell frame, I could tell the whole story in order.
Ask yourself: "Who? Where and when? What was the problem? How was it solved?"
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