Identifying Important Story Details

When you read a story, some parts matter more than others. You will learn how to point out the important people, the big events, and the facts that help the story make sense. Then you will use these details to explain the message the author wants you to know.

A story has many words, but not every word is a big detail. An important detail is something you need to know to understand the story. It might be a person, a place, something that happens, or a fact.

Think about a story where a boy plants a seed and waters it every day. The important details are the boy, the seed, and the watering. You do not need to remember every single word, just the parts that carry the story.

One way to find important details is to sort them into three groups: people, events, and facts.

People are the characters in the story, like a girl, a dog, or a whole family. Events are the things that happen, like a fall, a race, or a rainy day. Facts are true pieces of information the story tells you, like the size of an animal or the name of a town.

When you read, try asking yourself three questions: Who is in this story? What happens? What facts help me understand it? Answering these questions helps you find the details that matter most.

Once you have the important people, events, and facts, you can use them to explain the story's message. The message is the big idea the author wants to share with you.

For example, if a story is about a girl who tries three times to ride her bike and finally does it, the details are the girl, the falls, and the final success. Together, these details show a message: trying again and again can help you succeed.

You explain a message by saying what happened and then saying what it teaches. You could say, "The girl kept trying even when she fell. This shows that not giving up helps you learn new things."

A story map can help you sort your details before you explain the message. Look at the map below. It shows how "Who," "What Happened," and "Why It Matters" all lead to the main message.

You can use a map like this every time you read. Fill in the boxes first, then use them to say the message in your own words.

Important Detail: A piece of information you need to understand the story, such as a person, event, or fact.

Event: Something that happens in a story.

Fact: A true piece of information the story tells you.

Message: The big idea the author wants you to learn from the story.

Character: A person or animal that the story is about.

Read a short story and make three lists: people, events, and facts. Then look at your lists and try to say the message in one sentence.

You can also practice by picking your favorite story and asking a friend, "Who was in it, what happened, and what does it teach us?" Saying the message out loud helps you remember it. When you are ready for more, you can move on to Determining Central Message and Details, which builds on these same skills.

Related lessons

• Finding Key Details and Messages