GED RLA: How to Summarize a Passage
A good summary captures the most important information from a passage without repeating every detail. This is an important reading skill because GED RLA questions may require you to understand the central message and distinguish major points from minor information.
Start With the Main Idea
Before writing a summary, determine what the passage is mainly about. Ask: What is the author primarily trying to communicate? Your answer should be broad enough to represent the passage as a whole.
Select Important Details
After identifying the main idea, choose only the details that help explain or support it. You usually do not need:
- Every example
- Minor descriptions
- Repeated information
- Unimportant numbers
- Personal reactions
Don't Add Your Opinion
A summary should represent the original passage. Avoid inserting your own judgment unless the question specifically asks for analysis or evaluation.
Keep It Concise
A summary should be shorter than the original passage. If your “summary” is almost as long as the passage itself, you probably included too many details.
Avoid Changing the Meaning
Being concise does not mean leaving out information that changes the author's message. Make sure your summary accurately reflects the original.
A Simple Method
Try this process:
- Identify the topic.
- 2. Identify the main idea.
- 3. Select two or three important supporting points.
- 4. Combine them into a short explanation.
Practice With Short Articles
Read a short passage and write a two- or three-sentence summary. Then compare your summary with the original. Ask:
- Did I capture the main idea?
- Did I include important evidence?
- Did I add anything that wasn't supported?
- Did I include unnecessary details?
Final Takeaway
A strong GED RLA summary is accurate, concise, and focused on the passage's central message. Identify the main idea first, then choose only the details that help communicate it.
