Example Paragraph
Mary Lightfoot always knew exactly what she was going to be in life. As soon as she learned to speak she told everyone she was going to be a ballerina. On turning three, she demanded to be taken to classes. At four years of age she was the star of the Tiny-Tots Dance School . By the time she was nine she was dancing child-roles in adult productions of the classics. As a 12-year-old she became the youngest recipient of a State Ballet Scholarship. Now, at an age when most teenagers are searching for an identity, Mary is dancing leading roles with the State Ballet Company. She has trained hard and long to reach the top, but always knew she would get what she wanted. |
could be summarised:
Summary 1
A girl decided from a very early age that she was going to be a classical ballerina. She started to dance at preschool-age, continued serious training through her primary and secondary school-age years. Now a teenager, she is a talented ballerina whose success at State level is due to her hard work and constant resolve. (57 words) |
Summary 2
From a very early age, a girl decided to be a classical ballerina, so she trained hard from the time she was a preschooler and now she is a teenage success. (31 words) |
Both are summaries; however:
There is no simple answer. More often than not it is a matter of finding a suitable balance in retaining detail.