retell

Retell is a verb meaning to tell again or recount a story or event in one’s own words. It can refer to narrating something heard or read, or to producing a new version of a narrative. The related noun is retelling, and works that present such revisions are often called retellings. The word stems from the prefix re- meaning “again” plus tell, with the verb’s traditional forms: present retell, past tense retold, past participle retold, and present participle retelling. The origin of tell lies in Old English, and retell as a compound appears in English over time.

In practice, retelling is common in education, literature, and media. In classrooms, students are asked to retell a story to demonstrate comprehension, focusing on elements such as setting, characters, sequence of events, and theme. In literature, retellings adapt or reimagine source material, including fairy tales, myths, or historical events, often shifting perspective, details, or tone while preserving core ideas.

Retell differs from related activities. Retelling preserves narrative detail and vehicles interpretation or modification, whereas summarizing condenses content to essential points, and paraphrasing rewords the original text without changing its organization. Retellings can be oral or written and may produce new variations that reflect the storyteller’s language, culture, or purpose.

See also: summarizing, paraphrasing, and retelling as a narrative technique.