What is a Somebody Wanted But So Then generator?

A Somebody Wanted But So Then generator is an AI tool that creates SWBST summarizing organizers from a text description. With Figviz, you describe the story you want to summarize and the AI designs a clear five-part organizer you can print or display digitally, in seconds.

How do I make a SWBST organizer?

Type the story or text you want to summarize into the prompt box, include the grade level and any sentences you want in each part, choose a style (Classic, Colorful, or Minimal), then click Generate. Figviz produces a print-ready Somebody Wanted But So Then organizer. Refine the description and regenerate until it fits your lesson.

Is the SWBST generator free?

Yes. Every Figviz account starts with free credits you can use right away, no credit card required. Buying a pay-as-you-go credit pack removes the watermark and unlocks 4K export resolution for large poster printing. Credits never expire.

Can I generate a blank SWBST template?

Yes. Describe the layout you want, for example "a blank SWBST organizer with five empty labeled boxes and ruled lines," and Figviz will generate an empty template you can print and fill in by hand with your class. This is great for guided reading, independent practice, and interactive lessons where students help build the summary.

What grade levels is SWBST best for?

The Somebody Wanted But So Then strategy works well from about 2nd grade through middle school. Younger students use it to summarize picture books and short passages, while older students apply it to chapters and full novels. The structure stays the same, so it builds a reliable summarizing routine across grades.

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Somebody Wanted But So Then Generator SWBST Organizers

Describe any story and get a clear five-part Somebody Wanted But So Then summarizing organizer in seconds. Perfect for teaching summary writing. Print or share digitally.

Last updated: 2026-06-22

✓Five-part SWBST summary structure✓Poster-size print quality✓Classic, colorful and minimal styles✓Free for teachers

Somebody Wanted But So Then Generator

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SWBST Organizer Examples

Browse Somebody Wanted But So Then organizers made with Figviz, or generate your own above

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SWBST Five-Column Organizer

A five-column Somebody Wanted But So Then organizer with a clear heading and example sentence in each part, ready for summary writing practice.

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Blank SWBST Template

A clean blank SWBST template with five empty labeled boxes and ruled lines, ready for students to fill in by hand or digitally.

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SWBST Fairy Tale Example

A worked SWBST organizer summarizing a classic fairy tale, showing how each of the five parts captures one piece of the story.

readingfairy taleexample

SWBST Summary Strip

A compact horizontal SWBST summary strip with five connected boxes, ideal for gluing into reading notebooks.

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SWBST Anchor Poster

A classroom anchor poster that defines the Somebody Wanted But So Then strategy and explains the purpose of each part.

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SWBST Paragraph Frame

A SWBST paragraph frame that shows students how the five parts join together into a single written summary paragraph.

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What is the SWBST summarizing strategy?

Somebody Wanted But So Then, often shortened to SWBST, is a popular ELA summarizing strategy that helps students retell a story in just a few sentences. Each word stands for one part of the story: Somebody (the main character), Wanted (the character goal), But (the problem or conflict), So (the action taken), and Then (the resolution). By filling in a short sentence for each part, students produce a clear, complete summary without retelling every detail. A Somebody Wanted But So Then generator turns this framework into a ready-to-use organizer, so you can hand students a structured chart instead of drawing one by hand.

How to use the Somebody Wanted But So Then generator

Choose your story: type in the title or a short description of the text you want to summarize, for example "the Three Little Pigs" or "Chapter 4 of our class novel."

Add detail: mention the grade level and any sentences or key events you want included in each part.

Pick a style: Classic keeps things simple, Colorful uses bright color-coded boxes that catch students' eyes, and Minimal works well for clean digital displays.

Choose an orientation: portrait (3:4) suits a worksheet or wall poster, landscape (4:3) fits a projector or a horizontal summary strip, and square (1:1) exports cleanly for digital platforms.

Generate and refine: click Generate SWBST Organizer, then adjust your description and regenerate until the layout and wording match your lesson.

Download and print: export at 4K resolution for a crisp worksheet or large classroom poster.

The five parts of SWBST explained

Somebody: name the main character the summary will follow. Choosing one central character keeps the summary focused.

Wanted: state what that character wants or is trying to achieve. This sets up the goal that drives the story.

But: describe the problem, obstacle, or conflict that gets in the way of the goal.

So: explain what the character does in response to the problem. This is the main action of the story.

Then: tell how the story ends or how the problem is resolved. This closes the summary.

Classroom and reading uses

The SWBST strategy works across grade levels and text types. Use it after reading a picture book, a short passage, a chapter, or a whole novel to check comprehension quickly. It pairs well with guided reading groups, independent reading response journals, and whole-class read alouds. Because the structure is the same every time, students internalize a reliable summarizing routine they can apply to any story. Print the organizer as a worksheet for individual practice, project it for a shared write, or display the larger anchor poster version so the framework stays visible all year. Many teachers also use SWBST as a pre-writing step before students draft a full summary paragraph.

Can I get a blank SWBST template?

Yes. To generate a blank Somebody Wanted But So Then template, describe the layout you want, for example "a blank SWBST organizer with five empty labeled boxes and ruled lines for writing." Figviz will draw the five labeled sections with empty space you can fill in by hand after printing, or annotate digitally in any PDF editor. A blank template is ideal for co-creating a summary with students during a lesson, for independent reading time, or for assessing comprehension after a read aloud.

Frequently asked questions

SWBST stands for Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then. It is a summarizing strategy that helps students retell a story in a few sentences by identifying the main character (Somebody), the goal (Wanted), the problem (But), the action (So), and the resolution (Then).

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