Finding the Main Idea
Once you know the subject of a
paragraph, ask yourself, “What’s the
main idea?”
Main Idea in the First Sentence
• In opening paragraph from “Living Like Weasels,”
main idea comes in the sentence that begins the
paragraph: “A weasel is wild.”
• The rest of the paragraph gives some details or
examples of the wildness.
• You can use an organizer to help you understand
Dillard’s paragraph and sift the main idea from the
details.
Web
Subject:
weasels
won't release
their bite
weasels are
wild
sleep with
their tails
ov er their
noses
f ierce
hunters and
killers
stay in their
dens f or
hours
Main Idea in the Last Sentence
• Writers sometimes prefer to write by
showing several examples or details and
then giving their main idea.
• As a reader, you need to recognize what’s
most important. That will be the main idea.
Main Idea in Last Sentence
When I reported for duty in the small town of
Dubno, on the Russian border, my Second Squadron
of Horse Artillary had already left and was in its
battle position on the opposite side of the country,
facing the German barracks. When I left early in the
morning to have breakfast in the officers’ mess on
Friday, September 1, 1939, I saw another officer
running toward me. Waving his hands he shouted
excitedly: “The war has started – the fighting started
at 5 A.M.!”
Main Idea in Last Sentence
• Here the main idea comes in a dramatic statement
at the very end of the paragraph: The war has
begun.
• This main idea – the beginning of the war– is what
connects everything else in the paragraph.
• The other sentences give details.
• They tell the author’s location (Dubno), his squad
(Second Horse Artillary), the day (September 1,
1939), and how he learned about the beginning of
the war (from an officer).
Build up to the Main Idea
• 1. In Dubno
• 2. second squadron
• 3. September 1, 1939
• 4. Officer running
• 5. war starting