MAIN IDEA AND DETAILS
The main idea (or point)
is that the man is a
terrible pet owner.
The main idea is vividly
supported by the dog’s
three specific reasons.
Main idea
1
2
3
Here are four strategies that will help you find the
main idea.
1 Find the topic first.
2 Look for general versus specific ideas. The
general statement will be the main idea.
3 Use key words to lead you to the main idea.
4 Make sure the main idea is about the WHOLE
passage.
1. Find the topic first
The topic is the general subject of a selection. It can often
be expressed in one or more words.
The main idea always contains the topic.
Many times, the topic will be the heading of the passage.
But there are many times when you are not given
topics—with individual paragraphs in articles or
textbooks for example.To find the topic of a selection
when the topic is not given, ask this simple
question:
Who or what is the selection
about?
1 Symbols can have a tremendously powerful emotional impact upon
us, instantly conveying many feelings and ideas. 2 Symbols like the cross,
the Star of David, or the star-and-crescent immediately make us think of
the Christian, Jewish, or Muslim religions. 3 This may be why burning an
American flag often arouses more anger than does an attack on the
values for which the flag actually stands. 4 Another symbol with terrible
power is the swastika. 5 Until this century, the swastika was an innocent
traditional symbol found in many cultures. 6 Then it became the symbol
of Nazi terror. 7 Today, the very sight of a swastika can send chills down
our spines.
What is the paragraph about?
WHAT IS THE TOPIC?
2. GENERAL VS SPECIFIC
•
General
Specific
Specific
General
General
Attending college can help you make friends.
A college degree will help you get a higher paying job.
College has many beneficial outcomes.
A college degree helps you earn respect.
College will improve the way you think.
3. Use key words to help you find the main idea.
First to note are list words, which tell you a list of items is
to follow.
The main idea in the paragraph about gossip was stated like this:
However, it actually serves several important functions in
the human community.
The expression several important functions helps you
zero in on your target: the main idea.
List Words
Many other list-word expressions are possible—“four
kinds of,” “some advantages of, ” “three reasons for,” and
so on. If you see a sentence with a word group like the
ones above, you’ve probably found the main idea.
Here are some common word groups that often announce a
main idea:
List Words
Note that each of them contains a word that ends in s—a
plural that suggests the supporting details will be a list of
items.
What are the list words in each of the sentences below?
1. Researchers have identified two factors that play a
significant role in our dreams.
2. Several steps can help you overcome the fear of
speaking and become an effective speaker.
3. Three key differences exist between the House and the
Senate.
Each of these phrases tells you that a list of details
will follow.
In addition to list words, addition words can alert you to the main
idea.
Addition words are generally used right
before a supporting detail.
Here is a list of words that often introduce major
supporting details and help you discover the main idea:
Addition Words
When you see this type of clue, you can assume that the detail it
introduces fits under the umbrella of a main idea.
•
•
As you read the paragraph below, look for the main idea.
4. Make sure the main idea is about the WHOLE passage
Today, most people in the Western world use a fork to eat. But before the
eighteenth century, using a fork was highly discouraged. Most people in Europe ate
with their hands. People from the upper class used three fingers, while the
commoners ate with five. When an inventor from Tuscany created a miniature
pitchfork for eating, Europeans thought that it was a strange utensil. Men who used a
fork were often ridiculed and considered feminine. Priests called out against the fork,
claiming that only human hands were worthy to touch the food God had blessed
them with. One wealthy noblewoman shocked clergymen by eating with a fork she
designed herself. Over dinner, they accused her of being too excessive. When the
woman died from the plague a few days later, the priests claimed her death was a
punishment from the heavens. They warned others that using a fork could bring
them the same fate.Which sentence contains the main idea?
As you read the paragraph below, look for the main idea.
Each year, as days grow shorter and nights grow colder, animals take
action to survive the winter. Many animals fly, swim, or walk hundreds or
thousands of miles to the south in search of a warm winter home. Earthworms
travel too slowly to make a long journey to warmer regions. But they will die
if they get trapped in the frozen ground. To survive a brutal winter,
earthworms practice vertical migration. They move from dirt that’s close to the
surface to dirt that’s deeper down. Each fall, the same instinct that sends geese
flying south causes earthworms to start moving downward. As little barbs that
stick out of their bodies poke into the dirt, the earthworms contract their
muscles. This moves them downward to a point where they’re below the soil
that will freeze in the winter. Only after winter passes and soil overhead warms
up to 36 degrees or more do the earthworms tunnel back upward.
Which sentence contains the main idea?
A major study of firstborn children reveals that they tend to be superachievers who strive very hard to make their families proud. 2 It was
discovered that of the country’s first twenty-three astronauts, an
amazing twenty-one were firstborn in their families. 3 Also, slightly
more than half—52 percent—of our presidents were firstborn
children. 4 Less positive is the fact that firstborns are under a lot of
pressure to succeed, because their families often pin their hopes and
dreams on them. 5 Also, as the eldest, they are expected to “set an
example” for their younger brothers and sisters. 6 Furthermore,
these firstborns sometimes have trouble with personal relationships
because they learned to be very independent and to enjoy doing
things on their own—since they were the only children in their families
until their younger brothers and sisters were born. 7 The conclusion of
the study is that being a firstborn child is a mixed blessing, having
positive as well as some negative aspects.
1 In the late 1980s, concern about the deadly effects of illegal drugs became a top
national issue. 2 Politicians loudly proclaimed a “war on drugs,” and TV news shows carried
regular reports about the fatal toll of drugs, especially “crack” cocaine. 3 These drugs do have a
terrible effect on individuals and society, but the facts about them are somewhat different from
their popular image. 4 Each year, about two thousand people die from heroin overdoses, and
about three thousand die from cocaine-related causes. 5 At the same time, 50,000 people die
every year because of alcohol—including thousands of innocent victims of drunk drivers. 6
Additionally, a third of a million people die every year from cancer due to smoking cigarettes.
A. In the late 1980s, politicians proclaimed a “war on drugs.”
B. Our “war on drugs” ignores the two deadliest (though legal) drugs, alcohol and
tobacco.
C. Thousands of people die each year from heroin overdoses and cocaine-related
causes.
D. More people die each year from alcohol-related causes than from cocaine related causes.
The female black widow spider is not as terrible a killer as is
generally believed. While the creature is certainly poisonous,
she is also very shy and will bite humans only when she feels
cornered. Also, the idea that the black widow always kills the
male after mating is untrue. The male is often spared-if he
remembers to tap out a special signal as he ventures onto his
mate’s web. The vibrations on the web let her know he is one
of her own kind, not an insect to be rushed at and killed.
Topic?
A. The female black widow spider
B. Poisonous spiders
C. The fate of the male black widow spider
WHAT’S THE MAIN IDEA?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, has conducted a
wide-scale survey in eleven states to determine teenagers’ knowledge
about AIDS. Half of the teens surveyed believe a person can get AIDS
through giving blood. Almost three-quarters of teenagers think that
AIDS can be gotten from a simple blood test. And half believe that the
disease can be easily contracted from a public toilet. None of these
beliefs is well-founded.
A.
According to one survey, many teens have a poor understanding of
how people get AIDS.
B. The Center for Disease Control conducted a survey to discover teens’
knowledge about AIDS.
C. Teenagers have a poor understanding of sexually transmitted
diseases.
According to scientists, cockroaches evolved about 300 million years ago,
which means they saw the dinosaurs come and go and later watched
people emerge on Earth. If you wonder how such little creatures have
lasted so long, consider the fact that they can live in a refrigerator or in
extreme heat. They can develop resistance to poisons faster than
scientists can develop new ones. And they can live for two months on
water alone or go for five months without water. Furthermore, they are
quick to escape from danger. The takeoff time for a threatened cockroach
has been timed at 54/1000th of a second.
A. Cockroaches evolved about 300 million years ago.
B. Cockroaches can live in a wide variety of temperatures and quickly
develop resistance to poisons.
C. Cockroaches have survived for millions of years because they can adapt
to a wide variety of circumstances and react quickly to danger.
A. Some pesticides have been linked to cancer and other health problems
B. Pesticides can be very harmful.
C. Pesticides kill plants and animals other than the pests they are intended for.
D. They can be very dangerous to both people and the environment.