What is the
Main Idea?
The main idea of a paragraph,
series of paragraphs, or a whole
work is what the selection is
mostly or mainly about. It is an
important idea that the author
wants the reader to remember.
The main idea should be captured
in a single sentence.
Dogs are man’s best friend.
Finding the
Main Idea
Some main ideas are stated
directly in the text. They are
sometimes found at the beginning
or the end of a paragraph. They
can also be found in the middle of
the paragraph.
Other main ideas must be inferred
from the text. A reader must think
about the topic and look at what
the details are mostly about.
Determining the
Main Idea
1) Identify the topic.
– A topic is 1 – 3 words that tell the
subject.
– What word(s) sums up the text?
2) Find the key details.
– Details answer the questions who,
what, where, when, why, and how.
– What are most of the details about?
3) Make a main idea statement with the
topic.
– A main idea is a general statement
that tells what the paragraph, series
of paragraphs, or whole text is all
about.
– What statement sums up the text?
An Edible
Analogy
Supporting details are like the
extra toppings - the pickles, onions,
cheese, tomato, ketchup, and
mustard - added onto a hamburger.
They all work together to make the
hamburger more tasty. However, all of
these supporting details relate to one
central main idea.
An Edible
Analogy
The hamburger is the central
or main idea.
Think of the main idea as the big
picture. A hamburger wouldn’t be a
hamburger without the bun and the patty.
Category Sort
Answer Key
Clothing
Sports
Animals
Space
Sweater
Soccer
Lion
Astronaut
Shirt
Hockey
Parrot
Moon
Socks
Baseball
Giraffe
Stars
Shoes
Football
Elephant
Rocket
Jeans
Tennis
Monkey
Gravity