Main Ideas and
Supporting Details
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Distinguish between specific and general words
Distinguish between specific and general sentences
Identify the topic of a paragraph
Identify the controlling thought in a paragraph
Identify the topic sentence in the paragraph
Infer the main idea when a topic sentence is absent
Paraphrase the main idea
Identify supporting details in a paragraph
Use transition words to help understand the
organization of the paragraph
A paragraph is a group of
related sentences about a
single topic:
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TOPIC: the subject of the whole
paragraph
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MAIN IDEA: the point that the whole
paragraph makes
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DETAILS: the sentences that explain the
main idea
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TRANSITIONS: words and phrases to
connect the ideas
Identifying Main Ideas
General vs. Specific
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The main idea in a paragraph is a general
idea. In contrast, the supporting
information in a paragraph is made up of
specific ideas and details.
To improve your skill at finding main
ideas, you need to practice distinguishing
between general and specific ideas.
The general idea includes all the specific
ideas.
Check It Out…
See if you can identify
the general word in
each group.
a) jealousy hatred emotion
worry
b) spiders cockroaches
mosquitoes insects
c) chemistry science physics
biology
Answers and
Explanations
a) The general idea is
"emotions" because it includes
all of the others as examples.
b) The general idea is
"insects" because it includes
all of the others as examples.
c) The general idea is
"science" because it includes
all of the others as examples.
Identify main topics and
ideas:
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General ideas: broad ideas that apply
to a large number of individual items
– Clothing
– Pies
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Specific ideas or terms: more detailed
or particular; referring to an individual
item
– Scarf
– Apple, cherry, chocolate cream
Identifying Main Ideas
Which are general?
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Soda, coffee,
beverage, wine
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Pounds, ounces,
kilograms, weights
Soap operas, news,
TV programs, sports
special
Sociology, social
sciences, anthropology,
psychology
Identifying Main Ideas
The main idea is the most
general statement about the
topic:
People differ in numerous ways.
They differ according to physical
characteristics, such as height,
weight, and hair color. They also
differ in personality. Some people
are friendly and easygoing. Others
are more reserved and formal.
Which is the most general statement?
Identifying Main Ideas
What is the topic of the
following?
Nutrition is the process of taking in and using
food for growth, repair, and maintenance of
the body. The science of nutrition is the
study of foods and how the body uses them.
Many North Americans define nutrition as
eating a healthful diet. But what is healthful?
Our food choices may be influenced by fads,
advertising, or convenience. We may reflect
on the meaning of nutrition while pushing a
cart down a supermarket aisle, or while
making a selection from a restaurant menu.
Finding the Main Idea
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Locate the Topic--person, place, object,
idea
Locate the Most General Sentence-the topic sentence
– Topic Sentence First (usually)
– Topic Sentence Last (second in
frequency)
– Topic Sentence in the Middle
– Topic Sentence First and Last (last =
emphasis)
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Study the Details—all the sentences in a
paragraph must relate/support/explain the
Identifying Main Ideas
main idea.
Inferring Unstated Main
Ideas
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Find the topic.
Decide what the writer wants you to
know about the topic.
Express this idea in your own words.
Identifying Main Ideas
Recognizing Supporting
Details
MAIN IDEA
Level 1
Supporting Detail
names the topic
Level 2
Clarifying Sentences
support main point
Level 3
Completing Sentences
add specific details
Level 1
Supporting Detail
Level 1
Supporting Detail
Types of Supporting Details
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Examples, Illustrations
Facts and Statistics
Reasons
Incident
Descriptive Details
Steps or Procedures
Comparison or Contrast
Facts and Statistics
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Facts and statistics
indicate verifiable
information to
support the
author’s thesis—
that the main idea
is correct.
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GS Although
nearly every war
has been fought
with the idea that
it will be the last,
the history of
civilization has
proved otherwise.
SP From 1500
B.C. to 1860 A.D.,
there were at least
8000 wars.