Practice identifying the main idea and supporting details in a text, and build comprehension skills that will help you better understand what you read.
Reading and Understanding: Main Idea and Details
When reading a passage, it is important to focus on the main idea and details. The main idea is the overall message the author is conveying. Details are the smaller pieces of information that support the main idea.
What is the main idea of a passage?
*Overall; Summary; Conclusion
To identify the main idea, look for a sentence or two that sums up the entire passage. This sentence should express the author's viewpoint or message in a clear and concise way.
What are details?
Examples; Summary; Conclusion
Details are the smaller pieces of information that support the main idea. These can include facts, examples, or descriptions that give more information about the main idea.
Why is it important to focus on main idea and details?
*To understand the passage better; To memorize everything; To get a good grade
Focusing on the main idea and details can help you better understand the information being presented in the passage. It also helps you to retain the information better and make connections between different parts of the passage.