Main Idea & Summary

Front

What is the main idea of a text?

Back

The main idea is the central point or the most important concept that the author wants to convey.

Front

What is a summary?

Back

A summary is a short retelling of a text that includes the main ideas and key supporting details, written in your own words.

Front

What do supporting details do?

Back

Supporting details provide important information, facts, or examples that help explain or reinforce the main idea.

Front

How many supporting details should you usually find?

Back

You should usually be able to find three supporting details.

Front

What is an example of a main idea?

Back

'iPhones make the best cellphones' is an example of a main idea.

Front

What is the relationship between main idea and summary?

Back

The main idea plus key supporting details equals a summary.

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What is a key supporting detail?

Back

A key supporting detail is an important fact or example that helps to explain or support the main idea.

Front

What does it mean to infer?

Back

To infer means to make a logical conclusion based on evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statements.

Front

What is the difference between a summary and a prediction?

Back

A summary retells the main ideas of a text, while a prediction is a guess about what will happen next.

Front

What is an example of a supporting detail?

Back

An example of a supporting detail could be a fact or statistic that backs up the main idea.