main idea and supporting details

The main idea is the central point or message that the author wants to convey in a text.

Supporting details are facts, examples, or descriptions that help explain or reinforce the main idea.

Look for the topic sentence, which often states the main idea, and consider the supporting details that follow.

The Richter scale measures the intensity of earthquakes, comparing their strength.

It usually means that the earthquake cannot be felt.

They teach the tiny gorillas how to get along with other gorillas.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main idea of a paragraph.

The main idea is the primary point of the text, while supporting details provide evidence or examples to back up that point.

The Earth's surface is always changing.

A detail that does not relate to the main idea or topic sentence.