Theme vs. Main Idea

Front

What is the main idea of a story?

Back

The main idea is what the story is mostly about.

Front

What is a theme in literature?

Back

The theme is the message, lesson, or moral of a story.

Front

What does the main idea focus on?

Back

The main idea focuses on the overall point or summary of the text.

Front

How can you identify the theme of a story?

Back

You can identify the theme by looking for the underlying message or moral that the author conveys.

Front

What is an example of a theme?

Back

An example of a theme is 'Never give up on something that is important to you.'

Front

What is the difference between main idea and theme?

Back

The main idea tells what the story is about, while the theme conveys a deeper message or lesson.

Front

In the sentence, 'When Julia fell off the monkey bars and broke her arm, she was terrified to go to the emergency room,' what is the main idea?

Back

The main idea is Julia's fear of going to the emergency room after her accident.

Front

In the story about Chris returning the wallet, what is the theme?

Back

The theme is 'Honesty is the best policy.'

Front

What type of questions help identify the main idea?

Back

Questions that ask 'What is this text mostly about?' help identify the main idea.

Front

What type of questions help identify the theme?

Back

Questions that ask 'What lesson can be learned from this story?' help identify the theme.