Main idea & supporting details

Main Ideas and Supporting Details

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Supporting details

Support the main idea (facts, information, descriptions, actions, thought, statistics, explanations, illustrations, graphs, charts...).

Main Idea

What the passage is mostly about.

The most important thing about _ is _.

Detail 1: 
Detail 2: 
Detail 3: 

That is why _ is so important.

The most important thing about therapy is speaking. 

• You should always feel confortable with your therapist.

• The fact that you feel comfortable is going to let you tell him/her how you feel.

• I you don't feel confortable, look for someone else. 

Multiple Choice

Robots are being used in sumo wrestling contests. Sumo wrestling is a sport that started in Japan.

It takes place in a ring. Two players try to score points by holding each other down or pushing each

other out of the ring. Robot sumo uses robots instead of humans. The robot that scores the most

points wins.

Which of the following is a supporting detail of this paragraph?

• Robots are being used in sumo wrestling contests.

• Robot sumo contests are better than human sumo contests.

• Robot sumo uses robots instead of humans.

• Watching robot sumo is boring.

Multiple Choice

Robots are being used in sumo wrestling contests. Sumo wrestling is a sport that started in Japan.

It takes place in a ring. Two players try to score points by holding each other down or pushing each

other out of the ring. Robot sumo uses robots instead of humans. The robot that scores the most

points wins.

Which of the following is a supporting detail of this paragraph?

• Robots are being used in sumo wrestling contests.

• Robot sumo contests are better than human sumo contests.

• Robot sumo uses robots instead of humans.

• Watching robot sumo is boring.

Open Ended

Students compete in robot sumo contests. They learn how to build their own robots. They

compete against their classmates and students from other schools. To win, students must be

creative. They must have a good plan for defeating other robots.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

Open Ended

Students compete in robot sumo contests. They learn how to build their own robots. They

compete against their classmates and students from other schools. To win, students must be

creative. They must have a good plan for defeating other robots.

Which of the following is a supporting detail of this paragraph?

Multiple Choice

Topic sentences should provide a direction for the paragraphs sentences,

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

You run up and down the court. You have to be able to chase down the ball. Sometimes you play for five or six minutes straight without a time out.
Which of the options below would make a good topic sentence for this paragraph?

• Exercise is hard.
• Basketball is an athletic sport.
• I love the Lakers.
• I played basketball last Thanksgiving.

Multiple Choice

Select the best topic sentence for the paragraph.
When you bake cookies, you first have to make sure you have all the ingredients. Then you have to mix them together. Finally, you have to put them in the oven.

• Baking cookies is really easy to do.
• My grandma has the best cookies recipe.
• There are a few steps you must follow when making cookies.
• Cookies are easier to make than cake.

Multiple Choice

Topic sentence is usually the __________ sentence.

• Second

• Third

• First

Multiple Choice

What are the sentences called that tell more about the topic sentence? 

• conclusion 
• main idea 
• supporting details 
• paragraph

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is most likely the topic sentence of the paragraph?

Growing a garden can be fun, good exercise, and will provide fresh fruits and vegetables for the gardener. It is interesting to watch the seeds pop their heads above the soil for the first time. It is sometimes hard to believe that a little seed can become a large vine or plant in just a few weeks. Planting the seeds and pulling weeds are good exercise for anyone. Then, after watching the plant grow and produce, the gardener ends up with delicious tomatoes, beans, or other yummy produce from the garden.

• Growing a garden can be fun, good exercise, and will provide fresh fruits and vegetables for the gardener.

• It is interesting to watch the seeds pop their heads above the soil for the first time.

• It is sometimes hard to believe that a little seed can become a large vine or plant in just a few weeks.

• Planting the seeds and pulling weeds are good exercise for anyone.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is most likely the topic sentence of the paragraph?

The rides at the fair are awesome! Everyone can find something they enjoy doing. Many people gather to watch the bull riding. Others like to watch the dogs herding the sheep. Everyone comes for the food and dessert. The county fair is a great place for entertainment and fun.

• The rides at the fair are awesome!

• Everyone can find something they enjoy doing.

• Everyone comes for the food and dessert.

• The county fair is a great place for entertainment and fun.

Multiple Choice

Choose the best topic sentence for the paragraph.

For example, a person can have breakfast in New York, board an airplane, and have dinner in Paris. A businesswoman in London can instantly place an order with a factory in Hong Kong by sending a fax. Furthermore, a schoolboy in Tokyo can turn on a TV and watch a baseball game being played in Los Angeles.

• Airplanes have changed our lives.

• Advances in technology have made the world seem smaller.

• The fax machine was an important invention.

• Global lifestyles are evolving.

Multiple Choice

Select the supporting detail that doesn't fit.
Topic Sentence: My cat is afraid of everything.

• He hides under the couch when you turn the microwave on.
• He sleeps all day long.
• He runs away when you sweep the floor.
• He jumps every time the doorbell rings.

Multiple Choice

Which supporting detail best supports this topic sentence?
Dora the Explorer is an educational show for kids.

• She has a really cute monkey named Boots.
• Dora's purple backpack holds all of her tools.
• Dora helps teach kids Spanish words.
• She usually stops Swiper from swiping. 

Multiple Choice

What are you looking for when a question asks you to provide textual evidence?

• a piece of writing like an article, poem, or story
• proof
• clues (proof) within the text 

Multiple Choice

How does a person make an inference?

• Makes a guess and hopes for the best.

• Makes a guess based on what the text says + his own experiences.

• Asks the teacher for help.

Multiple Choice

Which supporting detail best supports this topic sentence?

Elle Woods taught us that you can do anything you put your mind to.

• She got into law school and became a lawyer even though no one believed in her.

• Her best friend works at a salon, so she always looks good.

• Elle really likes to socialize and have fun.

• Out of all of the things, Elle loves her dog, Bruiser, the most.

Multiple Choice

Which supporting detail best supports this topic sentence?

It takes a lot of hard work to become a professional athlete.

• The pros live the good life.

• People like professional football players make a lot of money.

• Professional athletes spend countless hours practicing their sports.

• All of us can be professional athletes.