Main Idea & Key Details

The broad/general thing that a book is about is called the:

• key detail

• main idea

• plot

• subject or topic

Which of the following is a example of a subject/topic of a book?

• Dolphins can communicate with one another.

• dolphins

• Whistling is one way that dolphins talk to each other.

• Have you ever heard a dolphin?

Which question would be most helpful for figuring out the subject/topic of a book?

• When was the book published?

• How many paragraphs are there in the book?

• What is the main problem in the book?

• What is the book mostly about?

What is a main idea?

• The main problem in a story or informational text.

• A main question that a writer tries to answer in a text.

• The main character in a story.

• The main point or message that a writer is trying to say.

Which of the following is an example of a main idea of a book?

• Sparky, a dog who fights fires.

• I read a story about Duke, a police dog.

• Slap Jake is my favorite comic book hero.

• Gary is a brave beagle that fights crime in New York.

Which question would be most helpful for figuring out the main idea of a book?

• What is the main thing the author wants to say?

• Who is the author?

• What is my opinion?

• What else do I know about the subject?

Descriptions of people, places, or things that support the main idea are called __________.

• characters

• key details

• morals

• opinions

The main idea of a book is "plants need sunlight to grow." Which of these is a key detail that supports the main idea?

• My favorite kind of plant is the Venus fly trap.

• There are many different species of plants on Earth.

• Plans that get more sunlight grow taller than plants that sit in the dark.

• Jessica sat in the sun and looked at her garden.

The main idea of a text is usually ________.

• one word

• a sentence

• unrelated to the subject

• not supported by details.

True or False: You can only find main ideas in fictional stories.

• True

• False