Understanding Main Ideas and Supporting Details

What is the main idea often referred to as?

• Topic

• Evidence

• Conclusion

• Supporting detail

Where can the main idea of a paragraph be located?

• Only at the beginning

• Only in the middle

• Only at the end

• At the beginning, middle, or end

What common theme did all the activities in the summer vacation story share?

• They were all with family

• They all occurred during summer vacation

• They all involved sports

• They were all outdoors

What proves that the author loves skiing?

• References to ski equipment

• Details about feelings while skiing

• Descriptions of the ski lodge

• Mentions of winter

What was special about the bedroom in the new home story?

• It was fully furnished

• It had a view of a lake

• It was the largest

• It was on the ground floor

What is the main idea of the first Cinderella paragraph?

• Cinderella's father remarried

• Cinderella and her father loved each other

• Cinderella's life was happy

• Cinderella lost her mother

How did Cinderella's stepmother treat her?

• Poorly

• Generously

• With kindness

• Indifferently

What did the prince appreciate about Cinderella?

• Her dress

• Her kindness

• Her appearance

• Her dancing skills

What should you look for to find the main idea?

• Complex words

• Author's name

• Grammatical errors

• Supporting details

Why is identifying the main idea important?

• To write better stories

• To critique the author

• To memorize the story

• To understand the story better