Main Idea and Supporting Details Practice

The broad thing the passage is mostly about is called the

• main idea

• topic

• plot

• key detail

Which of the following is an example of a topic?

• Bears are huge and scary

• Bears

• Some bears are brown

• Bears can be dangerous

a statement that tells what a passage is mostly about

• Topic
• Claim
• Main Idea
• Transitional sentence

How can you find the main idea in an informational text?

• Analyze the title, headings, subheadings, first and last paragraphs, and repeated keywords or phrases.

• Focus only on the subheadings.

• Ignore the title and headings.

• Read only the first paragraph.

The main idea is "Pools can be fun but dangerous." Which of the following is NOT a supporting detail?

• You can play games in a pool like Marco Polo.

• People can drown in a pool if they don't know how to swim and are left unsupervised.

• We went swimming at my aunt's house last week.

• Diving into the shallow end of a pool can cause injury to the neck and spine.

Descriptions of people, places and things that support the main idea are called

• subjects

• details

• paragraphs

• topics

Ice cream is a popular dessert. It comes in many different flavors and can be eaten in a variety of ways. Some people like to put different toppings on their ice cream, such as sprinkles or chocolate dip. Vanilla and chocolate are two of the most popular flavors. However ice cream is eaten, it's always delicious!

What is the topic?

• ice cream

• ice cream is a popular dessert

• sprinkles

• flavors of ice cream

If you are feeling sad, you can make yourself feel better by doing a few simple things. You can take a walk (or get another form of exercise), you can talk to a friend, or you can write down your feelings. Writing down the good things in your life will help too. Doing something good for someone else will also help you feel better. If you still feel a little sad, act happy. It works like magic to make you feel better!
What is the main idea?

• Sometimes people feel sad.
• You should do good things for others.
• We're not always happy.
• There are many ways to make yourself feel better. 

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. 

Mark wanted to be a great skater. But he didn't want to spend the hours practicing. He wished he could just do the tricks easily. Mark's dream was to have everyone stop and stare when he entered the skate park. He  wanted them to say, "Mark is the best skater in the whole world."
What is the main idea?

• Mark wants everyone to think he's a great skater without doing the hard work.
• Mark practices very hard to become a great skater.
• Mark is the best skater at the park.
• Mark wants to learn how to skate so he can compete.