Main Idea

What is a main idea? 

• The purpose of the passage

• A minor detail

• It is the same as the topic

• the most important idea about a topic that a particular text or paragraph conveys

What is the main idea?

• There are many fun things to do at the beach.

• It is also fun to look for shells.

• Some people simply like to sunbathe.

• Going to the beach to swim can be fun.

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.  Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball.  They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score.  Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates.
What is the main idea?

• They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score.

• Soccer players learn how to dribble.

• They learn how to work together as teammates.

• Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.

A bat can fly at night or even with its eyes closed.  But if you cover its ears, it can't fly very well.  Bats make sounds that people can't hear.  The bats find their way by listening to these sounds as they echo off things.  Bats even locate insects to eat by following the sounds that bounce off the bugs.  People use their eyes, but bats use their ears to know where they're going.  This paragraph mainly tells:

• how bats use sound

• what things bats often eat as food

• how bats fly toward people

• how people can hear the sounds of bats

Read the following details and determine the main idea of the words.
-theater
-candy
-popcorn
-dark

• Playing at the park.

• Going to school.

• Playing a soccer game.

• Going to the movies.

Weather reporters have to give out a lot of information. That's why they use pictures. The pictures help them tell us about the weather without using so many words. Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is. They need to know where the warm air is. They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area. Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short. The pictures help weather reporters get the information out in a fast way.
Which sentence best describes the main idea of the paragraph?

• Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is

• Pictures help weather reporters get information out in a fast way

• Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short

• They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area

Read the following passage and then choose the best summary or main idea.
The Elk River flows from the far northern part of the state all the way to the southern tip. All kinds of animals rely on it for drinking water, people eat the fish they catch in it, and farmers in the state depend on it for irrigating their crops. Since there is very little rain in this state, the Elk River gives animals and humans the water they need to stay alive. Even though the river is not nearly the biggest in the nation, it is very important to the people and animals that live near it.

• The Elk River is a small river.

• The Elk River starts in the northern part of the state.

• The Elk River is very important to people and animals.

• People catch fish in the Elk River.

What is the main idea?

• Bicycle riders need to know hand signals.

• Bicycle riders need to get reflectors.

• Bicycle riders need the right equipment to practice bicycle safety.

• Bicycle riders should always wear a helmet.

Which sentence best describes the main idea of this paragraph?

• You might not know what a mascot is.

• Tony the Tiger is a mascot that sells cereal.

• There can be mascots for products, schools and sports teams.

• Some schools don't have mascots.

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.

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