SAT Main Idea

A SUPPORTING detail explains the main idea in a paragraph. What does SUPPORT mean?

• to search and find

• to hold up and help

• to end

• to write

Jenny visited her grandmother in the hospital.  She saw how kind and helpful the nurses were to her grandmother.  Now she wants to be a nurse when she grows up.  She wants to help sick people get well. 
What is the main idea?

• Jenny got sick.

• Jenny wants to be a nurse.

• Her grandmother was in the hospital.

• Jenny was glad the nurses were being kind to her grandmother.

The frog sat on the side of the pond.  He was very still.  His green color made him hard to see.  A bug flew near him.  His tongue zipped out, and he gobbled it up.  Then the frog was still again.  He waited for the next bug.
What is the main idea?

• Frogs are green .

• Frogs eat bugs.

• Frogs do not move.

• Frogs live in ponds.

It was backward day at school.  The students had to do things backward.  Some of them wore their T-shirts backward.  They took a test before they studied the lesson.  Dessert was served first instead of last.  They tried to walk home backward, but they bumped into each other and fell down. 
What is the main idea?

• Dessert is supposed to come last.

• The students had a backward day.

• It is hard to do things backward.

• Students failed their tests.

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.

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. 

What is the main idea?

• Her parents blow up lots of balloons.

• Rachel invited ten friends from school.

• She has gift bags for all of her friends.

• Rachel has her seventh birthday party today.

What is the main idea?
  Ways to Get to School
There are many different ways to get to school. Some children walk to school. Other children take a bus. Some children ride their bikes. Some children are driven to school by their parents.

• Some children walk to school.

• Some people ride the bus.

• There are different ways to get to school.

• Some people like to sing.

What is the main idea of a passage?

• The central point or message the author wants to convey

• A detailed description of a character

• The setting of the story

• The author's writing style

Which sentence best supports the main idea of a paragraph?

• A sentence that provides an example related to the main idea

• A sentence that introduces a new topic

• A sentence that contradicts the main idea

• A sentence that describes the setting