Free Printable Find the Main Idea and Supporting Details

1.

There are many fun things to do at the beach. Swimming is one thing that can be done at the beach. Snorkeling is another thing that can be enjoyed. Playing beach volleyball can be a lot of fun. It is also fun to look for shells. Some people simply like to sunbathe.
What is the main idea?

a)

There are many fun things to do at the beach.

b)

It is also fun to look for shells.

c)

Some people simply like to sunbathe.

d)

Going to the beach to swim can be fun.

2.

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?

a)

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

b)

Soccer players learn how to dribble.

c)

They learn how to work together as teammates.

d)

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.

3.

What is the best question to ask yourself when you are trying to find the main idea?

a)

Who is the main character?

b)

What is the main event?

c)

What is one important detail?

d)

What point is the author trying to make?

4.

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:

a)

how bats use sound

b)

what things bats often eat as food

c)

how bats fly toward people

d)

how people can hear the sounds of bats

5.

I can't wait until this weekend! We’re going to my grandparents’ house and my entire family will be there. I will spend most of my time playing games with my cousins. We always have such a good time together! The day goes by so fast, and by the end we are all exhausted... but we still don’t want to leave!
What is the main idea?

a)

Weekends are times to travel.

b)

The author enjoys spending time with her family.

c)

The author's grandparents live far away.

d)

The author is sad to leave her cousins.

6.

Which sentence is a supporting detail that recycling is important?

a)

There are many landfills available for waste.

b)

Recycling paper saves trees from being cut down.

c)

Clean jars before recycling them.

d)

Separate your paper, cans, and glass jars before recycling.

7.

Key details give important information to support the main idea.

a)

True

b)

False

8.

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

a)

Playing at the park.

b)

Going to school.

c)

Playing a soccer game.

d)

Going to the movies.

9.

Perhaps one of the largest flowers grown is the sunflower. These giants grow up to 10 feet high. The flower itself is very large. It gets its name from the way it follows the sun. The face of the flower moves from east to west so that it is always facing the sun. The main idea is:

a)

To discuss large flowers.

b)

To describe the importance of the sunflower.

c)

To tell how the sunflower got its name.

10.

What is a main idea?

a)

The purpose of the passage

b)

A minor detail

c)

It is the same as the topic

d)

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

11.

Read the following passage.

There are hundreds of thousands of flower species in the world that we know of. But even though there are so many types, not all of them can grow in one place. You may already be familiar with a lot of different kinds, such as the ones that may grow in your local park or even in your garden, but there are a lot that you will only see if you go to the country where that flower is found. For instance, the beautiful flower Alpinia is only found in the tropical Pacific region, as well as on the continents of Asia and Australia. Another flower that is extremely popular but that cannot grow in the United States is the orchid. Orchids grow only in the climates which are found in Central and South America. Finally, a third beautiful flower - which is also very rare - is known as Parrot's Beak. This plant only grows in the Canary Islands but people have known about it since the 1880s.

Use the passage to answer the following question:

What is the main idea of the passage?

CCSS.RI.4.2 |© http://www.englishworksheetsland.com

4 lines

12.

Read the following passage.

There are hundreds of thousands of flower species in the world that we know of. But even though there are so many types, not all of them can grow in one place. You may already be familiar with a lot of different kinds, such as the ones that may grow in your local park or even in your garden, but there are a lot that you will only see if you go to the country where that flower is found. For instance, the beautiful flower Alpinia is only found in the tropical Pacific region, as well as on the continents of Asia and Australia. Another flower that is extremely popular but that cannot grow in the United States is the orchid. Orchids grow only in the climates which are found in Central and South America. Finally, a third beautiful flower - which is also very rare - is known as Parrot's Beak. This plant only grows in the Canary Islands but people have known about it since the 1880s.

Use the passage to answer the following question:

List one supporting detail from the passage that supports your main idea.

CCSS.RI.4.2 |© http://www.englishworksheetsland.com

4 lines

13.

Why is it important to find the main idea of a text?

a)

You will make an A on the test.

b)

You can learn more about the topic.

c)

It does not help you to find the main idea of a text.

d)

It will help you understand the text better.

14.

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?

a)

Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is

b)

Pictures help weather reporters get information out in a fast way

c)

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

d)

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

15.

Imagine you are caught outside in a thunderstorm. As lightning flashes in the sky, you see something mysterious close to the ground. It looks like a white hot ball of electricity. It floats toward you, and then, suddenly, it shoots sparks of electricity at you!

If you were to see something like this, you would not be alone. About 1 in 150 people believe they have seen balls of lightning. They have been written about as many as 10,000 times. According to these reports, the size of the balls is between a tennis ball and a beach ball. The balls usually burn for 10 seconds or so before they disappear. They are also extremely hot and can burn people if touched.

For hundreds of years, no one could explain "ball lightning." Then, in 2007, a team of Brazilian scientists tried to figure it out. They decided that metal elements in soil can combine with lightning to make vapor. If lightning strikes the ground, it creates this vapor. The vapor then combines with oxygen and starts to burn.

To test this idea, the scientists used metals like the kind found in soil. They shocked the metals with electricity. Doing this, they were able to create balls of lightning that burned for as long as eight seconds! As a result, many scientists now agree that "ball lightning" is no longer a mystery.

Scientists "shocked the metals with electricity" because

a)

metals begin to melt when they combine with oxygen.

b)

the lightning balls do not burn when they are shocked.

c)

metals can combine with electricity to make vapor.

d)

shocking metal keeps the lab from getting too hot.

16.

Which supporting detail best supports this topic sentence?
It takes a lot of hard work to become a professional athlete.

a)

The pros live the good life.

b)

People like professional football players make a lot of money.

c)

Professional athletes spend countless hours practicing their sports.

d)

All of us can be professional athletes.

17.

Select the supporting detail that doesn't fit.
Topic Sentence: There are many differences between cats and dogs.

a)

Cats can be trained to use a litter box inside.

b)

Dogs have to be let outside to use the bathroom.

c)

They're both pets that people have.

d)

Dogs need to be taken on walks, and cats don't.

18.

What is the MAIN IDEA of the story below?

Elephants are huge in size. They have big, flat feet that can be dangerous if you're stepped on. They're long trunks can be used for drinking water and for protection themselves and their loved ones. Their ears are also quite large and are used to help keep them cool in the hot sun.

a)

Elephants have very large ears

b)

Elephants can be dangerous

c)

Elephants are very large

d)

Elephants use their trunks in different ways

19.

Which of the following sentences is a supporting detail to the main idea?

Transportation has changed a lot over the past few decades. The early cars were much larger and didn't go as fast. Older cars have become collectables to many people. Cars today are smaller and can go at higher speeds. Also, cars today can do things such as have TV's, telephones, and even computers installed into them.

a)

Cars today are smaller and go at higher speeds

b)

Older cars have become collectibles

c)

transportation has changed

20.

Floods can cause tremendous damage. They can ruin houses, roads and buildings. Floods can take down trees and cause mudslides. It often leaves mud, sand and debris behind. It can take months to clean up after a flood.

a)

Floods can cause a lot of damage.

b)

Floods cause mudslides.

c)

Floods damage houses and roads.

Find the Main Idea and Supporting Details

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 1hrs 5mins

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