The main idea of a paragraph, series of paragraphs, or a whole work is what the selection is mostly or mainly about. It is an important idea that the author wants the reader to remember. The main idea should be captured in a single sentence. Dogs are man’s best friend. What is the Main Idea?

Finding the Main Idea Some main ideas are stated directly in the text. They are sometimes found at the beginning or the end of a paragraph. They can also be found in the middle of the paragraph. Other main ideas must be inferred from the text. A reader must think about the topic and look at what the details are mostly about.

Determining the Main Idea 1) Identify the topic. –A topic is 1 – 3 words that tell the subject. –What word(s) sums up the text? 2) Find the key details. –Details answer the questions who, what, where, when, why, and how. –What are most of the details about? 3) Make a main idea statement with the topic. –A main idea is a general statement that tells what the paragraph, series of paragraphs, or whole text is all about. –What statement sums up the text?

An Edible Analogy Supporting details are like the extra toppings - the pickles, onions, cheese, tomato, ketchup, and mustard - added onto a hamburger. They all work together to make the hamburger more tasty. However, all of these supporting details relate to one central main idea.

An Edible Analogy Think of the main idea as the big picture. A hamburger wouldn’t be a hamburger without the bun and the patty. The hamburger is the central or main idea.

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