Finding the Main Idea and Evidence

By Sydney Palmer

​

Finding the main Idea and Evidence

What is tHE mAIN iDEA ?

tHE Main Idea IS:

​

• The central/main idea in a text is the point that the author wants you to remember most. 

• Some writers may state the main idea, but it is often implied. (which means suggested but not clearly stated)

• If the main idea is not always obviously stated in the text, the reader has to make inferences about it.

​

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Multiple Choice

The main Idea is always clearly stated in the text.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

If the main idea is not clearly stated

• Then there is no main idea

• Infer and find the main idea yourself

• Google what the main idea is

• Re-read the text until you find it

• Summarize the passage ​(ideally in one sentence)

• ​Look at the first and last sentences ( authors often hide the main ideas there)

​

​You can also

• Asking yourself what the topic of the text is ​(who or what it is about)

• Check and see what ideas are repeated ​in the text (that shows they are important)

​Start by

Finding the Main Idea

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is not one of the ways to find the main idea?

• Summarize the text

• Check the first and last sentences

• figure out the topic of the text

• read only the first sentence of the text

Multiple Choice

Why do authors repeat things in their writing ?

• To remind the reader about them

• To show their importance to the story

• They do not do it on purpose they are just writing

​Common Mistakes when finding the main idea in a text (Especially on a test)

​Tests will try and trick you with distractors that will sound like the real answer. To avoid choosing the wrong one, make sure you

• ​Narrow down your idea so it is not too broad and really shows the main idea not just ideas mentioned in the text

• ​Choose the BEST answer. There may be other answers that seem right but choose the one you have the most evidence to support

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Read this paragraph

What is motion? Consider a ball that you notice one morning in the middle of a lawn. Later in the afternoon, you notice that the ball is at the edge of the lawn, against a fence, and you wonder if the wind or some person moved the ball. You do not know if the wind blew it at a steady rate, if many gusts of wind moved it, or even if some children kicked it all over the yard. All you know for sure is that the ball has been moved because it is in a different position after some time passed. These are the two important aspects of motion: a change of position and the passage of time.​

Fill in the Blank

What is motion? Consider a ball that you notice one morning in the middle of a lawn. Later in the afternoon, you notice that the ball is at the edge of the lawn, against a fence, and you wonder if the wind or some person moved the ball. You do not know if the wind blew it at a steady rate, if many gusts of wind moved it, or even if some children kicked it all over the yard. All you know for sure is that the ball has been moved because it is in a different position after some time passed. These are the two important aspects of motion: a change of position and the passage of time.

What is the topic of this paragraph? (Ask yourself what is this paragraph about and summarize it in 1 word)

Multiple Select

What is motion? Consider a ball that you notice one morning in the middle of a lawn. Later in the afternoon, you notice that the ball is at the edge of the lawn, against a fence, and you wonder if the wind or some person moved the ball. You do not know if the wind blew it at a steady rate, if many gusts of wind moved it, or even if some children kicked it all over the yard. All you know for sure is that the ball has been moved because it is in a different position after some time passed. These are the two important aspects of motion: a change of position and the passage of time.

What are important words that are repeated in the passage? (You can choose multiple options)

• Motion

• Time

• Position

• Children

Read this paragraph (mAKE SURE TO LOOK AT THE FIRST AND LAST SENTENCES )

What is motion? Consider a ball that you notice one morning in the middle of a lawn. Later in the afternoon, you notice that the ball is at the edge of the lawn, against a fence, and you wonder if the wind or some person moved the ball. You do not know if the wind blew it at a steady rate, if many gusts of wind moved it, or even if some children kicked it all over the yard. All you know for sure is that the ball has been moved because it is in a different position after some time passed. These are the two important aspects of motion: a change of position and the passage of time.​

Multiple Choice

What is motion? Consider a ball that you notice one morning in the middle of a lawn. Later in the afternoon, you notice that the ball is at the edge of the lawn, against a fence, and you wonder if the wind or some person moved the ball. You do not know if the wind blew it at a steady rate, if many gusts of wind moved it, or even if some children kicked it all over the yard. All you know for sure is that the ball has been moved because it is in a different position after some time passed. These are the two important aspects of motion: a change of position and the passage of time.​

What it the main idea of this passage?

• What is motion?

• These are the two important aspects of motion: a change of position and the passage of time.​

• You do not know if the wind blew it at a steady rate, if many gusts of wind moved it, or even if some children kicked it all over the yard.

• Consider a ball that you notice one morning in the middle of a lawn. Later in the afternoon, you notice that the ball is at the edge of the lawn, against a fence, and you wonder if the wind or some person moved the ball.

​REad this passage

"To many parents, the infant's crying may be mainly an irritation, especially if it continues for long periods. But crying serves important functions for the child as well as for the parents. For the child, crying helps improve lung capacity and the respiratory system. Perhaps more important, the cry serves as a signal of distress. When babies cry, they indicate that they are hungry or in pain, and this is important information for parents."​

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Multiple Choice

"To many parents, the infant's crying may be mainly an irritation, especially if it continues for long periods. But crying serves important functions for the child as well as for the parents. For the child, crying helps improve lung capacity and the respiratory system. Perhaps more important, the cry serves as a signal of distress. When babies cry, they indicate that they are hungry or in pain, and this is important information for parents."

What would be the main idea for this passage ?

• "To many parents, the infant's crying may be mainly an irritation, especially if it continues for long periods.

• "crying serves important functions for the child as well as for the parents. For the child, "

• "the cry serves as a signal of distress."

• When babies cry, they indicate that they are hungry or in pain, and this is important information for parents."

Multiple Select

"To many parents, the infant's crying may be mainly an irritation, especially if it continues for long periods. But crying serves important functions for the child as well as for the parents. For the child, crying helps improve lung capacity and the respiratory system. Perhaps more important, the cry serves as a signal of distress. When babies cry, they indicate that they are hungry or in pain, and this is important information for parents."

Which pieces of evidence below support your claim that, that is the main idea? (you can choose multiple)

• for the child, crying helps improve lung capacity and the respiratory system.

• "To many parents, the infant's crying may be mainly an irritation,

• When babies cry, they indicate that they are hungry or in pain, and this is important information for parents."

• But crying serves important functions for the child as well as for the parents

​Read this passage

The very name of our country, the United States of America, suggests both unity and division. To the modern citizen, it is the unity that counts, with Americans generally thinking of themselves living in one country divided mainly by geography. But there was a time when many Americans thought in distinctly different terms. In 1774 when John Adams spoke of "our country," he meant Massachusetts. Even Thomas Jefferson took a while to move beyond his own region of birth and in his early years, "my country" usually meant Virginia to him. Consider, too, the original heading for the Declaration of Independence, which was described as "The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America." As Daniel Boorstein has written in The Americans, "An unsuspecting historian a thousand years hence might assume...that the Declaration brought into being thirteen new and separate nations...." In 1787, Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut participated in making plans for a federal government that would have power over the entire country. However

his words suggest that his head and heart were at war with each other. Like many others, Ellsworth knew that the states should strive for unity. Yet for him, it was his home state that inspired the strongest patriotic feeling, as he publicly declared "my happiness depends as much on the existence of my state government, as a new-born infant depends upon its mother for nourishment." Ellsworth was not alone in those sentiments.​​

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Multiple Select

The very name of our country, the United States of America, suggests both unity and division. To the modern citizen, it is the unity that counts, with Americans generally thinking of themselves living in one country divided mainly by geography. But there was a time when many Americans thought in distinctly different terms. In 1774 when John Adams spoke of "our country," he meant Massachusetts. Even Thomas Jefferson took a while to move beyond his own region of birth and in his early years, "my country" usually meant Virginia to him. Consider, too, the original heading for the Declaration of Independence, which was described as "The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America." As Daniel Boorstein has written in The Americans, "An unsuspecting historian a thousand years hence might assume...that the Declaration brought into being thirteen new and separate nations...." In 1787, Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut participated in making plans for a federal government that would have power over the entire country. However

his words suggest that his head and heart were at war with each other. Like many others, Ellsworth knew that the states should strive for unity. Yet for him, it was his home state that inspired the strongest patriotic feeling, as he publicly declared "my happiness depends as much on the existence of my state government, as a new-born infant depends upon its mother for nourishment." Ellsworth was not alone in those sentiments.​​

What are some words that are repeated for importance in this passage?

• Unity

• Government

• Country

• State

Draw

Underline 2 Pieces of evidence that help to lead you to the implied main idea of the passage.

Multiple Choice

The very name of our country, the United States of America, suggests both unity and division. To the modern citizen, it is the unity that counts, with Americans generally thinking of themselves living in one country divided mainly by geography. But there was a time when many Americans thought in distinctly different terms. In 1774 when John Adams spoke of "our country," he meant Massachusetts. Even Thomas Jefferson took a while to move beyond his own region of birth and in his early years, "my country" usually meant Virginia to him. Consider, too, the original heading for the Declaration of Independence, which was described as "The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America." As Daniel Boorstein has written in The Americans, "An unsuspecting historian a thousand years hence might assume...that the Declaration brought into being thirteen new and separate nations...." In 1787, Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut participated in making plans for a federal government that would have power over the entire country. However

his words suggest that his head and heart were at war with each other. Like many others, Ellsworth knew that the states should strive for unity. Yet for him, it was his home state that inspired the strongest patriotic feeling, as he publicly declared "my happiness depends as much on the existence of my state government, as a new-born infant depends upon its mother for nourishment." Ellsworth was not alone in those sentiments.​​

What is the implied main idea of this passage ?

• The very name of our country, the United States of America, suggests both unity and division. T

• Early in the history of the United States, many Americans were more devoted to their own home states than the idea of a common country.

• The original heading for the Declaration of Independence, which was described as "The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America."

• "An unsuspecting historian a thousand years hence might assume...that the Declaration brought into being thirteen new and separate nations....