Understanding the Main Idea

What is the main idea of a passage?

• The smallest detail in the passage

• A random sentence from the passage

• The big picture or most important point

• The last word of the passage

Which of the following is a topic?

• Golf, soccer, hockey, tennis

• Playing games

• Running and jumping

• Sports

What does the controlling idea answer?

• Why is the topic important?

• When did the topic happen?

• Who is the topic?

• What about the topic?

What is the main idea of the passage about Canadians?

• Canadians love sports

• Canadians enjoy cold weather

• Canadians are known for being polite and helpful

• Canada is a large country

Where is the main idea often found in a passage?

• In the middle of the passage

• In the first or last sentence

• In the title

• In the footnotes