English for Academic Studies

Lecture 1
 Recognizing Main Ideas

English Skills for Academic Studies

John Langan

pp 3-13
Recognizing Main Ideas
Effective communication of ideas
usually comprises two parts:
(1) Main idea (topic sentence)
(2) Reasons or details develop the
main idea
Recognizing Main Ideas
Example
Main idea:
I dislike the fast-food restaurant in my block.

Supporting details:
1. The roast beef sandwiches have a chemical
taste.
2. Prices are high – for example, $20 for a
small coke.
Recognizing Main Ideas
Most textbook paragraphs are
made up of this two-part structure.

A main idea is advanced, and then

supported with specific reasons,
details, and facts.
Recognizing Main Ideas
Example
Main idea:
My neighbors are inconsiderate.
Supporting details:
1. They allow their children to play on my
lawn.
2. They often have their stereo on loud late
at night.
Recognizing Main Ideas
Once you identify the main idea,
everything else clicks into place.

You will see the parts (supporting

evidence or details) in relation to the
whole (the main idea).
Recognizing Main Ideas
Which is the main idea?

Marijuana should not be legalized. Some

people who don’t use it now will begin
using it because of its availability.
Legalization will give a stamp of social
approval that no mind-altering drug
deserves.
Recognizing Main Ideas

Finding the main idea

is the key
to understanding a paragraph.
Recognizing Main Ideas
Where is the main idea?

1. Often in the first sentence

2. Sometimes at the end or in the
middle
3. Sometimes not directly stated at all
Recognizing Main Ideas
Get into the habit of asking this
question:

“Does most of the material in the

paragraph support or develop the
main idea I have identified?”
Recognizing Main Ideas
Which is the main idea?
Their homes have been completely destroyed.
Water supply and electricity have been
cut off. Food shortage and poor hygiene
also present big problems. Yet they have
basically no resources to cope with these
problems. Thus, the tsunami victims in
Indonesia are in desperate need of
external help .
Recognizing Main Ideas

Learning how to recognize the two

basic parts quickly will increase
your reading comprehension.
Let’s Try Now!