h e L L O

Topic and Main Idea

winda s r y
 Reading S t r a t e g y

Finding t o p i cs

details in p a r a g r a p h s
main ideas
 To p ic
The o v e r a l l SUBJECT o f a
p a r a g r a p h ( s h o u l d be a noun
o r noun phrase
 main idea
A STATEMENT about the topic that conveys the overriding theme of most
—if not all—of the remaining sentences in a paragraph.
The main idea provides the message of a given paragraph or the argument
that is being made about the topic. It may be implied or directly stated, but
you must state it in a complete sentence.
 specific
INFORMATIO
D E TA I LS
N
about or
SUPPORT for the
main idea
 PARAGRAP
H
A g r o u p o f sentences organized a r o u n d a
topic, a main idea a b o u t the topic, and
details t h a t s u p p o r t the main idea.
 How t o find the topic

Ask y o u r s e l f the question:

What (who) is this paragraph or essay

about?
 How t o find the main idea

Whet her st at ed or unst at ed, t he main idea answer s (in sent ence
form) the following question:

What is the overall message or argument being

made regarding the topic of this paragraph or
essay?
 Certain words or word
combinations often introduce
the main idea:
in
in
short in
in fact brief summary
as clearly thus
these
examp
les
show
Main ideas are often found in the first or last
sentence of a paragraph, BUT they can also be found
in between. Sometimes main ideas are expressed in
two sentences, and sometimes a single main idea
will serve for two paragraphs. Finally, main ideas
can be unstated, or implied, requiring that y ou
infer the main idea (construct a main idea on the
basis of the information given).
Certain words o r w o r d combinations o f t e n
i n t r o d u c e m a j o r a n d minor d e t a i l s

for example
for
instance
 Topics, main ideas, and supporting
details
WORK TOGETHER; the main idea makes
an argument about the topic, the detaiLs
offer support for the main idea.