Main Idea

What is Main Idea?

•It’s the important information that tells the overall idea of a paragraph or text.

In other words…..

• What’s the text going to be about????

Here’s an example: Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer. Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball. They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score. Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates.

What’s the Main Idea?

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer. Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball. They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score. Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates.

How do you know?

In this paragraph the main idea is the first sentence.

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer. Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball. They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score. Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates.

There are two kinds of main ideas. 1. Explicit / Stated 2. Implied

Explicit Ideas..... •Are directly stated •Are easy to identify •Are usually found in in the first few sentences.

For example.....

• There are many fun things to do while vacationing at the beach. Swimming is one activity that many people enjoy. Snorkeling and beach volleyball can also add a lot excitement to a vacation. Many people like to look for shells. Finally, some people simply enjoy sunbathing.

This is an Explicit Main Idea because the writer tells us exactly what the paragraph is going to be about.

There are many fun things to do while vacationing at the beach. Swimming is one activity that many people enjoy. Snorkeling and beach volleyball can also add a lot excitement to a vacation. Many people like to look for shells. Finally, some people simply enjoy sunbathing.

This is also called....

The Topic Sentence There are many fun things to do while vacationing at the beach. Swimming is one activity that many people enjoy. Snorkeling and beach volleyball can also add a lot excitement to a vacation. Many people like to look for shells. Finally, some people simply enjoy sunbathing.

So we know that the topic sentence tells us the main idea What else does it do????

It tells what the subject of the paragraph is. It tells what the author wants the reader to know. Good topic sentences present a single idea. But…. They are broad enough to make the reader want to continue reading.

Ask yourself these questions when you write a Topic Sentence...

?

1.Is my main idea clear? 2.Is it a complete sentence? 3.Can I think of examples , details , or evidence to support my topic sentence?

Whew!!!!! Quick review so far...

What is Main Idea?

What is the first type of Main Idea? Hint: Starts with an E

Where is this type of main idea usually found?

What is this sentence called?

Now… Moving on…

The second type of Main Idea is called Implied

Implied Main Ideas... Are NOT directly stated Require you to think Allow you to decide for yourself what the main idea is

????

Sometimes Implied Main Ideas are HARD TO FIND

You must read the passage thoroughly in order to find the Implied Main Idea

Remember … Just because the writer mentions a point, does NOT mean it’s the Implied Main Idea!

Here’s an example Read the following paragraph:

Fear drains color from our faces, makes our teeth chatter, our hearts pound, our breath quicken, and our knees knock. Fear churns our stomachs, raises goose bumps, and causes jitters. Fear also raises feelings of anxiety and distrust, and may even cause us to change our behaviors. Obsessive fear can become a phobia that keeps us from enjoying life.

What is the Implied Main Idea? Fear drains color from our faces, makes our teeth chatter, our hearts pound, our breath quicken, and our knees knock. Fear churns our stomachs, raises goose bumps, and causes jitters. Fear also raises feelings of anxiety and distrust, and may even cause us to change our behaviors. Obsessive fear can become a phobia that keeps us from enjoying life.

__Phobias keep us from enjoying life. __Fear affects us in several ways. __Fear is the result of distrust and anxiety. __Fear affects many people.

Now try this one

• Green tea has been used for thousands of years in Asia as both a beverage and an herbal medicine. This herbal tea contains catechin, which is a type of tannin that acts as an astringent. Research suggests that men and women in Japan who drink five to six cups of green tea each day have much lower rates of cancer than people who do not. Green tea is also thought to lower cholesterol and blood sugar, control high blood pressure, stop tooth decay, and fight viruses. Green tea has even been credited with the power to slow down the aging process.

What is the Implied Main Idea? • Green tea has been used for thousands of years in Asia as both a beverage and an herbal medicine. This herbal tea contains catechin, which is a type of tannin that acts as an astringent. Research suggests that men and women in Japan who drink five to six cups of green tea each day have much lower rates of cancer than people who do not. Green tea is also thought to lower cholesterol and blood sugar, control high blood pressure, stop tooth decay, and fight viruses. Green tea has even been credited with the power to slow down the aging process.

__Green tea is an ancient herbal drink. ___Green tea has caught the attention of medical researchers. ___Green tea has many positive properties as a health drink.

Whew!!!!! Another Quick Review

What are the two kinds of Main Ideas...

ANSWER

1. Explicit 2. Implied

How do you find the Implied Main Idea

What is Explicit Main Idea again?

The Explicit Main Idea is found most commonly in the what

ANSWER Topic Sentence

Works Cited Page Some of this information was borrowed from: Gretchen Starks-Martin St. Cloud State University, MN © 2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers

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