Reading in English

Identifying
the Main
Idea
Table of Contents
2 Lesson Objective

2 Pre-Reading

3 Reading

4 Identifying the Main Idea

6 Guided Practice

8 Vocabulary Review

9 More Practice

11 Assessment

12 Reading Assessment Tool

13 Self-Assessment

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Idea

Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will learn how to find the main idea in a
short text. You will learn what the main idea is and
where to look for it. You will also learn how to express
it. First, let’s look at who creates the main idea.

Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up

The main idea is what the author wants you to remember the most.
You can find the main idea in many types of writing. Here are a few examples: “Everything begins
• a paragraph with an idea.”
• an article
—Earl Nightingale
• a book
• a song

Can you think of any other types of writing that have a main idea?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match up as many words and meanings as you can.

1. Main idea a) a detail that helps you find an answer

2. Topic b) information that authors use to make a point or tell a story
3. Clue
c) the subject of the text
4. Supporting details
d) to restate information in a simple way
5. Summarize
e) what the author wants you to remember most

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Idea

Reading
1. The main idea is what the author wants you to remember most about the Synonyms
text. A week after reading a story or book, you should still be able to remember Here are some other words that
the main point. mean the main idea:
the main point
2. To find the main idea, first think about the topic. Sometimes a picture tells you the the central point
topic before you even read a word. Sometimes the title gives the topic away. A the key point
topic sentence is another clue. The topic sentence is often the first the main focus
sentence in a paragraph. Repeated words are also main idea clues. the main takeaway
3. Every text has supporting details. Often there is one detail that is the
most important. This detail helps you figure out what the main idea
is. You can work backwards to find the author’s main idea by looking at the
details. An easy way to find the main idea is to remember this formula: topic +
most important point = main idea.

4. Once you know the main idea, you need to know how to express it.
There are lots of types of main idea questions, but they all have a similar
answer. They all want you to summarize the main idea in your own
words.

5. Now you know how to identify the main idea of a reading.

Can you express the main idea of this text?

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Idea

Identifying the Main Idea

Now let’s review some clues that can help you find the main idea of a text.

A. Clues

1. Picture

Function Tip

A picture often tells you what the reading

Notice the placement of the picture. A picture near the
is going to be about (topic) before you
top or bottom often represents the general topic. A
read. A picture may also be an example
picture beside a paragraph usually goes with a
of a supporting detail.
specific detail.

2. Title

Function Tip

The title often tells you what the reading Be careful. When reading fiction, the title will not always help
will be about. you find the main idea.

3. Topic Sentence

Function Tip

The first sentence of a paragraph is This is often the main idea of a single paragraph. It is not the
usually the topic sentence. main idea of a larger work.

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Idea

Identifying the Main Idea cont.

A. Clues cont.

4. Supporting Details

Function Tip

This information proves the author’s point. Collect the details and look for a common theme.

5. Repeated Words

Function Tip

These words give clues about what the Look for repeated words throughout the text. Be sure to
author thinks is most important. look at the beginning and end of a paragraph or text.

B. Where Is the Clue?

Work with a partner. Consider each type of main idea

clue. Where could you find it?

# Clue Where to Find It

1 topic sentence

2 supporting details

3 picture

4 title

5 repeated words

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Idea

Guided Practice
A. Finding the Main Idea

Read the text below.

Underline any clue that helps you find the main
idea. Compare your clues with a partner’s
clues.

Example
Q: What is the paragraph mainly about?
A: The paragraph is mainly about how tr
Did you know that trees tell their own life stories? Under the bark, some trees have growth rings. The rings tell how old
is the oldest wood. The light- and dark-colored rings show the beginning and end of each growing season.

B. Expressing the Main Idea

Remember the formula you learned.

topic + most important detail = main

idea

This can help us answer a main idea question about the paragraph above.

topic =

most important detail =

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Idea

Guided Practice cont.

C. Practice

Read a related paragraph. Identify the main topic

and the most important detail. Then answer the questions.

Not all trees have growing seasons. In tropical climates, trees grow all year long. There are no ring
Together, one light ring plus one dark ring equals one year of life as a tree.
1. What is the topic?

2. What is the most important detail?

3. What is the author’s main point?

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Idea

Vocabulary Review
A. Complete the Sentences

Complete the sentences using vocabulary from page 2.

1. An author makes his or her point with several details.

2. The sentence is usually the first sentence in a paragraph.

3. A picture gives you a about the topic before you read the text.

4. The topic plus the most important detail equals the .

5. Write one sentence to the main idea in your own words.

B. Matching

Match the vocabulary to the tip.

1. main idea a) Find it by adding the main topic plus the most important detail.
2. topic sentence b) By finding a common theme in these, you can find the main idea.
3. supporting details c) A picture at the top of the text can help you know the topic.
4. clue d) You will often find these at the beginning and end of a text.
5. repeated words e) Find it in the first sentence in most paragraphs.

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Idea

More Practice
A. Reading for the Main Idea

Read the text and fill in the chart on the next page.

Julie’s Plans for Tonight

Julie is going to have fun tonight. She is going to meet her friends
downtown. First, they are going to have dinner at a restaurant.
They
are going to order the most expensive thing on the menu. They are also
going to order the biggest dessert. Then they are going to go Reminders
dancing. Julie is going to get dressed up. She’s going to wear look for main idea clues
a new dress. She is also going to put on makeup. They are use the formula
going to find a dance club that is open all night long. Julie is
going to stay out really late tonight. She is going to party all
night long.

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Idea

More Practice cont.

B. Expressing the Main Idea

Complete the chart and questions based on the reading.

1 Clues

2 Topic

Most Important
3
Detail

4. State the main idea of the story.

5. What is the author’s main point?

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Idea

Assessment
Read the paragraph and answer the main idea questions.

A. Reading

Getting Acquainted

The general rules of etiquette differ from culture to

culture. Making eye contact when speaking to someone
is considered important in North America, but this may
be considered rude in some Asian countries. Even the
distance we maintain between two people when having a
conversation can vary from culture to culture. It is also
important to know that some topics of conversation
may be acceptable small talk in one culture but
unacceptable in another. The best way to learn the
etiquette of a culture is to observe the people who are
a part of it.

B. Comprehension

1. Which is the main idea of the reading?

a) Making small talk is hard when you don’t know the language.
b) Etiquette differs by culture, and the best way to learn it is by watching people.
c) It’s rude to make eye contact in some Asian countries.

2. What clues are in the reading to help you find the main idea?

3. Write the formula for the main idea of this reading.

4. What is another way to phrase question 1?

5. What are two other words for “main idea”?

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Reading Assessment Tool

Name:

Score /
Description of Task Skills Date Completed Level
Success

Reading, Writing

Success

 Assessment Criteria Yes Almost Not Yet

gets the gist from short texts

finds clues to locate the main idea

identifies key details in a short text

summarizes the main idea

completes a reading task within an appropriate amount of

time

Notes

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Idea

Self-Assessment
IDENTIFYING THE MAIN IDEA

Add check marks () to show what you've learned in this lesson.

Name: Date:

Yes (very well) Yes (with help) Not yet

Can I...

find the main idea in a text?

use clues to help me find the main idea?

find the topic sentence?

find important details?

summarize the main idea in writing?

My Notes

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Idea

Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Low Int
In this lesson, students learn how to identify the main idea in a
TIME: 3+ hours
short text. They learn clues, tips, and a helpful formula to
find the main idea. This lesson includes vocabulary review TAGS: identifying the main idea, main idea, reading,
practice, comprehension, and assessment. reading in English, reading comprehension,
academic vocabulary, graphic organizer

Pre-Reading
Identifying the Main Idea
A. WARM- UP
A. CLUES
Have a short discussion about types of text that have a main
Have students read through the five clues
idea. Other ideas that may come up include scripts,
that can help them identify the main idea of
commercials, letters, notes, forms, etc.
a text.

B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW B. WHERE IS THE CLUE?

Give students a few minutes to try the vocabulary preview 1. Find it in the first sentence of a paragraph.
task. Take the answers up to learn how much your students 2. Find these throughout the text.
already know about vocabulary related to finding the main 3. Find this at the top of the text or beside some specific
idea. text.
4. Find this at the top of the text.
1. e 2. c 3. a 4. b 5. d 5. Find these throughout the text and
especially at the beginning and end of the
Reading text.

Have students read the instructional text individually or in Guided Practice

pairs or groups. Alternatively, you can read the text together as
a class. Give your students time to
practice finding the main idea
using a guide.

C. PRACTICE

Answers may vary.

1. The topic is tree rings.

2. The most important detail is that not all
trees have growing seasons.
3. The author’s main point is that tree rings show which
trees experience seasonal growth and which ones grow
all year.

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Idea
(continued on the next page...)

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Idea

Answer Key
cont.
Assessment
Vocabulary Review

A. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES

A. READING
1. supporting
4. main idea Use the reading on page 11 (or choose a reading at an
2. topic
5. summarize appropriate level for your students). Give your students a set
3. clue
amount of time to complete this task (e.g., 30 minutes). A
ready-made assessment tool is available on page 12.
B. MATCHING

B. COMPREHENSION
1. a 2. e 3. b 4. c 5. d
1. b
2. title, image, repeated words (e.g., culture, etiquette)
More Practice
3. cultural etiquette + observe people to learn about it =
Etiquette differs by culture, and the
Assign the story and have students complete the exercise.
best way to learn it is by observing
You can reuse the chart on page 10 for more practice or
people.
assessment purposes using a reading of your choice.
4. What is the reading/paragraph mainly
B. EXPRESSING THE MAIN IDEA about? What is your main takeaway from the
reading? What is the author’s main point?
Answers will vary. Suggested answers include:
5. central idea, main point, main takeaway
1. photo of dancing, title ( Julie’s Plans for
Tonight), repeated words: going to (plans), Self-Assessment
night, tonight
2. Julie’s plans When you are finished with this lesson, have your students
3. Julie is going to have fun with her friends. reflect on their learning by filling in the chart on page 13.
4. Julie has big plans to have fun with her friends tonight.
5. The author’s main point is that Julie has a lot of SPELLING NOTE:
(previously made) plans to have fun with her friends
tonight.* This lesson shows the American spelling of the words Center
and Colored. Most other English-speaking countries spell these
*You could teach your students the difference between main
words this way: Centre and Coloured. Make it a challenge for
point and author purpose here. The author’s main purpose is to
your students to find these words in the lesson and see if they
use be going to repeatedly in a story about future plans so
know the alternate spellings.
learners can see examples of the simple future (be going to)
in context.