Main idea. Lesson 1.2

1.

1.2 Main idea
Vasiliy Gorbachev
Adriatic College

2.

To what profession did we
compare the reader at the
previous lesson? Why?

3.

Detective
What? When?
Who?
How?
Where?
Which question that any detective wants to answer is missing?

4.

Why?
Why did the author write this?
What idea is he or she trying to
convey?
Finding the main idea is
much like finding the
motive of the crime.
It’s the motive of the crime (the why) that
usually determines the other factors (the who,
what, when, where, and how).
Similarly, in writing, the main idea also determines
the who, what, when, and where the writer will
write about, as well as how he or she will write.

5.

Subject vs Main idea
Remember the passage?
Today’s postal service is more efficient and
reliable than ever before. Mail that used to take
months to move by horse and foot now moves
around the country in days or hours by truck,
train, and plane. First-class mail usually moves
from New York City to Los Angeles in three days or
less. If your letter or package is urgent, the U.S.
Postal Service offers Priority Mail and Express Mail
services. Priority Mail is guaranteed to go
anywhere in the United States in two to three days
or less. Express Mail will get your package there
overnight.
“This passage is about the post office.”
Main idea?
What do we learn about the subject?
The main idea of a passage is
■ an assertion about the subject.
■ the general idea that controls or holds together the
paragraph or passage.
Main idea of the passage?

6.

Which of the following sentences best summarizes
the main idea of the passage?
a. Express Mail is a good way to send urgent mail.
b. Mail service today is more effective and
dependable than it was in the past.
c. First-class mail usually takes three days or less.

7.

Topic Sentences
“Today’s postal service is more efficient and
reliable than ever before.”
A sentence, such as this one, that clearly expresses the
main idea of a paragraph or passage is often called a
topic sentence.
In many cases, as in the postal service paragraph,
the topic sentence is at the beginning of the
paragraph (~70%). You will also frequently find it at
the end. Less often, but on occasion, the topic
sentence may be in the middle of the passage.
Practice 1
Which of the following sentences is general
enough to be a topic sentence?
a. The new health club has a great kickboxing
class.
b. Many different classes are offered by the
health club.
c. Pilates is a popular class at the health club.
d. The yoga class is offered on Saturday
mornings.

8.

Practice passage 2
Now look at the following paragraph.
Underline the sentence that expresses the
main idea, and notice how the other
sentences work to support that main idea.
Erik always played cops and robbers
when he was a boy; now, he’s a police
officer. Suzanne always played school
as a little girl; today, she is a highschool math teacher. Kara always
played store; today, she owns a chain
of retail clothing shops. Long before
they are faced with the question,
“What do you want to be when you
grow up?” some lucky people know
exactly what they want to do with their
lives.

9.

Practice passage 3
Among the following eight sentences are two
topic sentences. The other sentences are
supporting sentences.
Circle the two topic sentences. Then write the
numbers of the supporting sentences that go
with each topic sentence.
1. Finally, there is a concierge on duty 24 hours a
day.
2. Some duties, like writing reports, have no risk
at all.
3. For example, there is a pool on the top floor.
4. Not all police duties are dangerous.
5. Others, like traffic duty, put police officers at
very little risk.
6. Tenants of the luxury apartment building enjoy
many amenities.
7. Still other duties, like investigating accidents,
leave offi cers free of danger.
8. In addition, the lobby has a dry cleaner, an
ATM, and a coffee shop.

10.

Here is how they look as paragraphs:
Not all police duties are
dangerous. Some duties,
like writing reports, have no risk
at all. Others, like traffic duty, put
police officers at very little risk.
Still other duties, like investigating
accidents, leave officers free of
danger.
Tenants of the luxury
apartment building enjoy many
amenities. For example, there
is a pool on the top floor. In
addition, the lobby has a dry
cleaner, an ATM, and a coffee
shop. Finally, there is a
concierge on duty 24 hours a
day.