Unit 3 (text B).pptVIP

Reading Skills — Identifying the main idea Topic The topic is a selection’s general subject. Main Idea The main idea is the writer’s primary point about the subject. The main idea is the point of the paragraph. It is the most important thought about the topic. Finding the Main Idea How Can I Locate the Main Idea? Once you can find the topic, you are ready to find the main idea. To figure out the main idea, ask yourself this question: What is being said about the person, thing, or idea (the topic)? Finding the Main Idea How Can I Locate the Main Idea? The author can locate the main idea in different places within a paragraph. The main idea is usually a sentence, and it is usually the first sentence. The writer then uses the rest of the paragraph to support the main idea. While the next most common placement is in the last sentence of a paragraph. The author gives supporting information first and then makes the point in the last sentence. How Can I Locate the Main Idea? Finally, an author might put the main idea in the middle of a paragraph. The author will spend a few sentences introducing the topic, present the main idea, then spend the rest of the paragraph supporting it. This can make the main idea more difficult to find. First find the topic, then look for the main idea. Example 1: Summer is a wonderful time to spend at West Beach. It is a beach with light-colored, soft sand. The coastline goes on for a long way and many people enjoy walking along it. Children like to play in the surf and walk along the rocks that are visible at low tide. This is a fun beach for people of all ages. In this paragraph: the topic is West Beach the main idea (what the writer is saying about the topic) is that summer is a wonderful time at West Beach. Example 2: The movie Apollo 13 was a blockbuster for the summer of 1995. It is an exciting story about space exploration. In the m