English Composition The Main Idea and Supporting Details

Main Idea and Supporting Details ● The main idea, also known as the central idea, is the primary idea or point of a passage, text, or paragraph. ● Main ideas are a key element in texts because they are the most important takeaway message from a passage. ● In argumentation, it is important to make sure your main idea is clear, so that your audience knows exactly what position you are taking on something and the reasons you have for doing so. ● The main idea can be stated between the beginning and middle of the text. Usually it can be summarized into one sentence, sometimes two or three. ● Supporting details can be referred to as the “helpers” of the main idea. Supporting details are specific examples that further explain the main idea and provide reasons and insight that support the author’s argument. To find the main idea, think about the central theme of the passage. ○ What does the author want me to take away? ○ What is the issue here? ● “It is often said that lightning never strikes twice in the same place, but this isn’t true. Go ask the forest rangers. Rangers who spend their summers as fire-fighters will tell you that every thundershower brings several bolts of lightning to their lookout stations.” ○ Retrieved from MAIN IDEAS - This Paragraph ○ The underlined sentence in the example above is the main idea. Notice how all the other details, such as “Rangers who spend their summers as fire-fighters will tell you that every thundershower brings several bolts of lightning to their lookout stations.” support the idea that the myth that lightning never strikes twice in the same place is not true Main Idea and Supporting Details (continued) ● “Costs were low that year and the output high. There was a good person for each job and the market remained firm. There were no losses from fire. All in all it was the best years in the history of the company.” ○ Retrieved from MAIN IDEAS - This Paragraph ○ The underlined sentence above states the main idea. Pay attention to the details such as “There was a good person for each job and the market remained firm.” and how it supports the main idea that it was the best years of the company. Also, notice that the main idea is in the last sentence. This is a different example of where the main idea can be found in a text.