How do you identify the main idea and supporting details in a paragraph?

How do you identify the main idea and supporting details in a paragraph?

• A. Look for a topic sentence stating the main idea and lines of detail that explain, prove, or illustrate it
• B. Start from the last sentence
• C. Focus only on dates
• D. Read the title only

Answer: (A)

Identifying the main idea and supporting details means finding the central point the paragraph is making and the evidence or examples that explain or prove it. In most paragraphs, the main idea shows up in a topic sentence that names what the paragraph is about, and the sentences that follow provide details—examples, facts, reasons, or descriptions—that support that point. So the best approach is to spot that main idea sentence and then look for lines of detail that explain or illustrate it. Starting from the last sentence, focusing only on dates, or reading only the title don’t reliably reveal how the paragraph develops its point, since the main idea is tied to the specific support given in the body of the paragraph.

Identifying the main idea and supporting details means finding the central point the paragraph is making and the evidence or examples that explain or prove it. In most paragraphs, the main idea shows up in a topic sentence that names what the paragraph is about, and the sentences that follow provide details—examples, facts, reasons, or descriptions—that support that point. So the best approach is to spot that main idea sentence and then look for lines of detail that explain or illustrate it. Starting from the last sentence, focusing only on dates, or reading only the title don’t reliably reveal how the paragraph develops its point, since the main idea is tied to the specific support given in the body of the paragraph.