1 · Topic and main idea
The topic is what the passage is about, in a word or two: bees. The main idea is the point the author makes about the topic, in a sentence: Bees work together to keep the hive alive.
"What is the passage mostly about?" usually wants the topic with a little more detail. "What is the main idea?" wants the full sentence.
2 · The umbrella test
The main idea is an umbrella. Every detail in the passage should fit under it. A detail is one person standing under the umbrella.
Which is the main idea?
Check each detail: fourteen hours of munching, flat teeth for chewing, a thumb bump for holding. All of them are about eating.
So the umbrella is "Pandas spend most of their day eating bamboo."
"Pandas have flat back teeth" is true, but it is one detail under the umbrella.
3 · Too big, too small, just right
Wrong main idea choices usually miss in one of two ways.
- Too small: one detail from the passage. It is true, but it does not cover the rest.
- Too big: a statement about the whole world. "Animals need food" is true, but the passage is only about pandas.
- Just right: covers every paragraph and nothing more.
Ask: does this choice fit the first sentence and the last sentence? A detail rarely does.
4 · Where to look
Authors often state the main idea in the first sentence or the last sentence. Read those two again before you choose.
Where is the main idea?
The first three sentences list the truck's problems.
The last sentence turns with "But" and tells you what matters: the author loves the rides anyway.
If you stopped after the first sentence, you would think the passage is about a bad truck.
5 · Stories have main ideas too
In a story, the main idea is usually what happens to the main character and what changes. Ask three questions:
- Who is the story about?
- What problem or wish do they have?
- How is it different at the end?
Put the answers in one sentence: Ana is afraid of the deep end, but with her cousin's help she swims across it. That is the main idea.
6 · Best title
A good title fits the whole passage. Test each title choice like a main idea.
Which title fits best?
"Cookies for Sale" only covers the start.
"How to Wash a Car" is one small detail.
"The Pool the Town Built" covers the whole story, from no pool to the opening day.
7 · The sentence that sums it up
Some questions ask which sentence from the passage states the main idea. Look for the sentence the others explain. The details give examples, numbers, and steps. The main idea sentence does not need them; it is the reason they are there.
A quick check: if you deleted this sentence, would the passage lose its point? If yes, that is the one.
8 · Why did the author include that detail?
Main idea questions sometimes come in disguise: "Why does the author mention the thumb bump?" The answer connects the detail back to the main idea.
In the panda passage, why does the author mention the bump on the panda's wrist?
The main idea is that pandas spend their day eating bamboo.
The bump helps them hold the stalks, so it supports the main idea: it shows how pandas are built for eating bamboo.
9 · Your test-day checklist
- After reading, say in one sentence what the whole passage is about.
- Reread the first and last sentences.
- Cross out choices that are one detail (too small).
- Cross out choices about the whole world (too big).
- Pick the choice that covers every paragraph.
Ready to practice?
Each quiz gives you new passages and explains every answer. You'll also find more quizzes and full practice tests.