Finding the Main Idea
A paragraph is a group of sentences related to a particular topic. Every paragraph has a key concept or main idea. The main idea is the most important piece of information the author wants you to know about. A writer will state the main idea explicitly somewhere within the paragraph. That main idea may be stated at the beginning of the paragraph, in the middle, or at the end. To find the main idea in a piece of writing, ask yourself, "What point is the writer trying to make?"
Let's practice...
Read the paragraph below.
Many people in India don't eat beef, but they still find many uses for cattle. Cows provide milk for drinking and for other dairy products. Young cattle are used for plowing fields and carrying big loads. This is how cows are used in India
We have already determined that this piece of writing is basically about COWS. This is the topic for this piece of writing.
Remember: To find the main idea of a piece of writing, ask yourself, "What point is the writer trying to make?"
In this case, to find the main idea, ask yourself, "What point is the writer trying to make about COWS? If you said that the writer is trying to tell the reader about how cows are used in India, then you're absolutely correct. Check out the last sentence of the paragraph, the writer explicitly states the main idea.
Many people in India don't eat beef, but they still find many uses for cattle. Cows provide milk for drinking and for other dairy products. Young cattle are used for plowing fields and carrying big loads. This is how cows are used in India
We have already determined that this piece of writing is basically about COWS. This is the topic for this piece of writing.
Remember: To find the main idea of a piece of writing, ask yourself, "What point is the writer trying to make?"
In this case, to find the main idea, ask yourself, "What point is the writer trying to make about COWS? If you said that the writer is trying to tell the reader about how cows are used in India, then you're absolutely correct. Check out the last sentence of the paragraph, the writer explicitly states the main idea.
Let's try another one...
Read the paragraph below.
Some college teachers in Michigan have made a small computer that looks like an orange. The computerized orange will help people find ways to avoid damaging fruits during shipping. It will be picked and handled like real fruit. Since much fruit is damaged on its way to market, this machine will measure shaking and temperature changes.
We have already determined that this piece of writing is basically about a computer that looks like an orange OR a computerized orange. This is the topic for this piece of writing.
Remember: To find the main idea of a piece of writing, ask yourself, "What point is the writer trying to make?"
In this case, to find the main idea, ask yourself, "What point is the writer trying to make about this computer that looks like an orange?" If you said that the point that the writer is trying to make about this computerized orange is that it will be used to find ways to avoid damaging fruits during shipping, then you're right again. The writer explicitly states this main idea in the second sentence.
Some college teachers in Michigan have made a small computer that looks like an orange. The computerized orange will help people find ways to avoid damaging fruits during shipping. It will be picked and handled like real fruit. Since much fruit is damaged on its way to market, this machine will measure shaking and temperature changes.
We have already determined that this piece of writing is basically about a computer that looks like an orange OR a computerized orange. This is the topic for this piece of writing.
Remember: To find the main idea of a piece of writing, ask yourself, "What point is the writer trying to make?"
In this case, to find the main idea, ask yourself, "What point is the writer trying to make about this computer that looks like an orange?" If you said that the point that the writer is trying to make about this computerized orange is that it will be used to find ways to avoid damaging fruits during shipping, then you're right again. The writer explicitly states this main idea in the second sentence.
Go back to the TASK page and check out task #4.