The document defines the main idea as what all the sentences in a paragraph are about. A main idea can be directly stated in one sentence or implied throughout the paragraph. The purpose of a main idea is to help readers focus on and remember the most important information. The document provides examples of paragraphs and asks the reader to identify the main idea of each, correcting incorrect answers.

1. Main Idea
What’s it all about?

2. Definition
• The main idea of a paragraph is what all
the sentences are about.
• The main idea can be stated directly or
implied.
• Main ideas help readers focus their
attention and remember important
information.

3. Implied Vs. Directly Stated
• When a main idea is implied, it is not
found in any of the sentences of the
paragraph.
• When a main idea is directly stated, one
of the sentences in the paragraph will
contain it.

4. What is it all about?
• Main idea is the answer to the question
above.
• A main idea summarizes what the
paragraph is about.
• After reading a paragraph, try to pick out
the main idea, and you will remember the
information longer.

5. Try it out!!
• Sally loves to play basketball. Her
first game ever took place when she
was five. All of Sally’s family goes
to watch her play basketball on
Friday nights. Sally spends most of
her free time on the courts.

6. What is the main idea of the paragraph on
the last slide?
1) Sally played her first game of basketball
when she was five.
2) Sally loves to play basketball.
3) Sally’s family comes to watch her play
basketball Friday nights.
4) Sally spends most of her time on the
courts.

7. OOPS! TRY
AGAIN.

9. Try again!!
• Bob played chess with everyone he knew.
Bob also played checkers with most of his
friends. Steve is Bob’s “Trivial Pursuit”
partner every time they play. Bob can
beat most of his friends in “Boggle” and
“Scrabble.” Bob has never lost playing a
game of “Monopoly.”

10. What is the main idea of the paragraph on
the last slide?
1) Bob plays a lot of board games.
2) Bob is great at chess.
3) Bob never loses “Monopoly.”
4) Bob doesn’t get out much.

11. OOPS! TRY
AGAIN.

13. One more time!!
• Jessica went out dancing at the club last
Saturday with a group of friends. Jenny
also went with Jessica to the club to
dance. At the club, Jessica and Jenny
saw a lot of their classmates. The club
had lots of people, live music, and a lot of
pyrotechnics. Many people from Jessica’s
town were at the club Saturday night.

14. What is the main idea of the paragraph on
the last slide?
1) Jessica met Jenny at the club.
2) The pyrotechnics were amazing
Saturday night.
3) Bouncers usually guard clubs.
4) The club is a sociable place.

15. OOPS! TRY
AGAIN.