How+to+Identify

Identify Main Idea and Details

How to Identify the  Main Idea

*Identify the Topic Look for clues to find out what the passage is mostly about.

*Read for the Main Idea Details upon the writer's topic and look for details that support it. Use these to create a **Main Idea and Details Diagram** for each section.

*Sum Up the Information Review all of your diagrams. Then decide upon one main idea for the entire passage.

*Think Beyond the Text Ask yourself "What have I learned?"