MAIN IDEA
• Chief point an author is making about a topic. It sums up the author’s primary
message.
Topic Sentence; Statement of the main idea. It is the statement under which all
other material in the paragraph – examples, reasons, facts, details and other
evidence – can fit.
EXAMPLE: (refer to above example)
Notice that all information is after the first sentence is about ways
to reduce noise pollution. The first sentence is the most general –it states that there are ways to reduce noise pollution. It 1. COMPARISONS in which one thing is shown to be like another.
EXAMPLE: Skilled college students are like the unskilled students in their desire
for a diploma.
2. CONTRASTS in which one things is shown to differ from another.
EXAMPLE: Skilled students are different from unskilled students in that they use
a method to read a textbook.
3. STATISTICS
EXAMPLE: 75 percent of the students who do not attend class regularly receive
grades of C or worse.
4. GRAPHS
EXAMPLE: Figure 9-1 is one type of graph.
5. QUOTATIONS from authorities
EXAMPLE: Professor Smity admits, “I tell students they don’t need to attend
my class if they don’t want to. I know, however, that if they don’t
come, they won’t pass.”
6. VIVID DESCRIPTIONS
EXAMPLE: The students took the exam from the professor’s hand, quickly
looked at the grade, gave a sigh or relief and began to smile.
summarizes the other statements in the paragraph.
1. COMPARISONS in which one thing is shown to be like another.
EXAMPLE: Skilled college students are like the unskilled students in their desire
for a diploma.
2. CONTRASTS in which one things is shown to differ from another.
EXAMPLE: Skilled students are different from unskilled students in that they use
a method to read a textbook.
3. STATISTICS
EXAMPLE: 75 percent of the students who do not attend class regularly receive
grades of C or worse.
4. GRAPHS
EXAMPLE: Figure 9-1 is one type of graph.
5. QUOTATIONS from authorities
EXAMPLE: Professor Smity admits, “I tell students they don’t need to attend
my class if they don’t want to. I know, however, that if they don’t
come, they won’t pass.”
6. VIVID DESCRIPTIONS
EXAMPLE: The students took the exam from the professor’s hand, quickly
looked at the grade, gave a sigh or relief and began to smile.1. COMPARISONS in which one thing is shown to be like another.
EXAMPLE: Skilled college students are like the unskilled students in their desire
for a diploma.
2. CONTRASTS in which one things is shown to differ from another.
EXAMPLE: Skilled students are different from unskilled students in that they use
a method to read a textbook.
3. STATISTICS
EXAMPLE: 75 percent of the students who do not attend class regularly receive
grades of C or worse.
4. GRAPHS
EXAMPLE: Figure 9-1 is one type of graph.
5. QUOTATIONS from authorities
EXAMPLE: Professor Smity admits, “I tell students they don’t need to attend
my class if they don’t want to. I know, however, that if they don’t
come, they won’t pass.”
6. VIVID DESCRIPTIONS
EXAMPLE: The students took the exam from the professor’s hand, quickly
looked at the grade, gave a sigh or relief and began to smile.
