UNDERSTANDING MAIN IDEAS

Calixto Navarrete ElviaIslas García Mariela Haydee

Lunar Alvarez Denis AylinMartinez Herrera Diana Denisse

Pontaza Bello Beatriz Adriana

RELATING TOPICS, MAIN IDEAS, AND DETAILS

READING TEXT Requires good comprehension and study skills

Understanding can be built upon by identifying the main

idea of a paragraph

The main idea is the general statement the author makes

about the topic

THE MAIN IDEA

WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT MAIN IDEA ?

may be stated or it may be implied

is the central, or most important, idea in a paragraph or passage.

may be stated in the first sentence of a paragraph in the middle or the endmay be split. The first sentence of a paragraph may present a point of view, while the last sentence presents a contrasting or opposite view.

Who or what is the paragraph about?

What aspect or idea about the ‘who’ or ‘what’ is the author concerned with?

O The overweight girl who is not socially aceptable may appease

O Persons who are indergoing tensions, sush as fear, becom or frustration,

O There is considerable evidence that psychological factors may play a role in obesity.

Check the best restate,emt of the main idea:

O A) Eatin food satisfies some emotional needs.

O B) People who are overweight undergo tensions and frustrations

O C) Psychological factors may have an influence on obesity.

O Educationg ourselves about the best methods of behavior and care during pregnancy and childbirth

O Tha parnets can learn much about what to expect from children and from themselves as parents

Check the best restate,emt of the main idea:

O Observing other children helps parents.

O Being a good parent involves great affort on the part of the parents.

O Good parenting is quickly achieved by most people

The main idea is the most important idea a writer makes in a paragraph.The writer may state the main idea in a sentence. This sentence can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a paragraph or passage. Sometimes the main idea is not stated--it is implied. The reader must then figure it out by thinking about the details and stating the main idea in his or her own words.

RELATING MAIN IDEAS AND DETAILS

Details

Comprehension of important facts depends on your ability to understand the relationships between the main idea and the details

HOW TO FIND MAIN IDEAS IN A TEXT?

Determine repeated words.

Checking the main idea

Obtain secondary ideas or phrases

1°

2°

3°

It represents something

It could be synonyms in

the same text

This word is the summary of all ideas

Determine repeated

words

Checking the main ideas First way:

If we delete this sentence, the paragraph is incompleteThe meaning of the paragraph is not clear.If you delete a secondary phrase , the general meaning of paragraph is not altered.

Second way:Go read one by one the remaining sentences of paragraph (those not considered as principal) and before

or after each of them , repeat it considered as principal.

If your choice was correct , every phrase will interact naturally with the central idea , forming both a

logical and coherent whole.

• It contains phrases such reasons or arguments supporting the claim set forth in the main sentence .

• Examples serve to make us understand the scope of the main idea through concrete cases and applications.

• These phrases are very effective to highlight the main idea. The author wants to make clear what his real thought, indicating and rejecting what is not his thought.

• When the contents of the main sentence varying only the words is maintained .

By repetition: By contrast:

For justification:

For exemplific

ation :

OBTAIN SECONDARY IDEAS OR PHRASES