Learning Objective: Identify the main idea of a text and recognize the details that support it.

Every paragraph or passage has a topic — the subject it is about — and a main idea, which is the specific point the author wants to make about that topic. For example, the topic of a passage might be "community gardens," but the main idea could be "community gardens help neighbors build stronger relationships."

The main idea is often found in the first or last sentence of a paragraph, but not always. Sometimes readers must figure it out by looking at all the sentences together. Supporting details are the smaller pieces of information — facts, examples, and explanations — that help prove or explain the main idea.

A helpful strategy is to ask yourself: "What is this mostly about?" after reading each paragraph. If you can answer in one sentence, you have likely found the main idea. Then ask: "What information does the author give to support that idea?" Those answers are the supporting details.

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