MAIN IDEA Study Guide



MAIN IDEA Study Guide

What’s the Big Idea?!

The main idea of a passage or reading is the central thought or message. In contrast to the term topic, which refers to the subject under discussion, the term main idea refers to the point or thought being expressed. The difference between a topic and a main idea will become clearer to you if you imagine yourself overhearing a conversation in which your name is repeatedly mentioned. When you ask your friends what they were discussing, they say they were talking about you. At that point, you have the topic but not the main idea. Undoubtedly, you wouldn’t be satisfied until you learned what your friends were saying about this particular topic. You would probably pester them until you knew the main idea, until you knew, that is, exactly what they were saying about your personality, appearance, or behavior. The same principle applies to reading. The topic is seldom enough. You also need to discover the main idea.

Reading Tips:

1. As soon as you can define the topic, ask yourself “What general point does the author want to make about this topic?” Once you can answer that question, you have more than likely found the main idea.

2. Most main ideas are stated or suggested early on in a reading; pay special attention to the first third of any passage, article, or chapter. That’s where you are likely to get the best statement or clearest expression of the main idea.

3. Pay attention to any idea that is repeated in different ways. If an author returns to the same thought in several different sentences or paragraphs, that idea is the main or central thought under discussion.

4. Once you feel sure you have found the main idea, test it. Ask yourself if the examples, reasons, statistics, studies, and facts included in the reading lend themselves as evidence or explanation in support of the main idea you have in mind. If they do, your comprehension is right on target. If they don’t, you might want to revise your first notion about the author’s main idea.

Making Inferences

In this lesson, you'll discover you can use what you already know, plus clues from the text, to figure out things an author doesn't tell you outright!

SOMETIMES AN AUTHOR doesn't tell you exactly what's happening, but gives you clues so you can figure it out yourself.

An inference is a logical guess you make based on facts in the text plus what you already know from life. Maybe you or a friend have had a similar experience. Or maybe you read about something similar in a book or saw it in a movie. You can put the facts and personal knowledge together to figure out what's going on and why characters act or feel the way they do.

Example: A soaked Randy slipped inside the door and put his dripping umbrella in the corner. As he crossed the room to our table, his shoes made a squishy, squeaking sound. "What a day!" he moaned as he plopped into a chair and grabbed a menu.

The author didn't state what the weather was like or where the people were, but you can infer the answers. Clues in the text and your own experiences help you infer that a soaked Randy and dripping umbrella indicate it's raining outside. Randy going to a table and getting a menu helps you infer he's in a restaurant! Some people call making an inference "reading between the lines."

Making inferences helps good readers better understand the text. Inferring also builds readers' interest as they continue reading to find out if their inferences were or weren't correct. An inference chart can help you track guesses as you read. List details you find in the text, what you already know, and what you infer from them.

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GET A CLUE!

Context Clues

Context clues are bits of information from the text that, when combined with prior knowledge, allow you to decide the meaning of unknown words in the story or article you are reading. As a reader you must act similar to a detective and put together clues from sentences surrounding an unknown word in order to make an intelligent “guess” as to what the definition of a word is. Context clues are bits of information from the text that, when combined with prior knowledge, allow you to decide the meaning of unknown words in the story or article you are reading.

As a reader you must act similar to a detective and put together clues from sentences surrounding an unknown word in order to make an intelligent “guess” as to what the definition of a word is.

Prepositions Study Guide

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A preposition is a word that expresses a relationship between some words in a sentence, usually in regard to time (when) or space (where), much like an adverb. In order for a word to be considered a preposition, it must be part of a prepositional phrase—a group of words, that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or a pronoun. The noun or pronoun at the end of the phrase is called the object of the preposition, or OOP. The preposition combined with the noun (or object of preposition) is called the prepositional phrase. Here are a few prepositional phrases:

• across the street (across is the preposition, street is noun or object of the preposition)

• over the top

• beyond her comprehension

• around the corner

Since adverbs also tell where and when about words, telling the difference between a preposition and an adverb can be tricky. Just remember that a preposition must always be part of a prepositional phrase, and in fact must always be the first word in the phrase. If it does not begin a phrase, it is an adverb. For example, the words underneath and around in the following sentences are adverbs, because they do not begin a prepositional phrase:

I lifted the log carefully, looked underneath, and saw a centipede.

When Julie heard a strange noise, she turned around.

Notice how the words underneath and around stand by themselves in the sentences. Adverbs can do that.

In the next two sentences, underneath and around are prepositions. Each is followed by an OOP, making a prepositional phrase.

Sally found her mother's slippers underneath the bed.

Ken looked around the corner before proceeding.

Adverbs

AN ADVERB is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

Adverbs answer the following four questions:

• how?

• when?

• where?

• to what extent?

There are millions and millions of adverbs. Some examples are slowly, carefully, quietly, very, not, never, here, now, then, usually, so, such, away, and often.

Look at the following sentences:

Arielle sat quietly and did her homework. (The adverb quietly describes the verb sat. It tells how she sat.

Robby’s new haircut looks so nice. (The adverb so describes the adjective nice. It tells how nice his hair looks.)

Ryan’s desk is there. (The adverb there describes the verb is. It tells where the desk is.)

Please finish your homework now. (The adverb now describes the verb finish. It tells when to finish.)

Adverbs are also words that modifies a verb, adjective or another adverb

(mostly verbs though)

Answer the questions:

When?, where?, how?,

how often?, to what extent?

Hint: First find the verb then ask the questions for adverbs

Then look to see if there is an adverb in front of an adjective or another adverb.

1. May be before, after a verb or in the middle of a verb phrase

Maggie quickly ran out into the road. (before)

Maggie ran out into the road quickly. (after)

Maggie has been quickly running out into the road everyday. (middle)

2. Many times end in “ly”

The music played softly in the background. (describes how the music played)

3. Adverbs modify an adjective

**come immediately before the adjectives

****usually tell “HOW” or “TO WHAT EXTENT”

The pie was very hot. (hot is an adjective that describes the noun pie. Very is and adverb because it describes the adjective hot to what extent?)

Remember words like: very, too, really, truly, extremely, usually, so

4. Adverbs modify other adverbs

***come immediately before those adverbs

****usually tell “HOW” or “TO WHAT EXTENT”

He talked too quickly. (quickly, to what extent?)

5. Not and n’t are always adverbs

I did not do my homework last night. (not is an adverb modifying the verb “did do”)

Name_____________________ Date____________ Pd_________

A preposition connects a noun or pronoun to another word in the sentence,

showing the relationship between them.

Prepositions usually answer the questions where?or when?, telling about a person or object’s location in either time or space.

In each of the questions below, three of the words given are common prepositions. One

is not a preposition. Your job is to kick out the word that is not a preposition by crossing

it out. The first one is done for you.

1. over on race through

2. fuzzy between up beside

3. during after outside school

4. across amazingly above about

5. near of screamed without

6. camp below with until

7. against there inside by

8. underneath at in him

9. everyone since throughout across

10. among theirs concerning before

11. except from reward into

12. past onto teacher toward

13. within upon under favorite

14. over frequent through after

15. behind down ours by

16. friendly for into below

17. at between very beyond

18. along around against answer

Name_________________________ Date_________________ Pd____________

Adverbs

Adverbs give us more information about the verb (action) in a sentence. An adverb tells us how, when, or where something was done. Many of the adverbs that tell how are easy to find in a sentence because

they end in the letters –ly.

Example: He ran quickly so he wouldn’t miss the bus.

Some people think that all adverbs end in –ly, but they don’t. Only some of the adverbs that tell us when end in –ly.

Example: They rarely call me. We always sing together. Amy will speak now.

Few adverbs that tell us where end in –ly.

Example: You can put your project here. The sun is shining outside.

Circle the adverb in each sentence below. On the line in front of the

sentence, tell whether the adverb answers how, when, or where.

1. ________________ Scott carefully finished his homework.

2. ________________ We’re going to the store today.

3. ________________ The energetic dog ran away.

4. ________________ The noisy helicopter was flying high in the sky.

5. ________________ The young girl and her partner danced gracefully.

6. ________________ We often eat dinner with our friends.

7. ________________ He cleaned the carpet inside the house.

8. ________________ My cousin is never afraid.

9. ________________ They recently moved into our neighborhood.

10. _______________ My mom and dad are happily married.

Name_______________ Date________________ Pd______________

Main Idea 2

Directions: Read each passage and ask yourself, “What is the author doing in this paragraph?” Write your answer in the summary box and then think of an appropriate title for the passage based on the main idea of the passage.

1.

Being a clown isn’t all fun and games. Rodeo clowns expose themselves to great danger every time they perform. When cowboys dismount or are bucked off of bulls at riding competitions, rodeo clowns jump in front of the bulls and motion wildly to get their attention. In this way rodeo clowns provide an alternate target, and in doing so protect the rider. So you see, sometimes clowning around can be serious business.

Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be specific and clearly explain the main idea.

2. The wolverine, a medium sized mammal weighing no more than 50 lbs., has earned its reputation for ferocity with its documented ability to kill prey many times its size. The reason why wolverines have so many conflicts with other animals (including wolves, cougars, and even bears) is probably because of the wolverine’s preferred hunting style. Rather than chasing down or tricking its prey like most hunters, the wolverine prefers to take its meals directly from other hunters. So while a polar bear or a lone wolf might be enjoying a hard earned carcass, a hungry wolverine may try to take his lunch. This keeps the wolverine in plenty of fights.

Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be specific and clearly explain the main idea.

3. Sometime in December of 1891, Dr. James Naismith, a gym teacher at the YMCA College in Springfield, Massachusetts was trying to keep his gym class active on a rainy day. He wanted a vigorous game that would keep his students moving. After rejecting a few other ideas because they were too rough or not suited for the walled-in gym, Naismith wrote out the rules for a game with peach baskets fixed to ten-foot elevated tracks. Naismith’s students played against one another, passing the ball around and shooting it into the peach baskets. Dribbling wasn’t a part of the original game, and it took a while to realize that the game would run more smoothly if the bottoms of the baskets were removed, but this game grew to be one of the most popular sports in America today. Can you guess which one?

Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be specific and clearly explain the main idea.

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Name______________________ Date___________________ Pd________

Making Inferences 2

Directions: Read each passage and then respond to the questions. Each question will ask you to make a logical inference based on textual details. Explain your answer by referencing the text.

Kyle ran into his house and slammed the door behind him. He paused with his back to the wall and tried to catch his breath. The puppy in his coat struggled to get out. Kyle looked out the window worriedly, but he saw that nobody was coming. Then he let the puppy out of his jacket. The puppy yelped while Kyle took the collar off of him. He threw the collar in an old soup can in the trash, carefully flipping over the can. The dog looked around nervously.

1. Why is Kyle out of breath? __________________________________________________________

|How do you know this? |

| |

2. Why is the puppy nervous? _________________________________________________________

|How do you know this? |

| |

3. Why does Kyle put the collar in a soup can? ____________________________________________

|How do you know this? |

| |

Anastasia sat by the fountain in the park with her head in her palms. She was weeping mournfully and wearing all black. In between gasps and sobs, Anastasia cried out a name: “Oh... John…” And then her cell phone beeped. Her hand ran into her purse and her heart fluttered. The text message was from John. She opened up the message and read the few bare words, “I need to get my jacket back from you.” Anastasia threw her head into her arms and continued sobbing.

4. What relationship do John and Anastasia have? _________________________________________

|Why do you feel this way? |

| |

5. Why is Anastasia sad? _____________________________________________________________

|How do you know this? |

| |

Name______________________ Date____________________ Pd______________

Context Clues 2.1

Directions: read each sentence and determine the meaning of the word using cross sentence clues or your prior knowledge. Then, explain what clues in the sentence helped you determine the word meaning.

1. Detest: Everyone else at the party wanted garbage pizza but Tim because he detested vegetables.

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

|What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition? |

| |

2. Alter: Grandpa didn’t know that Suzie was coming along on the fishing trip, and now he had to alter his plans.

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

|What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition? |

| |

3. Melodramatic: When Kiki got a tiny cut on her pinky finger, she got all melodramatic and began sobbing and demanding a doctor.

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

|What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition? |

| |

4. Remorse: As Tommy walked home with the money from the church he had stolen in his pocket, powerful feelings of remorse bubbled in his stomach.

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

|What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition? |

| |

5. Inquiry: When the other moms heard about how Charlene had won the baking contest, her email box was flooded with inquiries for her award winning muffin recipe.

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

|What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition? |

| |

6. Perch: The children were perched on the edge of the sofa arms, waiting to hop off and land on the next unlucky passerby.

Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________

|What clues in the sentence lead you to your definition? |

| |

was just being honest.

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