The document discusses identifying the main idea in a passage. It notes that the main idea is the most important information about the topic conveyed by the paragraph. It can be directly stated or implied. A directly stated main idea can often be taken verbatim from the text, while an implied main idea must be inferred. The main idea sentence should identify the topic, include the key details from the paragraph, be a complete sentence, and not a question.

2. Topic
 First you must understand the topic or what
the reading is about.
 The topic is usually a noun: Who or What?
 Look for repeated words
 The topic is usually 1-3 words
 The topic is NOT a complete sentence

3.  Look for what the author is saying about the
topic.
 Think about what information the author is
trying to give you about the topic.
This is the Main Idea

4.  It must be a complete sentence, not a fragment
 Ex. There are some steps to ride a bicycle. Correct
 Ex. How to ride a bicycle. This is a fragment.
 It is a clear and direct statement, not a question.
 Ex. How can a person ride a bicycle? This is a question.
 Ex. The paragraph is about how to ride a bicycle. This is
indirect.
 The topic must be included in the main idea.
 The main idea should show the most important
information in most of the paragraph.
 It does not focus on only one detail

5. TYPES OF MAIN IDEAS
Stated Main Idea
Directly stated in the paragraph
Can often be taken exactly from the paragraph
It is okay to copy this one
Implied Main Idea
Indirectly given by the author
We must read the information and create our own
sentence
Today will we focus on only Stated Main Idea.
You will be able to find the main idea sentence in the
paragraph.

6. Appetizers at the Sum Ho Chinese Restaurant are
priced reasonably. For example, egg rolls are $1.00
each. The cost of soups ranges from $.85 a bowl to
$1.50 a bowl. The entrees are inexpensive, too.
Chinese vegetables are only $3.95, and roast duck,
which is the most expensive thing on the menu, is
$9.95. Besides, Cashew chicken and Sweet and Sour
pork, two popular dishes are just $5.95 each. Finally,
desserts are limited, but they are inexpensive. For
instance, a bowl of ice cream is $1.00. and a serving of
rice pudding is $1.50. You can eat very well at the
Sum Ho Chinese Restaurant for very little money.

7. Appetizers at the Sum Ho Chinese Restaurant are priced
reasonably. For example, egg rolls are $1.00 each. The cost of
soups ranges from $.85 a bowl to $1.50 a bowl. The entrees are
inexpensive, too. Chinese vegetables are only $3.95, and roast
duck, which is the most expensive thing on the menu, is $9.95.
Besides, Cashew chicken and Sweet and Sour pork, two popular
dishes are just $5.95 each. Finally, desserts are limited, but they
are inexpensive. For instance, a bowl of ice cream is $1.00. and a
serving of rice pudding is $1.50. You can eat very well at the Sum
Ho Chinese Restaurant for very little money.
Topic
Main Idea
Detail
Detail
Detail
Example
Example
Example

8. Once,words like xian( natural flavor), xiang (fragrant flavor) cui (crispy) and ruan
(velvety softness) could be used to talk about Chinese food. They cannot be used to
describe the same six or seven Chinese American dishes, such as Egg Fu Yung,
Mongolian beef or General Tso’s, which are all basically diced meat in gooey brown
sauce. For example, Egg Fu Yung is the product of creative Chinese chefs in the
United States who at least as early as the 1930s created a pancake filled with eggs,
vegetables, and meat or seafood for American diners. Besides taste, original Chinese
cuisine was packed with fresh lightly steamed vegetables and high fiber rice. It had
very little meat which was used mostly for enhancing flavor of the food. The original
version of Chinese food was more flavorful and more nutritional than its
Americanized version has become over the years. As time went by, the Americanized
versions became overcooked, highly over salted meat packed oily dishes served with
low quality rice. The original nutritional value has been swapped for salt, fat and
cholesterol.

9. Once,words like xian( natural flavor), xiang (fragrant flavor) cui (crispy) and ruan (velvety
softness) could be used to talk about Chinese food. They cannot be used to describe the
same six or seven Chinese American dishes, such as Egg Fu Yung, Mongolian beef or
General Tso’s, which are all basically diced meat in gooey brown sauce. For example, Egg
Fu Yung is the product of creative Chinese chefs in the United States who at least as early
as the 1930s created a pancake filled with eggs, vegetables, and meat or seafood for
American diners. Besides taste, original Chinese cuisine was packed with fresh lightly
steamed vegetables and high fiber rice. It had very little meat which was used mostly for
enhancing flavor of the food. The original version of Chinese food was more flavorful and
more nutritional than its Americanized version has become over the years. As time went
by, the Americanized versions became overcooked, highly over salted meat packed oily
dishes served with low quality rice. The original nutritional value has been swapped for
salt, fat and cholesterol.
Topic
Main Idea
Too
Specific
Comparison
Points

10. MAIN IDEA LOCATION
The main idea could be located anywhere in the
paragraph.
For example:
Main Idea
Main Idea
In the
beginning
At the
end
Main Idea
In the
middle
Main Idea
Main Idea
In the
beginning
and at
the end
Sometimes the main idea
is not stated. You have to
understand the entire
paragraph.
That is Implied Main Idea.
We will talk about that
later.

11. A main idea sentence has to:
 Clearly identify the topic
 Indicate all the ideas in the text- not just part
 It must be a complete sentence and not a
fragment
 It should not be a question