Main Idea & Supporting Details — Answer Key
Part A: Trace the Words
Trace each word carefully by following the dotted lines.
1. topic
2. main
3. detail
4. clue
5. fact
6. idea
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The main idea is what the whole passage is about.
The word that fills the blank is main, because the main idea is the biggest, most important thought the whole passage is about.
2. A fact is a piece of information that supports the big idea.
A small piece of information that backs up the big idea is called a fact, so fact is the word that completes the sentence.
3. Good readers look for the key detail in a story.
Good readers hunt for key details, the little hints and facts in the story that tell more about what is happening.
4. Every paragraph has one big topic.
Every paragraph is built around one big topic, the single thing all of its sentences talk about.
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. Every story has a main idea.
True False
True. Every story has one main idea that ties all the sentences together and tells what the story is mostly about.
2. The main idea is always the first sentence.
True False
False. The main idea can show up anywhere in a passage, sometimes at the start, in the middle, or even at the end.
3. Details help explain the main idea.
True False
True. Details are small facts and clues that explain the main idea and make it easier to understand.