Main Idea & Supporting Details — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The topic is just one or two words. The main idea is a full sentence.
The topic is short, like 'bees,' but the main idea is a whole sentence that tells something important about bees, so the answer must be 'sentence.'
2. If a passage is about birds, the topic is birds, but the main idea tells something about birds.
Knowing the topic is just step one. The main idea has to tell 'something' specific about the topic, like what birds do or why they are special.
3. Horses run fast. They eat hay and grass. People ride horses for fun. The main idea is that horses are useful animals.
The details mix facts about how horses move, eat, and help people, so 'animals' is the word that wraps them all together into one main idea.
4. Volcanoes shoot out hot lava. The ground shakes before they erupt. The main idea is that volcanoes are very powerful.
Shooting lava and shaking the ground are both big, strong actions, so 'powerful' is the word that best describes what the details show.
5. The desert is hot and dry. Cactus plants grow there. Lizards hide under rocks. The topic of this passage is the desert.
The weather, the cactus plants, and the lizards in the passage all live in the same place, so the one-word topic is the desert.
6. When you retell a passage, you say the big ideas in your own words.
Retelling is different from copying. A good retelling uses your own words, which shows you truly understand what the passage said.
7. A good retelling starts with the main idea and then adds key details.
Starting with the main idea sets up the big picture first, then the details fit neatly underneath it for your listener to follow.
8. You should NOT include every tiny detail when you retell a passage.
Retellings should be short and clear. Adding every tiny detail would make them too long and hide the big idea, so readers pick only the most important ones.
9. The topic of a passage is shorter than the main idea because it is just a word or two.
A topic is only one or two words, but the main idea is a whole sentence, so the topic is always shorter in length.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
Whales
→ Whales are the largest animals in the ocean.
Rain helps plants grow and fills our rivers.
Rain
→ Rain helps plants grow and fills our rivers.
You can bake cookies with flour, sugar, and butter.
School
→ School is a place where children learn and make friends.
Whales are the largest animals in the ocean.
Cookies
→ You can bake cookies with flour, sugar, and butter.
School is a place where children learn and make friends.
Each topic is one short word, and it pairs with the main-idea sentence that says something important about it, like whales being the biggest, or rain helping plants.