Alonzo F. answered 02/22/22
Alonzo , I attended the University student to which I will teach
Main ideas could quickly be identified by first finding the most relevant information. The skill of looking at the text like genres to find main ideas.
Alonzo F. answered 02/22/22
Alonzo , I attended the University student to which I will teach
Main ideas could quickly be identified by first finding the most relevant information. The skill of looking at the text like genres to find main ideas.
Anna L. answered 02/06/22
College Latin Instructor, MA and BA Latin, 7-year Tutoring Experience
If you're looking for the main idea of a paragraph, those usually come in the first few sentences, so that's the first place you want to look. The rest of the paragraph will consist of supporting details that wouldn't make sense without the main idea.
The main idea of an entire passage is often found at the end of the introductory paragraph. It will state the author's purpose for writing the whole thing. Again, the rest of your passage would make little sense without knowing this key part of the passage. Some questions to ask yourself when thinking about the main idea are: Why is the author writing this passage? What is the most important information in this paragraph? etc.
Peter F. answered 02/05/22
Published Author; Kinder-College English Tutor w/ 18 Years' Experience
The best way to identify the main idea in a written work is by first reading through the introduction and detecting the thesis statement (usually articulated at the end of the introduction itself). Then after proceeding unto the main body paragraphs of the given written work, you will detect themes within the writing on the whole as they pertain to the underlying thesis statement, topic of discussion at hand, and other arguments that the writer makes in support of their thesis statement.
When concocting a piece of writing containing a main idea of some sort: once you develop a thesis statement and present it within your introduction, you will be able to elaborate upon it in further detail in writing in the ensuing main body paragraphs, one key point at a time therein throughout the process until you reach conclusion and wrap up your main idea one final time before signing off on paper so to speak.
I hope this helps! Good luck with your writing assignment!
Jennalyn R. answered 02/05/22
Experienced Reading and Writing Tutor in English
Thank you for your question.
When reading or writing, you can usually identify the main ideas by looking at the title, headings, and the topic sentence (the beginning sentence) of a paragraph. Key words, rhetorical questions, and repeating phrases can also help us locate the main ideas of the text. Sometimes key words and concepts are highlighted or bolded in the text so it would be easier for readers to identify important information.
When writing an academic essay, you would state your thesis (the main argument or focus of your essay) at the end of your introduction, and each paragraph would contain a topic sentence that contains a sub-claim (a main point) followed by additional information to support your thesis. Topic sentences usually help to summarize your essay.
You can refer to this article for further guidance on identifying the main idea(s): https://www.esmonline.org/Page/3753#:~:text=The%20main%20idea%20is%20sometimes,important%20idea%20in%20the%20paragraph%3F%E2%80%9D
-- Jen
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