Let's solve each paragraph and identify the
main idea — the most important point the author is trying to convey. The main idea is not just a detail, but the overall message or central thought of the paragraph.
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Paragraph 1:
> *I have a dog named Boots. I taught him lots of tricks. When I tell him to, Boots will sit or lie down. He can also wave his paw to greet people. When I say, “Dance, Boots,” he will stand up on two legs and walk. I don’t know of many dogs that can do such amazing tricks.*
Options:
a. Boots is my dog.
b. Boots can sit.
c. Boots is very smart.
d. Most dogs can’t dance.
✔ Correct Answer: c. Boots is very smart.
Explanation:
While "Boots is my dog" (a) is true, it’s too general. "Boots can sit" (b) is just one detail. "Most dogs can’t dance" (d) is a supporting detail. The
main idea is that Boots is capable of doing many impressive tricks, which shows he is intelligent and well-trained. So,
"Boots is very smart" best captures the overall point.
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Paragraph 2:
> *Yesterday was my birthday. When I woke up, I noticed my brother Todd hung up a big sign that said, "Happy Birthday, Joey!" Mom made spaghetti for dinner. It's my favorite food in the whole world. My friend Dave came over and handed me a wrapped gift. I wondered what it was. It was a new basketball! I had a great day.*
Options:
a. Todd had a great birthday.
b. Joey had a great birthday.
c. Todd got lots of gifts.
d. Joey got lots of gifts.
✔ Correct Answer: b. Joey had a great birthday.
Explanation:
The paragraph is from Joey’s perspective. Everything described — the sign, spaghetti, the gift — relates to
Joey’s birthday experience. Although Todd hung the sign and Dave gave a gift, the focus is on how
Joey enjoyed his special day. So,
"Joey had a great birthday" is the main idea. Option d is incorrect because only one gift is mentioned, so "lots of gifts" is exaggerated.
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Paragraph 3:
> *Peter’s parents bought a new carpet for the living room. Now, he has to take his shoes off when he enters the house. He’s also not allowed to eat or drink in the living room any more. Peter’s furry dog isn’t allowed to play ball in there either. When his parents got the new carpet, there were lots of new rules.*
Options:
a. Peter cannot go in the living room.
b. Peter’s parents don’t like the carpet.
c. Peter likes to make a mess.
d. Peter’s parents made new rules so the new carpet stays clean.
✔ Correct Answer: d. Peter’s parents made new rules so the new carpet stays clean.
Explanation:
The paragraph talks about several
new rules introduced after the carpet was installed: no shoes, no eating/drinking, no playing with the dog. These all relate to
protecting the carpet. While options a, b, and c are not supported by the text (Peter *can* go in the room, we don’t know if parents dislike the carpet, and we don’t know if Peter makes a mess), option
d explains the
reason behind the rules and ties together all the details. That makes it the
main idea.
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✔ Final Answers:
1.
c. Boots is very smart.
2.
b. Joey had a great birthday.
3.
d. Peter’s parents made new rules so the new carpet stays clean.
These answers reflect the
central idea of each paragraph, not just a minor detail.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of finding main ideas and details worksheet.
