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Implied Main Ideas

The document discusses how to identify implied main ideas in texts, emphasizing the need for close reading and analysis of clues. It provides a methodical approach through four questions to uncover the central point of a passage, illustrated with examples from a discussion about movie-going costs and differences in teaching styles between high school and college. The implied main idea is derived from the answers to these questions, highlighting the author's perspective on the topic.

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6 views4 pages

Implied Main Ideas

The document discusses how to identify implied main ideas in texts, emphasizing the need for close reading and analysis of clues. It provides a methodical approach through four questions to uncover the central point of a passage, illustrated with examples from a discussion about movie-going costs and differences in teaching styles between high school and college. The implied main idea is derived from the answers to these questions, highlighting the author's perspective on the topic.

Uploaded by

poonam.singh423
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Implied Main Ideas

Often when you read a text, you can find the main idea clearly stated in the thesis
statement; however, that is not always the case. Sometimes the main idea of a passage is
not clearly stated, but rather it is "implied." An implied main idea is one where you have
to read closely and use clues to understand what the author is trying to say.

You can determine the implied main idea of a reading by asking four questions:

Does the author repeat any words, phrases, or ideas throughout the text?
Who or what is the passage about? (What is the topic?)
What is the central point the author is trying to make about that topic?
Does the information in the passage support the answers to questions #2 and #3?

- EXAMPLE
Read the following passage and notice how answering the questions can help you find the
implied main idea. Pay special attention to the words in bold.

Movies have often been a source of relaxation for people. At a theater, one may lose
himself in fantastic car chases, mystical journeys in foreign lands, relationships
challenged through difficult times, or by laughing at the comedic antics of some cartoon
cat. But the days of attending a movie to while away a carefree afternoon have changed.
No longer can a movie-goer enjoy a movie, popcorn, and soda for a reasonable price.
Today’s movie-goers will find the cost of attending a movie may have exceeded their
entertainment budget. Many viewers have noted and complained of the ever-increasing
price of a trip to the theater. A trip that once meant a couple of dollars has since spiraled
into a minimum twenty dollar investment – per person – for a few hours of entertainment.
What has happened to our joy of finding relaxation and release at the theater? How can
one be relaxed at the thought of spending so much money?
Does the author repeat any words, phrases, or ideas throughout the text? If so, what are
they?

Who or what is the passage about? (What is the topic?)

What is the central point the author is trying to make about that topic?

Does the rest of the information in the passage support the answers to questions #2 and
#3?

Finally, to identify the implied main idea, look over the answers to all of the questions
and then refine the answer to question #3.

Implied main idea: Attending a movie is less relaxing and entertaining for viewers
because of the rising cost of going to the theater.
FORM ONE – ENGLISH LANGUAGE
IMPLIED MAIN IDEA
Read the following passage and answer the questions to identify the implied main idea.

Are all teachers alike when it comes to assignments? In high school, all of my teachers
seemed the same because we did the same types of work in every class: homework,
quizzes, tests, then more homework, quizzes, tests. Every day the same thing. In addition,
it always seemed like it was the teacher's job to make sure we learned the material. They
would do this by giving us many small assignments that they would collect, grade, and
return to us almost every day.

When I went to college, however, I discovered that the rules changed and that teachers
could be different. We did complete many of the same types of assignments, including
homework, quizzes, and tests, but we also had bigger projects like essays, comprehensive
exams, speeches, reports, and semester-long projects. I noticed that one thing was
surprisingly different when it came to these types of assignments: how the teachers
worked (or did not work) with students.

In college, the teachers assigned work in the same ways my high school teachers did, but
it was all up to the student to complete it. They didn't regularly check in with students
about their progress, and they didn't collect versions or drafts throughout the semester.
Instead, they gave a writing assignment at the beginning of the semester along with a due
date. When that due date arrived, students were supposed to turn in a final version. It took
me a full semester to get used to this system. I understood the teachers were just doing
their job and helping us become independent thinkers and workers, but sometimes it
made me miss the monotony of high school.
1. Does the author repeat any words, phrases, or ideas throughout the text? If so, what are
they?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Who or what is the passage about? (What is the topic?)


________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

What is the central point the author is trying to make about that topic?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Does the information in the passage support the answers to questions #2 and #3?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Identify the implied main idea.


________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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