Unit 3:

Stated Main Idea, Implied main Idea and

Supporting Details
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the week, students will be able to:
• a. identify the stated main ideas, formulating implied main idea and,
major or minor supporting details in texts.
• b. recognise and evaluate types of supporting details in texts e.g.
examples, illustrations, definitions, facts, opinions, statistics, reasons,
testimonies, research findings, observations, descriptions,
explanations, steps or procedures, comparison or contrast, narratives
and personal experiences.
 IDENTIFYING THE IMPLIED MAIN IDEA
OF A PARAGRAPH

❑ The implied main idea is not clearly or directly

stated in any one sentence in a paragraph. As
discussed earlier, it is only suggested or
inferred by the author.

❑ Readers have to read the entire paragraph and

examine individual details to see how they
relate to the common thread.

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 IDENTIFYING THE IMPLIED MAIN IDEA
OF A PARAGRAPH (cont.)

❑ Since the readers have to formulate the implied main idea, re-
reading and summarising the gist of the paragraph are both
helpful at this stage of the process.

❑ Furthermore, the implied main idea must be written in a single

sentence and should only contain the author’s most significant
point.

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 IDENTIFYING THE IMPLIED MAIN IDEA
OF A PARAGRAPH (cont.)

Sample 1

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 IDENTIFYING THE IMPLIED MAIN IDEA
OF A PARAGRAPH (cont.)

❑ Implied main idea:

– The sale of guns must be closely monitored to prevent the arbitrary
and senseless loss of innocent lives.

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 IDENTIFYING THE IMPLIED MAIN IDEA
OF A PARAGRAPH (cont.)

Sample 2

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 IDENTIFYING THE IMPLIED MAIN IDEA
OF A PARAGRAPH (cont.)

❑ Implied main idea:

– Diabetes is a life-threatening disease that must be taken seriously.

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 CONCLUSION

❑ In a reading passage or text, the topic, stated main idea and

implied main idea are closely related.

❑ The stated main idea can be found directly in the paragraph and
comes in the form of a complete sentence. It might appear at the
beginning, in the middle or at the end of the paragraph.

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 CONCLUSION (cont.)

❑ Lastly, the implied main idea is what the author is suggesting

without stating it explicitly. Readers are supposed to formulate
their own sentences to express the author’s main point.

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