MAIN IDEA

 The main idea of a story is the central concept that the author wants to portray through
the narrative, characters, and settings.
 What the author wants the reader to know about the subject
 Finding the main idea in stories is like being a detective. The reader has to follow clues
and look for meaning as they read. Many times, the main idea isn't clear for a significant
portion of the story.

EXPLICIT vs. IMPLICIT

 Explicit describes something very clear and without vagueness or ambiguity. Implicit
often functions as the opposite, referring to something that is understood, but not
described clearly or directly, and often using implication or assumption.

EXPLICIT MAIN IDEA IMPLICIT MAIN IDEA

 The main idea has been directly stated -
the reader could underline it.
 Explicit information is clearly stated.
TOPIC SENTENCE
 Every paragraph should include a topic
sentence that identifies the main idea
of the paragraph.
 A topic sentence also states the point
the writer wishes to make about that
subject.
 Generally, the topic sentence appears at
the beginning of the paragraph. It is
often the paragraph’s very first
sentence.
 A paragraph’s topic sentence must be
general enough to express the
paragraph’s overall subject. However, it
should be specific enough that the reader
can understand the paragraph’s main
subject and point.
 The reader has to figure out the main
idea of a text by using inferences
(guesses based on facts and details in the
story + your own background knowledge
of the subject)
 Implied means that it is not directly
expressed, but portrayed through a
character's actions, settings, and plot.
 Reading between the lines
 If something is implicit, it is not directly
stated. The reader must understand
implicit information and facts based on
other clues in the text.