LOCATING

MAIN IDEAS
 In five minutes, write a paragraph about
your idea of love. Make sure that you
have a central idea in your paragraph.

 Then, exchange works with your

seatmate. Read your seatmate’s work and
then underline the his/her idea of love
 Return the paper to your seatmate and
have him/her confirm whether you
correctly underlined his/her main idea.
 Topic Sentence

Thesis Statement
Topic Sentence
 Presents or describes the point of the
paragraph

Thesis Statement
 Presents or describes the point of the

essay
LOCATING THE TOPIC
SENTENCE
 The topic sentence is the main idea of a
paragraph.

 It can be located in the beginning, middle

or last part of a paragraph.
STRATEGIES IN LOCATING THE TOPIC
SENTENCE

 Read the first sentence of the paragraph

 Browse the sentences in the paragraph

to identify what they describe.

 Find the “big word”
Locate the main idea

It is often said that lightning never

strikes twice in the same place, but this
isn’t true. Go ask the forest rangers.
Rangers who spend their summers as fire-
fighters will tell you that every
thundershower brings several bolts of
lightning to their lookout stations.
Locate the main idea

It is often said that lightning never

strikes twice in the same place, but this
isn’t true. Go ask the forest rangers.
Rangers who spend their summers as fire-
fighters will tell you that every
thundershower brings several bolts of
lightning to their lookout stations.
Locate the main idea

Costs were low that year and the

output high. There was a good person
for each job and the market remained
firm. There were no losses from fire.
All in all it was the best years in the
history of the company.
Locate the main idea

Costs were low that year and the

output high. There was a good person
for each job and the market remained
firm. There were no losses from fire.
All in all it was the best years in the
history of the company.
Locate the main idea

Advertising affects our lives everyday.

Brand names are common household words.
We start each day using the toothpaste, soap,
and breakfast foods promoted by advertisers.
Ads have made the cars we drive signs of our
success. Our choices of food, dress, and
entertainment are swayed by ads. Not one
aspect of American life is untouched by
advertising.
Locate the main idea
Advertising affects our lives everyday.
Brand names are common household words. We
start each day using the toothpaste, soap, and
breakfast foods promoted by advertisers. Ads
have made the cars we drive signs of our
success. Our choices of food, dress, and
entertainment are swayed by ads. Not one
aspect of human life is untouched by
advertising
LOCATING THE THESIS STATEMENT

 In an academic text, thesis statement is

usually presented in the abstract or
executive summary

 Written in a declarative sentence

STRATEGIES IN
LOCATING THE THESIS STATEMENT

 Read the title of the text and make

inferences on its purpose.
 If the text has no abstract or executive

summary, read the first few paragraphs.

 In other cases, you may also check the

conclusion where authors sum up and

review their main points.
LOCATING THE THESIS
STATEMENT
 Read the essay “The Golden Age of
Comics”.
 Give the thesis statement of the essay.
INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY

Task A.
 Locate main ideas in the given

paragraphs.

Task B
 Locate main ideas in the following texts:

1. Wrigley’s Chewing Gum (p 20)

2. Competition and Cooperation (p 22)
 Activity: Locating Main Ideas

In Africa, music is usually performed

outdoors. There is spontaneous music making as
well as performances by social and music groups
at ceremonies and feasts. There is no musical
notation (written music). African music
tradition, like folklore and history, is transmitted
orally. Music is a social activity in which almost
everyone participates. Clearly, African music has
several interesting characteristics.
Activity: Locating Main Ideas

Tsunamis, large ocean waves caused by

underwater earthquakes, can be deadly and
destructive. For example, in December 2004,
an underwater earthquake triggered a massive
tsunami throughout the Indian Ocean. The
tsunami killed more than 200,000 people and
caused billions of dollars of damage to the
coasts of numerous Southeast Asian
countries.
Activity: Locating Main Ideas

Is it an ant, you wonder, or a termite?

Ants resemble termites, but they are quite
different and can be easily distinguished. In
contrast to termites, ants are usually dark in
color, are hard bodied, and have
constriction between the thorax and
abdomen. Also, ants and termites belong to
different orders.
 Activity: Locating Main Ideas

In Africa, music is usually performed

outdoors. There is spontaneous music making as
well as performances by social and music groups
at ceremonies and feasts. There is no musical
notation (written music). African music
tradition, like folklore and history, is transmitted
orally. Music is a social activity in which almost
everyone participates. Clearly, African music
has several interesting characteristics.
Activity: Locating Main Ideas

Tsunamis, large ocean waves caused by

underwater earthquakes, can be deadly and
destructive. For example, in December 2004,
an underwater earthquake triggered a massive
tsunami throughout the Indian Ocean. The
tsunami killed more than 200,000 people and
caused billions of dollars of damage to the
coasts of numerous Southeast Asian
countries.
Activity: Locating Main Ideas

Is it an ant, you wonder, or a termite?

Ants resemble termites, but they are
quite different and can be easily
distinguished. In contrast to termites, ants
are usually dark in color, are hard bodied,
and have constriction between the thorax
and abdomen. Also, ants and termites
belong to different orders.
Activity: Locating Main Ideas