English

Main idea.

Definition

The central point or most important concept that an author communicates in a text or passage. The main idea is what the text is mostly about and is supported by details, facts, and examples throughout the work.

Examples

Real-world.

  • 1 The main idea of an article about recycling might be that reducing waste requires community effort
  • 2 In a speech, the main idea could be that education is the key to economic opportunity
  • 3 A paragraph's main idea is often stated in its topic sentence
Studied in

1 unit use this concept.