Main idea and summarising

The main idea is what a paragraph or text is mostly about: the point that all the sentences support. A summary gives the main idea and the most important points in a few words, leaving out small details and examples. Being able to sum up a text shows you have really understood it.

Key facts

  • Ask: what is every sentence about? That is the main idea; the rest are supporting details.
  • The main idea is often in the first sentence (the topic sentence), but not always: sometimes it comes at the end.
  • A good title sums up the main idea in a few words: ⟦Why Towns Need Trees⟧.
  • A summary is short, uses your own words, keeps the main points and adds nothing that isn't in the text.
  • Leave out examples, numbers and small details unless they are essential.

Worked examples

Example 1

What is the paragraph mostly about? ⟦Cats make good pets. They are clean and quiet. They do not need to go for walks.⟧

  1. ⟦clean and quiet⟧ and ⟦do not need walks⟧ are reasons.
  2. They all support the first sentence: why cats are good pets.

Answer: why cats are good pets

Example 2

Best title: ⟦Penguins: Birds That Swim⟧ or ⟦How to Catch a Fish⟧? (A paragraph about penguins swimming instead of flying.)

  1. The paragraph is about how penguins swim instead of flying.
  2. Catching fish is only one detail, so ⟦Penguins: Birds That Swim⟧ is better.

Answer: ⟦Penguins: Birds That Swim⟧

Example 3

Which is the better summary of a paragraph about the benefits of street trees: ⟦Street trees cool, clean and calm our towns.⟧ or ⟦Trees give shade.⟧?

  1. ⟦Trees give shade⟧ is only one point.
  2. ⟦Street trees cool, clean and calm our towns.⟧ covers all the main points briefly.

Answer: ⟦Street trees cool, clean and calm our towns.⟧