This chapter will show you how to recognize the main point of a paragraph and identify the ideas that support it. More specifically, you will learn how to identify topics, transitions, stated main ideas, implied main ideas, and details in paragraphs. Topics and main ideas are presented in terms of general and specific ideas. Explanations for the location of the main idea are provided with regard to the main idea as (1) the first sentence, (2) the last sentence, (3) a middle sentence, (4) split between the first and last sentences, and (5) as an implied idea.

Exercises and mastery tests will give you the opportunity to apply the techniques presented in this chapter for finding the topic, the main idea, transitions, and details in paragraphs.

Copyright © 1995-2010, Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman Legal and Privacy Terms