chapter four: topics and main ideas
Post on 06-Jul-2015
327 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Chapter 4Understanding Paragraphs:
Topics and Main IdeasPowerPoint by Gretchen Starks-Martin
St. Cloud State University, MN
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
THIS CHAPTER WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO:
1. Identify topics
2. Identify main ideas in paragraphs
3. Recognize topic sentences
4. Understand implied main ideas
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Paragraphs
A Paragraph has four essential parts: Topic: The one subject the whole paragraph is about.
Main idea: The point that the whole paragraph makes.
Details: The sentences that explain the main idea.
Transitions: Words and phrases to connect the ideas.
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
General & Specific Ideas
General Idea: A broad idea that
applies to a large number of individual items. Ex: Pies
Specific Idea: Refers to an individual
item. Ex: apple, cherry,
pumpkin, chocolate cream, etc.
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Identifying the Topic
The topic is the subject of the entire paragraph.
Every sentence in a paragraph discusses the topic.
The one or two words you would choose as a title of the paragraph are the topic.
Ask yourself: What is the one thing the author is discussing throughout the paragraph?
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Locate the Topic
The Topic sentence is the most important idea: it is the idea that the whole paragraph explains or
supports.
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Finding the Stated Main Idea
Locate the topic. Locate the most general sentence. Study the rest of the paragraph.
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Topic Sentence First
Most often the topic sentence is placed first in the paragraph.
Topic Sentence
DetailDetailDetail
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Topic Sentence Last
A writer leads up to the main point and then directly states it at the end.
DetailDetailDetail
Topic Sentence
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Topic Sentence in the Middle
The sentences before the topic sentence lead up to or introduce the main idea. Those that follow the main idea explain or describe it.
DetailDetail
Topic Sentence
DetailDetail
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Topic Sentence First and Last
The main idea will appear at the beginning of a paragraph and again at the end.
To emphasize an important idea. To explain an idea that needs clarification.
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Implied Main Ideas
Imply - means to suggest an idea but not state it directly. Ex: “If that blue plaid shirt is back in my closet
by noon, I’ll forget that it was missing.”
Infer - means to reason out something based on what has been said. Ex: I wouldn’t even feed that cake to my dog.
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Figuring Out Implied Main Ideas
What larger idea do these details point to? The wind was blowing at 35 mph. The wind chill was 5 degrees below zero. Snow was falling at the rate of 3 inches per
hour.
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Figuring Out Implied Main Ideas in Paragraphs
Writers sometimes leave their main idea unstated.
Stated Unstated
Detail
Detail
Detail
Detail
DetailMAIN IDEA
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Figuring Out Implied Main Ideas
Wind 35 mph
Snow 3” per hour
Blizzard- 5 degree wind chill
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Figuring Out Implied Main Ideas
The child refused to speak.
The child then threwhimself to the floor.
What is the impliedgeneral idea?The child crossed his arms
and turned his back.
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Steps to Find Implied Main Ideas in Paragraphs
1. Find the topic.2. Decide what the writer wants you
to know about that topic.3. Express this idea in your own
words.
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
What is the Implied Main Idea?
Yellow is a bright, cheery color; it is often associated with spring and hopefulness. Green, since it is a
color that appears frequently in nature (trees, grass, plants), has come to suggest growth and rebirth. Blue, the color of the sky, may suggest
eternity, or endless beauty. Red, the color of both blood and fire, is often connected with strong
feelings such as courage, lust, and rage.
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
What is the Implied Main Idea?
Topic: Colors
Details: General Idea:
Yellow - Spring
Green – GrowthRebirth
Blue - Eternity
Red – Strong Feelings
DIFFERENT COLORS HAVE DIFFERENT MEANINGS
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
How to Know if You Have Made a Reasonable Inference
The idea should be broad enough so that every sentence explains the idea.
Work through the paragraph, sentence by sentence.
Check to see that each sentence explains the idea.
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
SELF-TEST SUMMARY
Name and describe the four essential parts of a paragraph.
What sentence states the main idea of a paragraph?
Where is the topic sentence located? What are implied main ideas? How can one figure out implied main ideas?
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
Visit the Companion Website
For additional readings, exercises, and Internet activities, visit this book’s
Companion Website at:http://www.ablongman.com/mcwhorter
If you need a user name and password, see your instructor.
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman
TEST-TAKING TIPS Words used to identify MAIN IDEA:
Thesis Central point Central idea Most important idea Primary idea
Phrases used to identify TOPIC: This paragraph is primarily about… This paragraph concerns… This paragraph focuses on… The best title for the paragraph would be…
top related