Main Ideas and Supporting Details

📋 Reading Main Ideas

Part 1 of 7 — Finding the Main Idea

Main idea = the central point or argument of the passage.

Check the first and last paragraphs — they often state or reinforce the main idea.

Check Your Understanding 🎯

Key Insight: Eliminate answers that are too specific (a detail) or too broad (beyond the passage).

ACT Tip: Every paragraph should relate back to the main idea.

Check Your Understanding 🎯

Match the Concepts 🔍

Supporting Details

Part 2 of 7 — Supporting Details

Supporting details provide evidence for the main idea.

Look for specific examples, statistics, quotes, or descriptions.

Check Your Understanding 🎯

Key Insight: Detail questions often point to specific lines or paragraphs.

ACT Tip: The answer is stated in the passage — don't infer when the question asks for details.

Check Your Understanding 🎯

Match the Concepts 🔍

Making Inferences

Part 3 of 7 — Making Inferences

Inferences: conclusions based on evidence + reasoning (not directly stated).

Must be strongly supported by the text — don't go too far.

Check Your Understanding 🎯

Key Insight: "It can be inferred" or "the passage suggests" = inference question.

ACT Tip: Eliminate answers that require outside knowledge or are too extreme.

Check Your Understanding 🎯

Match the Concepts 🔍

Author Purpose

Part 4 of 7 — Author Purpose

Why did the author write this passage? (inform, persuade, entertain, describe).

Tone: positive, negative, neutral, critical, humorous, nostalgic, etc..

Check Your Understanding 🎯

Key Insight: Look at word choice (diction) for clues about attitude.

ACT Tip: Author's purpose affects how information is presented.

Check Your Understanding 🎯

Match the Concepts 🔍

Vocabulary in Context

Part 5 of 7 — Vocabulary in Context

Context clues: the surrounding words reveal the meaning.

Substitute each answer choice — which one makes the most sense?.

Check Your Understanding 🎯

Key Insight: ACT tests common words with uncommon meanings.

ACT Tip: Read the full sentence, not just the phrase around the word.

Check Your Understanding 🎯

Match the Concepts 🔍

Problem-Solving Workshop

Part 6 of 7 — Problem-Solving Workshop

Context clues: the surrounding words reveal the meaning.

Substitute each answer choice — which one makes the most sense?.

Check Your Understanding 🎯

Key Insight: ACT tests common words with uncommon meanings.

ACT Tip: Read the full sentence, not just the phrase around the word.

Check Your Understanding 🎯

Match the Concepts 🔍

Review & Applications

Part 7 of 7 — Review & Applications

Context clues: the surrounding words reveal the meaning.

Substitute each answer choice — which one makes the most sense?.

Check Your Understanding 🎯

Key Insight: ACT tests common words with uncommon meanings.

ACT Tip: Read the full sentence, not just the phrase around the word.

Check Your Understanding 🎯

Match the Concepts 🔍