Main Idea and Inference Questions

Main Idea Questions

Stems like "the central thesis is..." or "the author's primary purpose is..." should match the Author's Main Idea you formulated while reading: the whole-passage claim plus the author's stance. The signature trap is the "too narrow" choice -- true of one paragraph but not the passage. Also check that the answer matches the author's tone.

Detail vs. Inference

"According to the passage" signals Foundations of Comprehension: the answer is explicitly stated, so go back and find it rather than trusting memory. "It can be inferred that..." signals Reasoning Beyond the Text: the credited answer is supported by the passage but never directly stated.

How Far to Infer

Correct inferences stay close to the text -- a small, necessary step from what is written. Wrong answers make big leaps, import outside knowledge, or extend a qualified claim into an absolute one. Classify the stem before evaluating any choice; the question type dictates the search strategy.

Key Takeaways

• Main idea answers must span the whole passage and match tone
• "According to the passage" means retrieve; "can be inferred" means small supported step
• Never import outside knowledge -- everything needed is in the text
• Classify the stem first; strategy follows question type