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English•Reading Comprehension

Identify the main idea

Junior High 6 questions
AI-drafted from platform data — specialist review scheduledBy DigiTransact Mastermind editorial teamLast updated
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What identify the main idea means

You look for the one point that all the sentences support. This helps you answer questions quickly and avoid choosing a small detail instead of the central message.

What you will practise

  • Read a short passage and pick the central point
  • Separate the main point from supporting details
  • Choose the best answer from close options
  • Use clue words in every sentence to guide your choice
  • Check whether your answer covers the whole passage

Before you start

You should be able to read short passages with confidence and understand common vocabulary. It also helps if you can tell the difference between a fact and a detail.

Worked example

One question from this skill's own question bank, shown with its full working.

Question

"Bees are vital to farming. They pollinate crops such as apples, almonds and berries. Without bees, many foods would become scarce." What is the main idea?

  • Bees make honey.
  • Bees are important for pollinating crops.
  • Almonds are a popular snack.
  • Farming is difficult.
Answer: Bees are important for pollinating crops.

Working: Every sentence supports the idea that bees are vital to crops through pollination.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Choosing one interesting detail instead of the whole message. Look for what all the sentences say together.
  • Picking an answer that is too narrow. The main idea must cover every part of the passage.
  • Getting distracted by repeated words. Use them to find the topic, not to stop at a single line.
  • Mixing the main idea with a supporting fact. Ask whether the passage would still make sense without that detail.

Curriculum and exam alignment

Ghana GES Basic 7 to 9 syllabusBECE

This skill usually appears in reading comprehension lessons in Junior High School as learners build stronger understanding of passages. It also supports BECE-style questions that ask for the central idea of a text.

Curriculum notes are a general guide to where this work normally sits. Always check the syllabus your school or examination body is currently using.

Related skills

Other Reading Comprehension skills in English, at the same point in the course.

Other English topics

Letters and SoundsEarly Reading and WritingSHS English and LiteratureAcademic and Professional WritingGrammarVocabulary

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Exams that assess identify the main idea

Junior High work on this skill feeds directly into these exam papers. Each page lists the English topics that appear on it.

BECEBECE practice questionsFree BECE practice across the subjects at this stage, with worked answers.GESGES practice questionsFree GES practice across the subjects at this stage, with worked answers.WASSCEWASSCE practice questionsListed as a related subject on the WASSCE practice page.

How this page was produced

This text was drafted with AI assistance from the questions and topics already stored on the platform. A subject-specialist review is scheduled but has not yet been recorded, so we do not claim it here.

Written by
DigiTransact Mastermind editorial team
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Practise identify the main idea

6 questions with a worked answer after every attempt, and a SmartScore that tracks how close you are to mastery.

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