TOPIC

What is a topic?
• A topic is a particular subject that you
discuss, write or read about.
• To find the topic, just ask yourself “What is
it about?”
• In a paragraph, the topic can sometimes be
repeated.
 Sometimes, repeated words can be the
topic.
The ocean is important to all living things. More than 70 percent of Earth’s surface is covered by

oceans. If you saw Earth from outer space, it would look similar to a blue marble. That’s a lot of

water! The ocean is the Earth’s largest habitat. There is only one world ocean and five ocean basins.

The water in the world ocean flows between the ocean basins, just like air moves around on land.

About one million types of animals live in the ocean. Different animals live in different parts of the

ocean depending on what they need to stay alive. It’s important that humans take care of the ocean

so it stays healthy for years to come. One way to help the ocean is to pick up trash on the beach.

The ocean is important to all living things. Over half of the Earth’s surface is covered by the ocean.

Scientists have only explored 5 percent of the ocean. There is still so much left to explore!

Here, ocean is the topic.

 Main Idea
(Topic sentence)
 What is a main idea?
• The most important idea about a topic.

• It is the biggest idea.

• Something that the text is mostly about.

 What is most important or the biggest
idea about a topic?

The ocean is important to all living things. More than 70 percent of Earth’s surface is covered by

oceans. If you saw Earth from outer space, it would look similar to a blue marble. That’s a lot of

water! The ocean is the Earth’s largest habitat. There is only one world ocean and five ocean basins.

The water in the world ocean flows between the ocean basins, just like air moves around on land.

About one million types of animals live in the ocean. Different animals live in different parts of the

ocean depending on what they need to stay alive. It’s important that humans take care of the ocean

so it stays healthy for years to come. One way to help the ocean is to pick up trash on the beach.

The ocean is important to all living things. Over half of the Earth’s surface is covered by the ocean.

Scientists have only explored 5 percent of the ocean. There is still so much left to explore!
 What is the main idea (topic
sentence) ?
• The most important idea about a topic.

• It is the biggest idea.

• Something that the text is mostly about.

 Let's identify the main idea (topic sentence) in this
paragraph.

The lotus flower is very

beautiful. It has a
sweet smelling
fragrance. The petals
are pink and white. It
has two leaves on its
stem.
Answer

The lotus flower is very beautiful.

It has a sweet smelling fragrance.

The petals are pink and white.

It has two leaves on its stem.

 There are 2 types of main idea
Stated main idea
= Topic sentence + Details of the story

Implied main idea

= Details of the story + Your schema
 Stated main idea
• A stated main idea can be ….
- the first sentence
- the last sentence
- within a paragraph
 An example of a stated main idea
In the Midwest, snow can cause many challenges to everyday life. For
example, transportation can be difficult during a snowstorm. Roads become
dangerous for drivers, and busses and trains usually run late. This, in turn,
affects daily schedules. Even people who overcome transportation issues
must deal with co-workers running late or school closures due to the snow.
Worse, though, are weather-related injuries from car accidents, falling on the
ice, and even heart attacks while shoveling heavy snow. People who live in
the Midwest must get used to these realities and learn to make the best of it.

Step 1: Identify the topic.

Answer = Snow in the Midwest

Step 2: Identify the stated main idea.

Answer = In the Midwest, snow can cause many challenges to everyday life.
 Implied main idea
• The main idea that is not stated but only
suggested by the supporting details.
• Figure it out by considering the supporting
details.
 An example of implied main idea
It takes more than 500,000 trees to supply a Sunday newspaper to Americans. If
everyone recycled even one out of ten newspaper, 25 million trees a year could
be left standing. Also, recycling paper reduces by 95 percent the air pollutants
released by paper manufacture. And recycling takes 30 to 50 percent less
energy, compared to making new paper. (Starr and Taggart, Biology.)
 The main idea is not clearly stated. You need to consider the supporting
details.

Step 1: Identify the topic.

Answer = Recycling

Step 2: Identify the implied main idea by considering the supporting details
Answer = Recycling paper can save environment and energy.
Paragraph
Writing
A paragraph consists of …
 An example of a good paragraph
My favorite animals are penguins for two reasons. First of all, I
like penguins because they look so cute. I love to watch penguins
waddle across the ice and they look happy when they slide on
their bellies. In addition, I like how penguins take care of their
babies. The male penguins help the female sit on the eggs. When
the baby is born, the parents protect it from predators like seals.
Clearly, penguins are the animal I like the best.
My favorite animals are penguins for two
Main idea (Topic sentence)
reasons. First of all, I like penguins
because they look so cute. I love to watch
Supporting details
penguins waddle across the ice and they (major details)
look happy when they slide on their
bellies. In addition, I like how penguins Adding details
take care of their babies. The male (minor details)
penguins help the female sit on the eggs.
When the baby is born, the parents
protect it from predators like seals.
Adding details
Clearly, penguins are the animal I like the
(minor details)
best.
Concluding
Sentence
A concluding sentence often has one
of these four important purposes:

1. Restatement
2. Suggestion
3. Opinion
4. Prediction.
Restatement
Suggestion
Opinion
Prediction