Main Idea & Purpose
This is the central point the author wants the reader to understand.
What is the main idea?
A character keeps checking the clock. What can you infer?
Are they are anxious or waiting for something important?
"The team are winning" vs. "The team is winning."
Choose the correct sentence.
What is "The team is winning."?
This transition word signals contrast between ideas.
What is "however"?
The book has a ____ on me.
What is "effect"?
A passage describes examples of pollution and ends by saying “this shows the urgent need for environmental reform.”
What's the author's purpose? --> To persuade readers that environmental reform is necessary.
A student "stared at the blank page, tapping her pencil." What can you infer?
Is she struggling to start writing?
Fix this sentence: "Each of the students have their own Chromebook."
What is "Each of the students has their own Chromebook"?
This transition connects similar or reinforcing ideas.
What is "additionally"?
I want to ____ my study habits.
What is "improve"?
A passage explains how a community garden started, grew, and benefits families.
What is the main idea? → Community gardens strengthen neighborhoods by providing food and connection.
A worker keeps glancing at the exit and shifting their weight from foot to foot. What can you infer?
Are they nervous, uncomfortable, or eager to leave?
Fill in the blank: "Neither of the answers is correct, so ____ must be revised."
What is "it"?
This transition introduces an example to support a point.
What is "for instance"?
The teacher asked us to _____ the paragraph.
What is "revise"?
An author presents facts about rising college costs but doesn’t argue for a solution.
What is the author’s purpose? → To inform readers without taking a position.
Although the mayor promised change, residents have seen little improvement." What is implied?
Has the mayor not fulfilled their promises?
Fix the sentence: "The results of the study shows that students learns better with structured practice."
What is "The results of the study show that students learn better with structured practice"?
This transition signals a cause-and-effect relationship.
What is "as a result"?
This word correctly completes the sentence: “The students moved in a perfectly straight ______ as they entered the auditorium.”
What is “row”?
(“Line” is too easy; “row” is the trickier, still‑correct academic choice.)
A passage describes a problem, explains causes, proposes a solution, and compares it to an alternative.
What is the dominant text structure? → Problem–solution.
A scientist refuses to publish the results until "absolutely certain." What can you infer?
Maybe they value accuracy and caution?
Choose the correct sentence:
A) The teacher, along with her assistants, are planning the event.
B) The teacher, along with her assistants, is planning the event.
What is B?
This transition shifts the discussion to a new or opposing perspective.
This verb correctly completes the sentence: “The new policy will ______ the way students submit assignments, even though the instructions remain the same.”
What is “affect”? (“Effect,” “alter,” “change,” and “impact” all look tempting, but “affect” is the precise, grammatically correct verb.)