Main Idea
Luca’s grandpa lives on a farm. He has a big garden, and many animals. When Luca was little, he was afraid of the chickens. When he helped feed the chickens, the chickens chased him, crying, “Cluck, cluck!” But his grandpa showed him how to shoo the chickens away with his hand, saying, “Shoo chicks!” Luca still doesn’t like the chickens much, but he isn’t afraid of them now.
Luca and the chickens
I want to convince you that homework is good for you and I use a quote from a scientist who studies the effects of homework.
Relevant
The Statue of Liberty is visited by thousands of people every year. The Statue of Liberty is a 151 foot statue of a woman holding a book and a torch. It is located in New York Harbor. It was a gift of friendship from the people of France. It has become a universal symbol of freedom. What is the main idea of the paragraph?
The Statue of Liberty is visited by thousands of people every year.
I want to convince you that dogs are the best pets. So I start talking about how some dogs are energetic, which makes me want to buy more sports clothes because they're comfy and help me run fast.
Irrelevant
Niagara Falls is a beautiful sight in North America. It is on the Niagara River about halfway between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Niagara Falls is on the American and Canadian border. The American Falls is 167 feet high. On the Canadian side, the Horseshoe Falls is 161 feet high. What is the main idea of the paragraph?
Niagara Falls is a beautiful and enormous sight in North America.
I want to convince the principal that she should offer a new middle school robotics club at school and I say that I have surveyed all the students in the school and 70% of them would be interested in joining the club.
Relevant
The musicians in an orchestra are often arranged in groups. The woodwinds sit together. The strings sit together. So do the brass and the percussion players. This way it is easier for the musicians to play together. Usually, the percussion is in the back. In front of them may be the brass section. The woodwinds and the strings are often seated nearest to the front. This produces a good, even sound for the audience to enjoy. The main idea in this passage is:
How is an orchestra arranged
I want my parents to let me get a new phone so I give them several specific examples of how the phone would help me and them.
Relevant
Weather reporters have to give out a lot of information. That's why they use pictures. The pictures help them tell us about the weather without using so many words. Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is. They need to know where the warm air is. They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area. Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short. The pictures help weather reporters get the information out in a fast way.
Pictures help weather reporters get information out in a fast way.
I want to convince my teacher that I should be able to reassess on my social studies test, so I show her a picture I drew in art class of Spongebob Squarepants
irrelevant