Main Idea
tells what the story or paragraph is mostly about
What is main idea?
the author's purpose for front-page newspaper articles, legal documents, reference materials, museum brochures
What is to inform?
putting together what a text states with what you already know and drawing a conclusion
What is an inference?
addition and time show relationships between ideas
What are transitions?
Type of Context clue: My teacher asked me to look up a definition, or the meaning of a word.
What is a definition?
Looking at the title and heading tells about the main idea! True or False
What is True?
the author's purpose for ads, commercials, editorials, movie critics' reviews, political speeches
What is persuade?
Comparing two things using like or as....
Ex. Her eyes shone like the sun!
What is a simile?
first, secondly, thirdly and finally are examples of continuing on with the same thought toward an end
What are addition words?
Type of context clue: My mother makes me do my chores. For instance, she requires me to clean my room and take out the trash.
What is an example?
Text clues that help find the main idea
What are repeated words, the opening and closing?
a question a reader should ask himself/herself in order to determine the author's purpose
What is "Why did the author write this?" or What was he or she trying to accomplish?"
Comparing things without using like or as....
Ex It was raining cats and dogs.
What is a metaphor?
before, during, then, now and finally are examples of transition words used to put events in the order of occurrence
What is time?
Type of context clue: Littering is illegal or unlawful.
What is a synonym?
I have a pet named Steeler. He is a German Shepherd and he is 3 years old. My husband got him for his birthday. Steeler loves to play ball and eat lots of treats when he does tricks!
Locate the main idea.
What is Steeler the German Shepherd?
the author's purpose for novels, jokes, poems, gossip columns, comic books
What is to entertain?
True or false:
Cartoons, tables and graphs can be used in drawing inferences
What is true?
for example, for instance, including and specifically are relationship words that show this
What are illustrations? (examples)
Type of context clue: Talking back to an adult is disrespectful. We need to respect our elders.
What is an antonym?
The main idea and the theme are the same.
True or False
What is False?
Reveals how an author feels about the content or subject
What is tone?
“Do you believe in life after death?” the boss asked one of his employees.
“Yes, sir,” the new employee replied.
“Well, then, that makes everything just fine . . .” the boss went on. “After you left work early
yesterday to go to your grandmother’s funeral, she stopped in to see you.” - Multiple Choice:
a. The dead grandmother’s ghost came to the office looking for her grandson.
b. The boss has a wild imagination.
c. The employee had lied about going to his grandmother’s funeral.
What is c?
relationships that show how things are alike or different
What is compare and contrast?
Type of context clue: Nikola Tesla was an enigmatic figure. His inventions contribute to many of the modern conveniences that we use to this day. But, he also had visions, thought that he could speak with beings on Mars, and died a pauper.
What is an inference?