Show:
Main Idea
Supporting Details
Main Idea or Supporting Details?
Mix and Mash
Simile or Metaphor
100
What is a main idea?
A main idea is the most important part of a paragraph.
100
What is a supporting detail?
Supporting details are details that tell you more about the main idea.
100
Kangaroos usually live in family groups called mobs.
Main Idea
100

Is the end of a paragraph or essay

What is a conclusion

100

Jimmy swims like a fish

What is Simile

200
Gregory is my beautiful gray Persian cat. He walks with pride and grace, performing a dance of disdain as he slowly lifts and lowers each paw with the delicacy of a ballet dancer. His pride, however, does not extend to his appearance, for he spends most of his time indoors watching television and growing fat.What is the main idea of the paragraph?
Gregory is my beautiful gray Persian cat.
200
I dig my feet into the cold, wet sand while looking at the flawless view before me. The tranquil ocean takes my breath away.
The tranquil ocean takes my breath away.
200
The Sea is vast.
Main Idea
200

Verb

What is an action word

200

Hayden's dog is a scaredy cat

What is Metaphor

300
On one corner of my dresser sits a smiling toy clown on a tiny unicycle―a gift I received last Christmas from a close friend. The clown's short yellow hair, made of yarn, covers its ears but is parted above the eyes. The blue eyes are outlined in black with thin, dark lashes flowing from the brows. What is the main idea of the paragraph?
On one corner of my dresser sits a smiling toy clown on a tiny unicycle―a gift I received last Christmas from a close friend.
300
The velociraptor was six feet tall, and powerfully built, although its strong legs and tail were hidden by the tables. Tim could see only the muscular upper torso, the two forearms held tightly alongside the body, the claws dangling. What is the supporting detail in the paragraph?
Tim could see only the muscular upper torso, the two forearms held tightly alongside the body, the claws dangling.
300

Dolphins are smart animals.

Main Idea

300

The punctuation mark that ends a sentence

What is a period

300
Everyone is working their butts off to get there assignments in on time.
What is metaphor
400
Many birds and crocodiles swallowed small stones, which collected in a muscular pouch in the digestive tract, called the gizzard. Squeezed by the muscles of the gizzard, the stones helped crush tough plant food before it reached the stomach, and thus aided digestion. Some scientists thought dinosaurs also had gizzard stones. What is the main idea of the paragraph?
Many birds and crocodiles swallowed small stones, which collected in a muscular pouch in the digestive tract, called the gizzard.
400
On one corner of my dresser sits a smiling toy clown on a tiny unicycle―a gift I received last Christmas from a close friend. The clown's short yellow hair, made of yarn, covers its ears but is parted above the eyes. What is the supporting detail in the paragraph?
The clown's short yellow hair, made of yarn, covers its ears but is parted above the eyes.
400
The salty air burned my lungs.
Supporting Details
400

The punctuation mark used to express a passage of time

What is an ellipses

400
My friend is mother hen, she is constantly pecking at us like a chicken.
What is Metaphor and Simile
500
Before leaving the stream behind, he had drunk from it, even though he knew this was unwise. Now he felt dizzy, and the world sometimes swirled around him. He was having trouble with his balance. But he knew he had to climb the hill, and get back to the path above. What is the main idea of the paragraph?
Before leaving the stream behind, he had drunk from it, even though he knew this was unwise.
500
Raptors were at least as intelligent as chimpanzees. And, like chimpanzees, they had agile hands that enabled them to open doors and manipulate objects. What is the supporting detail?
And, like chimpanzees, they had agile hands that enabled them to open doors and manipulate objects.
500
These mobs can be as large as 100 kangaroos.
Supporting Detail
500

The punctuation mark that denotes a pause

What is comma

500
compares two objects directly
What is Simile