Main Idea & Text Structure
Q: What question should you ask to find the main idea of a passage?
What is the passage mostly about?
What does the "P" in PIE stand for when talking about author’s purpose?
Persuade.
What two things do you combine to make an inference?
Clues from the text + your background knowledge.
Name two things you should pay attention to when analyzing a character.
The character’s actions and thoughts.
What is one thing you must include in an opinion essay?
A clear opinion statement.
Name two things you can look for to identify the main idea.
Repeated words and topic sentences.
What’s the difference between a story’s theme and its main idea?
Theme is the lesson or moral; main idea is what the story is mostly about.
What can you use to figure out the meaning of a word you don't know?
Context clues.
What is one way illustrations help you understand a nonfiction article?
They give visual examples that support the text.
In informative writing, what should you use to support your ideas?
Facts, definitions, and details.
What text structure shows events in the order they happen?
Sequence.
Give an example of a text that is meant to entertain.
A fictional story, like a funny comic book or adventure novel.
The ground was wet and the sky was gray." What inference can you make?
It rained recently.
How can you tell if a text is literary or informational?
Literary texts tell a story; informational texts give facts.
What are three important parts of a good narrative story?
Beginning, middle, and end.
If a story shows how two things are alike and different, what text structure is it using?
Compare and Contrast.
If an author writes a book to explain how rainbows form, what is the author's purpose?
To Inform.
If a word you don’t know is surrounded by examples, what strategy should you use?
Use context clues to figure out the word’s meaning.
What should you do when you read two texts on the same topic?
Compare and contrast the key ideas and details.
What is one way you can use sources when writing a research paper?
Use quotes or paraphrase and cite the source.
How can identifying repeated words in a passage help you find the main idea?
Repeated words usually point to the topic the passage is mostly about.
How can you figure out the theme of a story if it isn’t directly stated?
Look at what the characters learn and how they change.
Why is making inferences important when reading a story?
It helps you understand what the author is showing but not directly telling.
Give an example of a text feature that helps you understand information better.
A chart, graph, heading, or caption.
Name the four steps you should follow when working on any writing assignment.
Plan, Draft, Revise, Edit.