Finding the Main Idea Once you know the subject of a paragraph, ask yourself, “What’s the main idea?”

Main Idea in the First Sentence In opening paragraph from “Living Like Weasels,” main idea comes in the sentence that begins the paragraph: “A weasel is wild.” The rest of the paragraph gives some details or examples of the wildness. You can use an organizer to help you understand Dillard’s paragraph and sift the main idea from the details.

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Main Idea in the Last Sentence Writers sometimes prefer to write by showing several examples or details and then giving their main idea. As a reader, you need to recognize what’s most important. That will be the main idea.

Main Idea in Last Sentence When I reported for duty in the small town of Dubno, on the Russian border, my Second Squadron of Horse Artillary had already left and was in its battle position on the opposite side of the country, facing the German barracks. When I left early in the morning to have breakfast in the officers’ mess on Friday, September 1, 1939, I saw another officer running toward me. Waving his hands he shouted excitedly: “The war has started – the fighting started at 5 A.M.!”

Main Idea in Last Sentence Here the main idea comes in a dramatic statement at the very end of the paragraph: The war has begun. This main idea – the beginning of the war– is what connects everything else in the paragraph. The other sentences give details. They tell the author’s location (Dubno), his squad (Second Horse Artillary), the day (September 1, 1939), and how he learned about the beginning of the war (from an officer).

Build up to the Main Idea 1. In Dubno 2. second squadron 3. September 1, 1939 4. Officer running 5. war starting