TOPIC The topic of a written work is its subject – what it’s about. Serena Jameka Williams (born September 26, 1981) is a professional American tennis player. The Women's Tennis Association has ranked her world number one in singles on five separate occasions. She became the world no. 1 for the first time on July 8, 2002, and regained this ranking for the fifth time on November 2, She is the only female player to have won over $35 million in prize money.

STATED CENTRAL IDEA A “stated” central idea is the most important idea a writer makes in a paragraph or selection. It is expressed in the topic sentence of a paragraph. A topic sentence may appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a paragraph or selection.

STATED CENTRAL IDEA Scientists once believed that the moon was completely dry and barren, but recent discoveries have changed this view. Lunar probes have found frozen water in a deep crater near the moon’s South Pole. Scientists now believe the frozen water may have come from comets that struck the moon’s surface.

IMPLIED CENTRAL IDEA The writer may not always state the central idea. Sometimes it is “implied.” The reader must then figure it out by thinking about the details and putting the main idea in her/his own words.

IMPLIED CENTRAL IDEA Tomatoes originated in South America. Sometime during the mid-1500s, Spanish priests brought them to Europe. Today there are more than 4,000 varieties,. China and the United States produce almost thirty percent of the world’s supply of tomatoes.

Identifying the Central Idea IDENTIFYING THE CENTRAL IDEA To find the central idea, look for ideas that: 1. appear in the topic sentence or first paragraph 2. appear as headlines, titles, or subheads 3. follow statements such as “The point is” or “Most importantly” 4. are repeated several times 5. are italicized, boldfaced, or underlined in print 6. are spoken with emphasis or forceful gestures Once you find the central idea, look for the facts and details that support it.

FIND THE MAIN IDEA People did not always have the convenience of walking into a movie theater or renting a video to watch at home. In the late 1800s, traveling projectionists would bring films to country towns and small cities. They would set up their movie projectors in old, dusty halls and show silent films. By 1905, stores in major cities were converted into theaters by adding folding chairs and screens. These theaters became known as nickelodeon theaters because they charged five cents for a short, silent film.