1. Chapter 5: Identifying Supporting Details and Transitions
Essential Reading Skills, 2/e Kathleen McWhorter
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2. What Are Supporting Details?
Supporting details are those facts and ideas that prove or explain the main idea of a paragraph.
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Major Details
Major details are the most important details that directly explain the main idea.
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Minor Details
Minor details provide additional information, offer an example, or further explain one of the key details.
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5. Details Relate to the Main Idea
Main Idea/Topic Sentence
Major Detail
Major Detail
Minor Detail
Minor Detail
Minor Detail
Minor Detail
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6. Recognizing Transitions
Transitions are linking words or phrases that lead the reader from one major detail to another.
(first, also, finally)
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Common Transitions
Time-Sequence
Example
Enumeration
Continuation
Contrast
Comparison
Cause-Effect
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Time-Sequence
The author arranges ideas in the order in which they happened.
Transition words:
first
later
next
finally
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Example
The author indicates that an example will follow.
Transition words:
for example
for instance
to illustrate
such as
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Enumeration
The author marks or identifies each major point.
Transition words:
first
second
third
last
another
next
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Continuation
The author continues with the same idea and will provide additional information.
Transition words:
also
in addition
and
further
another
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Contrast
The author is switching to a different, opposite, or contrasting idea than previously discussed.
Transition words:
on the other hand
in contrast
however
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Comparison
The writer will show how the previous idea is similar to what follows.
Transition words:
like
likewise
similarly
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Cause-Effect
The writer will show a connection between two or more things, how one thing caused another, or how something happened as a result of another.
Transition words:
because
thus
therefore
since
consequently
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15. Test-Taking Tip #5: Answering Detail Questions
Don’t try to memorize facts or details as you read the passage the first time. You can go back and look later.
As you read, pay attention to how the writer supports the main idea (definition, comparison, example, etc.)
Look back to the passage to find factual information.
You may need to consider several details together.
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16. Visit the Companion Website
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