Reading · Module 13
Main Idea & Summarising
Find what a passage is really about and sum it up — avoiding the too-narrow and too-broad traps, with four tiers of practice.
Page 1 · Introduction
Main idea & summarising
The main idea is what a passage is mostly about — the big point, not the small details. Being able to spot it, and to sum a passage up in a sentence, is one of the most tested reading skills.
The big ideaThe main idea is the umbrella that covers the whole passage. Details sit underneath it; the main idea stretches over all of them.
💡We build from finding the topic up to choosing the best summary and avoiding "too narrow / too broad" traps.
On the real testWhere this appearsMain-idea and summary questions are a core part of the Reading section (25% of your mark, from 2025).
Page 2 · Topic vs main idea
Two different things
Topic
The subject, in a word or two. "Bees."
Main idea
What the passage SAYS about the topic, in a sentence. "Bees are vital because they pollinate our crops."
✅Topic answers "what is this about?" Main idea answers "what is the writer saying about it?" The main idea is always a full thought.
Page 3 · How to find it
Finding the main idea
Often the main idea sits in the first or last sentence, with the middle giving supporting details. But not always — so check the whole thing.
Passage
Octopuses are remarkably clever. They can open jars to reach food, squeeze through gaps no bigger than their eye, and even recognise individual people. Some have been seen using coconut shells as portable shelters.What is the main idea?
Every sentence gives an example of cleverness. The umbrella covering them all: octopuses are very intelligent.
Octopuses are remarkably clever
💡Test your answer: does it cover EVERY sentence? The jar, the gap, the shells are all examples of cleverness — so "clever" is the main idea.
Page 4 · The classic traps
Too narrow, too broad
Wrong answers to main-idea questions usually fail in one of two ways:
Too narrow
Only covers one detail. "Octopuses can open jars" — true, but it’s just one example, not the whole point.
Too broad
Goes beyond the passage. "All sea creatures are clever" — the passage only talked about octopuses.
The sweet spotThe right answer covers the WHOLE passage but nothing MORE. Not one detail, not the entire ocean — just right.
Page 5 · Summarising
Saying it short
A good summary captures the main idea plus the most important points — briefly, in your own words, leaving out small details.
Passage
The town built a new bridge last year. Before it, drivers took a 40-minute detour around the river. Now the trip takes just five minutes, and local shops say business has doubled.Best summary?
Keep the key points: new bridge → much shorter trip → helped businesses. Drop small numbers if needed.
"A new bridge cut travel time and boosted local business."
✅A summary is short but complete. If you left out "helped business", you’d miss a main point; if you included the exact minutes, you’d be too detailed.
Page 6 · Choosing a title
The "best title" question
Choosing a title is really a main-idea question in disguise. The best title captures the whole passage — not one detail, not something too general.
TipRun each title through the same test: too narrow? too broad? just right? The "just right" one is your title.
💡A catchy title that only mentions one detail is a trap. The best title fits everything in the passage.
Page 7 · Practice
Level 1 · EasyWarm up
Passage
Penguins are built for swimming. Their wings work like flippers, their bodies are smooth and streamlined, and a thick layer of fat keeps them warm in icy water.1. What is the topic?
A Ice
B Penguins
C Flippers
D Fat
The subject of the whole passage is penguins.
2. What is the main idea?
A Penguins have wings
B Ice is cold
C Penguins are well suited to swimming
D Fat keeps animals warm
Every detail (flipper-wings, streamlined body, fat) supports one point: penguins are built for swimming.
3. Which detail supports the main idea?
A Their wings work like flippers
B Penguins live a long time
C Penguins lay eggs
D Ice is white
"Wings work like flippers" is a detail showing they’re built to swim. The others aren’t even in the passage.
🎉Topic = one word (penguins); main idea = the full point (built for swimming). You’ve got the difference.
Page 8 · Practice
Level 2 · MediumToo narrow or too broad?
Passage
Recycling helps the planet in many ways. It saves raw materials like trees and metal, uses less energy than making things from scratch, and keeps rubbish out of landfill.1. What is the main idea?
A Recycling saves trees
B Everyone should protect the planet
C Recycling helps the planet in several ways
D Landfills are full
It covers the whole passage. "Saves trees" is too narrow (one detail); "protect the planet" is too broad (beyond recycling).
2. Why is "Recycling saves trees" NOT the best main idea?
A It only covers one of several points
B It is false
C Trees aren’t mentioned
D It is too long
It’s true but too narrow — it ignores energy saving and landfill. The main idea must cover all the points.
3. Best title for the passage?
A Trees and Metal
B The Many Benefits of Recycling
C Saving the Whole World
D How to Sort Rubbish
It fits the whole passage. "Trees and Metal" is too narrow, "Saving the Whole World" too broad, and sorting rubbish isn’t discussed.
💪"Too narrow / too broad" is the trap on nearly every main-idea question. The right answer is the one that fits exactly.
Page 9 · Practice
Level 3 · HardMain idea without a topic sentence
Passage
Maya checked the weather three times. She laid out her boots, packed spare socks, and studied the trail map until she knew every turn. She even called the ranger station to ask about the river crossing.1. What is the main idea (never stated directly)?
A Maya likes maps
B Maya prepared very carefully for her hike
C Maya owns boots
D The river was dangerous
No sentence says "Maya was well prepared", but every action shows it. The main idea is the umbrella over all of them.
2. Which would be the best one-line summary?
A Maya called a ranger.
B Maya packed socks.
C Maya carefully prepared for a hike, checking weather, gear and the route.
D Maya went outside.
It captures the main idea plus the key points. The others are single details or too vague.
3. Why is "Maya likes maps" a poor main idea?
A It focuses on one detail and misses the overall point
B Maps aren’t mentioned
C It is too broad
D It is about the weather
Studying the map is just one sign of her careful preparation — picking it alone is too narrow.
💡Sometimes the main idea is never written down — you infer it from what everything adds up to. Ask: "what do all these details show?"
Page 10 · Challenge
Level 4 · ChallengeThink smart
Passage
When the factory closed, the town feared the worst. But within two years, the empty building became an arts centre, the old rail yard a weekend market, and the quiet high street filled with cafes. Visitors now come from miles around. What seemed like an ending became a beginning.1. What is the main idea?
A Factories often close
B The town has good cafes
C The town recovered and was renewed after a setback
D Arts centres are popular
Every example (arts centre, market, cafes, visitors) shows recovery. The last line sums it up: an ending became a beginning. "Good cafes" is too narrow; "factories close" too broad.
2. Which sentence best states the passage’s message?
A Losing a factory is always good news
B A community can turn a hard loss into a fresh start
C Markets should be held at weekends
D Cafes attract visitors
The passage’s message is about renewal after loss. Option A overstates it, and C and D are single details.
3. Best title?
A From Ending to Beginning
B The Old Rail Yard
C How to Run a Market
D Factories of the Past
It captures the whole arc of loss turning into renewal. The others are single details or off-topic.
🌟Finding a message that’s spread across a whole passage — and stated only in a final hint — is top-level reading. Excellent work.
Complete
Well summed up!
You’ve completed the Main Idea & Summarising module.
You can now tell topic from main idea, find the idea even when it’s unstated, avoid the too-narrow and too-broad traps, write a tight summary, and choose the best title. These skills lift your whole Reading score.
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