THE MAIN IDEA OF AN EXPOSITION AND

SUPPORTING DETAILS

WHAT IS AN EXPOSITION?

An exposition is type of written or oral discourse

that is aimed at informing, explaining or describing.

WHAT IS THE MAIN IDEA IN AN EXPOSITORY TEXT?

The main idea of an expository text is one of the

most important part of the discourse. It tells the

reader what the text is all about.

The main idea is therefore the key concept or the

main point of the exposition.

It is the main point which the author tries to make.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA?

Supporting Details

What are supporting details?

Sentences within the text that support and develop the main idea

They sell the main idea

Helps the reader to understand what the main idea is

TYPES OF SUPPORTING DETAILS

Major and Minor

MAJOR DETAILS

primary/general points that support the main idea. They further elaborate

the main idea

MINOR DETAILS

Smaller points which illustrate and or support the major details. (examples, and

specifics)

Individuals vary in the strategies they use to find the main

idea. Some readers

begin by unconsciously assuming that the first sentence of

the paragraph is the main idea. They test each of the

other sentences against it to see if the first sentence is

really the main idea. Others read through an entire

paragraph and unconsciously look for repeated words or

ideas that suggest the main idea of the paragraph.

Another group of readers just reads through each

paragraph and intuitively comes up with the main idea

without using a particular strategy. Whatever strategy a

reader uses to find the main idea, his or her goal is the

same: to come up with a complete sentence or thought

that connects the facts and ideas in the paragraph to each

other.

WHAT WAS THE MAIN IDEA?

Individuals use different methods when trying to

figure out the main point of a passage/story etc.

Readers use different methods to find thought that

connects information in paragraphs, in order to

come up with the main idea.

WHAT WERE THE SUPPORTING DETAILS?

Note: Not all expository texts have both major and minor

details

Supporting details

“Some readers begin by unconsciously assuming that the first

sentence of the paragraph is the main idea”.

“Others read through an entire paragraph and unconsciously

look for repeated words or ideas that suggest the main idea of

the paragraph”.

“Another group of readers just reads through each paragraph and intuitively comes up with the main idea without using a particular strategy”.

Supporting details sometimes compares and contrast certain aspects of the passage.