Main ideas are often at the beginning of a paragraph.

Main ideas can also be found at the end of a paragraph.

Some main ideas are implied and no sentence in the paragraph directly gives the main idea.

In longer reading passages, a number of paragraphs are talking about the main idea of the entire passage.

The next paragraphs are called the body paragraphs.

Supporting ideas of the reading passage help you understand the main idea of the reading passage.

The last paragraph of the reading passage usually gives a conclusion.