Reading Comprehension Strategy Notes

Topic Sentences
  • First sentence of a paragraph; identifies the main topic and sets expectations.
Main Idea
  • Last sentence of the first paragraph; conveys the central point of the opening section.
Core Supporting Details
  • Evidence, examples, and elaboration within a paragraph that support the topic sentence.
Summary
  • First sentence of the last paragraph; a concise wrap-up of the overall message.
Tips
  • Read the question first, completely and carefully.
  • Don't leave questions blank.
  • Narrow down to a 50/5050/50 chance.
Practical Notes
  • Aligns with reading comprehension: identify structure, main idea, supporting details, and summary.
  • Useful for test-taking, quick passage analysis, and organizing study notes.
  • Practice by scanning for topic sentences and evaluating answers with main idea/summary.