The Magic of Main Idea: How to Find Main Idea and Why It Matters

There is one strategy you should use for every single passage you read on any standardized test, not only for the SSAT but for standardized tests in the future as well like the SAT and ACT. It’s magic and just might change your life (and raise your score).

Ready?

On every passage you read, you must find the main idea.

Groan. Did you just roll your eyes? Finding the main idea doesn’t seem like some glamorous, secret strategy. In fact, it’s what nearly every test prep book will advise you.

But it’s so important. Here’s why:

Finding the main idea after you read a passage is the perfect quick comprehension check.

If you can’t name the main idea of the passage, you probably didn’t fully understand what you read. Go back to where you’ll typically find valuable clues — the last line of the first paragraph, the conclusion, or even the title (if provided) are great places to start. 

Finding the main idea also gives you a quick way to eliminate answers.

If you’ve already put the main idea into your own words, you’re much less likely to get distracted by possible (but wrong) answers, especially for main idea and purpose questions.

How to find main idea

There is a simple formula to make finding the main idea as foolproof as possible.

After you’ve read a passage (and ideally annotated, if you’re taking a test on paper), identify the topic + so what.

The topic is the main thing the passage is about. Maybe it’s grizzly bears, or the Declaration of Independence, or Muhammad Ali. 

The so what is why we should care about that topic. What did the author want us to remember about that topic when we’ve finished reading?

 Using our topics above, here are some example main idea statements using the topic + so what format.

• grizzly bears + how to survive an attack 

• Declaration of Independence + complicated legacy for Black people and women 

• Muhammed Ali + impact on boxing as a sport

When you jot down the main idea at the end of the passage, you can keep it in that short topic + so what format. No complete sentences needed.

Once you’ve got your main idea, put it to work! Use it to identify any answer choices that seem off-topic and eliminate them.

That’s all there is to it! One tiny step to help you understand a passage and increase your accuracy. 

Want to see this magic in action? Check out our SSAT Testing Tips: Main Idea video! It’s part of our free SSAT prep video series.