Reading — understanding the main idea of a text
Functional Skills English Level 1: Reading — understanding the main idea of a text
What you'll learn
- 1
Imagine a text is like a pizza 🍕. The main idea is the whole pizza — the one big thing it's all about.
- 2
If a text is about 'how to bake a cake', what is the main idea?
- 3
Let's find the main idea together. Read this short paragraph:
- 4
Read this short text. Then tap the sentence that IS the main idea.
- 5
Which one is the main idea of this text? 'Cats purr when happy. They clean themselves with their tongues. They like to sleep a lot.'
- 6
Tip: To find the main idea, ask yourself: 'What is the one big thing the writer wants me to know?'
- 7
Read: 'Exercise keeps your heart strong. It helps you sleep better. It also makes you feel happy.' What is the main idea?
Practise Reading — understanding the main idea of a text with Whizlo
Free AI-tutored lessons, unlimited practice questions, and progress tracking for ages 14–18. Aligned to the UK National Curriculum.