Matching Headings: How to Find the Main Idea of a Paragraph

Before reading deeply, notice how similar headings differ. One may describe a cause while another describes a solution; one may focus on history while another focuses on an outcome.

These distinctions give you something specific to test as you read each paragraph.

After reading a paragraph, pause and make a short private label such as 'problem with older method' or 'reason adoption increased'. Then compare that label with the headings.

Examples, names, and statistics are supporting evidence. Use them to understand the paragraph, but do not let them replace the central message.

Cross out a heading only after it clearly fits another paragraph or contradicts the one you are reading. Keeping two possible headings until the end is often safer than forcing an early choice.

When reviewing, identify whether your wrong answer matched a detail rather than the main idea. That distinction is the skill to practise next.