Main Idea and main purpose

• Eng
• Secondary Education

Main Idea and main purpose

What is the main idea of the text?

1. Overseas telephone service today is ruling out all need for overseas travel.
2. Nothing can take the place of person-to-person conversation in settling business, social, and government problems.
3. Many conversations which once required overseas travel can now be conducted by telephone.
4. Even with modern overseas telephone service people continue to travel abroad by ship or by plane.

1. Americans have negative attitudes toward gambling.
2. Gambling laws are difficult to enforce
3. Gambling laws are inconsistent from community to community
4. Churches do not have uniform ideas about gambling.

Main purpose 

What is the main purpose of a text?

Type of text

Argumentative 

informative/explanatory 

literary

Type of purpose

to explain

to illustrate

to criticize

to argue

to introduce

to describe

1. It reveals the identity of the figure that Manfred encounters.
2. It introduces a new character who will be important later in the story.
3. It creates a sense of suspense and anticipation for the reader.
4. It provides descriptive details about the setting.

1. To highlight the contrast between Emily and her companions.
2. To describe the natural setting in detail.
3. To convey the pleasure that the characters derive from their surroundings.
4. To emphasize Mrs. Fermor's emotional state.