Main idea and summary
Separate the subject from the author’s point about it. Choose a summary that covers the whole passage without adding a new claim.
Find the main idea →A short lesson, worked example, and 12 practice questions.
Learn one reading skill, see a worked example, then practice one question at a time. Start with a skill below; each set has up to 12 passages.
Your goal: support each answer with a specific clue and explain why a tempting alternative fails. These original exercises include fictional situations; outside knowledge is not needed.
“The community workshop opens on Saturdays only when a supervisor is available. A notice confirms that a supervisor will be present this Saturday.”
Question: Which statement is supported?
Supported answer: a supervisor will be available this Saturday. The notice states this directly.
Tempting wrong answer: the workshop opens every Saturday. The word only introduces a condition; the notice confirms it for one Saturday, not every Saturday. A familiar word in an answer is not enough—the complete claim must fit.
Separate the subject from the author’s point about it. Choose a summary that covers the whole passage without adding a new claim.
Find the main idea →A short lesson, worked example, and 12 practice questions.
Combine clues from the text, then choose the conclusion that needs the fewest extra assumptions.
Make a supported inference →A short lesson, worked example, and 12 practice questions.
Locate the relevant sentence and preserve its restrictions. Small words such as if, unless, and before can change the answer.
Track details and conditions →A short lesson, worked example, and 12 practice questions.
Ask why the author wrote the passage, then use specific language to judge the author’s attitude.
Recognize purpose and tone →A short lesson, worked example, and 12 practice questions.
Use the surrounding ideas to test a word’s meaning. For a pronoun, identify the noun that makes sense in the whole sentence.
Use context and references →A short lesson, worked example, and 12 practice questions.
Keep track of the order of events, the stated reason for an outcome, and the feature being compared.
Follow sequence and cause →A short lesson, worked example, and 12 practice questions.
After a first set, stay with the same skill to practice it on new passages. There are 33 sets in total.
Complete one set, record the type of mistake you made, and review the explanation. On your next visit, try a different set in the same skill before switching topics. Your checked answers stay in this browser.
Review the Paragraph Comprehension format → · Build vocabulary → · Use the 30-day plan →