Topic or Main Idea?

Tell the difference between the topic and the main idea.

The topic and the main idea are not the same. The topic is a word or two. The main idea is a full sentence that tells the most important thing the author says about the topic. Read: 'Frogs start as eggs. The eggs hatch into tadpoles.

Tadpoles grow legs and become frogs. ' The topic is frogs. The main idea is 'Frogs change as they grow. ' See the difference? 'Frogs' just names the subject. The main idea tells the big point about frogs.

Think: topic is what, main idea is what about it.

• 1The topic is a word or two.
• 2The main idea is a sentence.
• 3Main idea = the big point about the topic.