RW-II-01 · Information and Ideas

Central idea or main idea

Central Ideas and Details · Stage 1

01 · Key idea

A main idea covers the whole short text without adding an unsupported claim.

02 · Worked example

Text: “Urban trees shade streets and reduce the energy needed to cool nearby buildings.” What is the central idea?

This teaching example is original and is not an official SAT question.

Reasoning

Both shading and reduced cooling energy point to the broader cooling benefit.

Answer

Urban trees can help keep cities cooler.

03 · Next step

Practice questions remain in English, as on the SAT.

RW-II-01 · Central idea or main idea