Reading Comprehension: Main Idea, Details, and Inference
What the questions test
Reading comprehension items ask you to identify the main idea, locate supporting details, determine the meaning of a word in context, recognize the author's purpose or tone, and draw a reasonable inference. Passages are short and factual or workplace-oriented.
Concepts to master
- Main idea vs. topic: the topic is what the passage is about; the main idea is the point the author makes about it.
- Supporting details: facts, examples, or reasons that back up the main idea.
- Inference: a conclusion supported by the text but not stated directly. It must be supported, not merely plausible.
- Vocabulary in context: use surrounding sentences, not your first association with the word.
- Author's purpose: to inform, persuade, explain, or entertain.
Traps to watch
- Choosing an answer that is true in real life but not stated or implied in the passage.
- Picking a detail when the question asks for the main idea (or vice versa).
- Selecting an extreme answer ("always," "never") that the passage does not support.
- Confusing the author's opinion with a fact the author reports.
Worked example
Passage: "The new scheduling system reduced missed shifts by 30%, but supervisors report that entering availability now takes twice as long."
Question: What is the main idea?
A good answer notes both the benefit and the cost - the system improved attendance but added an administrative burden. An answer that mentions only the 30% improvement is a detail, not the main idea.
Rule of thumb: after reading, state the main idea in one sentence before looking at the choices.