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Main Ideas from What You Heard is a free printable Grade 3 English worksheet on naming the main idea of something a speaker said, aligned to Common Core standard SL.3.2. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 16 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Main Ideas from What You Heard

SL.3.2

NameDate

Circle the main idea of what you heard.

1.A librarian says: "The library is free. You can borrow ten books at a time and keep them for three weeks." What is the main idea?
  • A.Librarians like books
  • B.Three weeks is a long time
  • C.Anyone can borrow library books for free
2.A nurse says: "Washing your hands for twenty seconds gets rid of most germs. The soap does the work." What is the main idea?
  • A.Nurses wear uniforms
  • B.Twenty is a big number
  • C.Washing well with soap removes germs
3.A park ranger tells your class: "Owls hunt at night. Their soft feathers make no sound, and their big eyes see in the dark." What is the main idea?
  • A.Rangers work in parks
  • B.Owls have feathers
  • C.Owls are built for hunting at night
4.A firefighter says: "Check your smoke alarm every month. Press the button, and if it does not beep, change the battery." What is the main idea?
  • A.Batteries are expensive
  • B.Alarms have buttons
  • C.Smoke alarms need checking regularly
5.A dentist says: "Brush for two minutes, twice a day, and the sugar that harms your teeth is cleared away." What is the main idea?
  • A.Two minutes is short
  • B.Dentists have chairs
  • C.Brushing properly protects your teeth
6.A coach says: "Warming up before a game stretches your muscles, so you are less likely to get hurt." What is the main idea?
  • A.Muscles can stretch
  • B.Warming up helps prevent injury
  • C.Games are fun
7.A recycling worker says: "Rinse your cans and bottles. Food left inside can spoil a whole truckload." What is the main idea?
  • A.Bottles are made of glass
  • B.Rinse recycling so it is not spoiled
  • C.Trucks are big
8.A zookeeper says: "Elephants keep growing new teeth. When one set wears down, another moves forward." What is the main idea?
  • A.Elephants keep getting new teeth
  • B.Zookeepers feed elephants
  • C.Elephants are heavy

LessonPrint · SL.3.2 · Set 16 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Main Ideas from What You Heard

Set 16. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Anyone can borrow library books for free
  2. 2.Washing well with soap removes germs
  3. 3.Owls are built for hunting at night
  4. 4.Smoke alarms need checking regularly
  5. 5.Brushing properly protects your teeth
  6. 6.Warming up helps prevent injury
  7. 7.Rinse recycling so it is not spoiled
  8. 8.Elephants keep getting new teeth

More practice for SL.3.2

Pick out the main ideas and details from something you heard or saw.

Teaching this next? Getting the Main Ideas From Listening is the 40-minute plan for it, with the misconceptions to expect.

All Grade 3 worksheets

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to SL.3.2 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.