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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 17 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 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
2.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.Trucks are big
  • C.Rinse recycling so it is not spoiled
3.A crossing patrol says: "Stop at the curb, look both ways, and only cross when the road is clear." What is the main idea?
  • A.Cars drive fast
  • B.Roads have curbs
  • C.How to cross the road safely
4.A weather forecaster says: "Storms will reach the coast by evening. Bring in anything loose from your yard." What is the main idea?
  • A.Evening comes after afternoon
  • B.Get ready, because a storm is coming
  • C.Gardens have things in them
5.A gardener says: "Worms are a garden's best friends. They mix the soil and let air and water reach the roots." What is the main idea?
  • A.Worms help gardens grow
  • B.Roots need water
  • C.Worms live underground
6.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.Three weeks is a long time
  • B.Librarians like books
  • C.Anyone can borrow library books for free
7.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
8.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.Twenty is a big number
  • B.Washing well with soap removes germs
  • C.Nurses wear uniforms

LessonPrint · SL.3.2 · Set 17 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Main Ideas from What You Heard

Set 17. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Warming up helps prevent injury
  2. 2.Rinse recycling so it is not spoiled
  3. 3.How to cross the road safely
  4. 4.Get ready, because a storm is coming
  5. 5.Worms help gardens grow
  6. 6.Anyone can borrow library books for free
  7. 7.Brushing properly protects your teeth
  8. 8.Washing well with soap removes germs

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.