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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 19 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.Anyone can borrow library books for free
  • B.Three weeks is a long time
  • C.Librarians like books
2.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.Alarms have buttons
  • B.Batteries are expensive
  • C.Smoke alarms need checking regularly
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.Owls are built for hunting at night
  • B.Rangers work in parks
  • C.Owls have feathers
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.Get ready, because a storm is coming
  • B.Evening comes after afternoon
  • C.Gardens have things in them
5.A recycling worker says: "Rinse your cans and bottles. Food left inside can spoil a whole truckload." What is the main idea?
  • A.Rinse recycling so it is not spoiled
  • B.Bottles are made of glass
  • C.Trucks are big
6.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.Roots need water
  • B.Worms live underground
  • C.Worms help gardens grow
7.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.Washing well with soap removes germs
  • B.Nurses wear uniforms
  • C.Twenty is a big number
8.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

LessonPrint · SL.3.2 · Set 19 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Main Ideas from What You Heard

Set 19. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Anyone can borrow library books for free
  2. 2.Smoke alarms need checking regularly
  3. 3.Owls are built for hunting at night
  4. 4.Get ready, because a storm is coming
  5. 5.Rinse recycling so it is not spoiled
  6. 6.Worms help gardens grow
  7. 7.Washing well with soap removes germs
  8. 8.How to cross the road safely

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.