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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 7 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 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 live underground
  • B.Worms help gardens grow
  • C.Roots need water
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 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
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.Smoke alarms need checking regularly
  • C.Alarms have buttons
5.You hear on a podcast: "The Moon has no air and no wind, so footprints left there long ago are still there." What is the main idea?
  • A.People like podcasts
  • B.The Moon is far away
  • C.Nothing on the Moon wipes the footprints away
6.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
7.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.Gardens have things in them
  • C.Get ready, because a storm is coming
8.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.Warming up helps prevent injury
  • B.Muscles can stretch
  • C.Games are fun

LessonPrint · SL.3.2 · Set 7 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Main Ideas from What You Heard

Set 7. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Worms help gardens grow
  2. 2.Rinse recycling so it is not spoiled
  3. 3.Anyone can borrow library books for free
  4. 4.Smoke alarms need checking regularly
  5. 5.Nothing on the Moon wipes the footprints away
  6. 6.Owls are built for hunting at night
  7. 7.Get ready, because a storm is coming
  8. 8.Warming up helps prevent injury

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.