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Main Idea and Its Support is a free printable Grade 4 English worksheet on working out a main idea from the details that support it, aligned to Common Core standard RI.4.2. 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 24 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 Idea and Its Support

RI.4.2

NameDate

Circle the right answer.

1.A paragraph says: plastic bags take hundreds of years to break down; turtles mistake them for jellyfish; many towns now charge for bags. What is its main idea?
  • A.Turtles eat jellyfish.
  • B.Plastic bags harm the natural world.
  • C.Stores sell bags.
2.A paragraph says: coral reefs cover a tiny part of the sea floor; a quarter of all sea creatures live on them; many fish lay their eggs there. What is its main idea?
  • A.Coral reefs are very small.
  • B.Fish lay eggs.
  • C.Coral reefs are home to a great deal of sea life.
3.A paragraph says: early phones were fixed to the wall; later phones had no cord; today's phones fit in a pocket and take photos. What is its main idea?
  • A.Walls hold phones.
  • B.Phones take photos.
  • C.Telephones have changed a great deal over time.
4.A paragraph says: beavers fell trees with their teeth; they build dams of sticks and mud; their ponds give homes to fish and birds. What is its main idea?
  • A.Fish live in ponds.
  • B.Beavers have sharp teeth.
  • C.Beavers change the places where they live.
5.A paragraph says: some volcanoes pour out rivers of lava; others explode in clouds of ash; some have been quiet for thousands of years. What is its main idea?
  • A.Volcanoes behave in different ways.
  • B.Ash is gray.
  • C.Lava is hot.
6.A paragraph says: Arctic foxes grow a thick white coat in winter; their small ears lose little heat; fur on their paws stops them slipping. What is its main idea?
  • A.Arctic foxes are suited to the cold.
  • B.Arctic foxes are white.
  • C.Ice is slippery.
7.A paragraph says: libraries lend books for free; many offer computers anyone can use; they run reading clubs for children. What is its main idea?
  • A.Computers are useful.
  • B.Libraries offer many free services to a town.
  • C.Children like clubs.
8.A paragraph says: honeybees carry pollen from flower to flower; without them many fruits would not grow; farmers rent hives for their orchards. What is its main idea?
  • A.Farmers keep hives.
  • B.Bees are important for growing food.
  • C.Flowers have pollen.

LessonPrint · RI.4.2 · Set 24 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Main Idea and Its Support

Set 24. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Plastic bags harm the natural world.
  2. 2.Coral reefs are home to a great deal of sea life.
  3. 3.Telephones have changed a great deal over time.
  4. 4.Beavers change the places where they live.
  5. 5.Volcanoes behave in different ways.
  6. 6.Arctic foxes are suited to the cold.
  7. 7.Libraries offer many free services to a town.
  8. 8.Bees are important for growing food.

More practice for RI.4.2

State the main idea, show the details behind it, and summarize.

Teaching this next? The Main Idea and a Summary is the 40-minute plan for it, with the misconceptions to expect.

All Grade 4 worksheets

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to RI.4.2 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.