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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 8 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: 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.Beavers have sharp teeth.
  • B.Beavers change the places where they live.
  • C.Fish live in ponds.
2.A paragraph says: trains ran to schedules across the country; each town had kept its own time; the railways needed one time everywhere. What is its main idea?
  • A.Trains were often late.
  • B.Towns had clocks.
  • C.The railways led to one time for the whole country.
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: Roman roads ran straight for miles; they were laid in layers so water drained away; some are still used today. What is its main idea?
  • A.Romans liked straight lines.
  • B.Water drains away.
  • C.Roman roads were built to last.
5.A paragraph says: lighthouses warn ships away from rocks; each one flashes its own pattern; sailors use the pattern to tell where they are. What is its main idea?
  • A.Lighthouses keep ships safe and help them find their way.
  • B.Lights can flash.
  • C.Rocks are dangerous.
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.Ice is slippery.
  • B.Arctic foxes are white.
  • C.Arctic foxes are suited to the cold.
7.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.
8.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.Lava is hot.
  • B.Ash is gray.
  • C.Volcanoes behave in different ways.

LessonPrint · RI.4.2 · Set 8 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Main Idea and Its Support

Set 8. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Beavers change the places where they live.
  2. 2.The railways led to one time for the whole country.
  3. 3.Telephones have changed a great deal over time.
  4. 4.Roman roads were built to last.
  5. 5.Lighthouses keep ships safe and help them find their way.
  6. 6.Arctic foxes are suited to the cold.
  7. 7.Bees are important for growing food.
  8. 8.Volcanoes behave in different ways.

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.