A main idea states what a section is mainly about.
Examples, dates, and descriptions often support that central point.
Read the paragraph as a whole and ask what the details have in common.
See it. Say it. Understand it.
Easy / Start here
Details about shade, clean air, and habitats support the value of trees.
Moderate / Add a little
A heading such as Why trees matter covers those details.
More detail for teachers and confident learners
A main idea states what a section is mainly about. Examples, dates, and descriptions often support that central point. Read the paragraph as a whole and ask what the details have in common. A heading should cover most of the paragraph rather than one attractive detail. The first sentence sometimes states the main idea, but not always; a writer may build towards it. Put the idea into a short phrase or sentence and test it against every important detail before deciding.
A useful reading response moves from a clear claim to a precise piece of evidence and then to an explanation. Return to the exact part of the text before deciding. Short evidence is usually easier to analyse than a long copied passage. Keep the wording of the question in mind so that an accurate observation also becomes a relevant answer.
At Stage 4, use a short narrative or an accessible information text about a place, animal, or school project. Explain the choice you make rather than only naming a rule. Aim for connected paragraphs when writing and relevant evidence when reading. Compare the first draft with the intended meaning before deciding what to change.
වැඩි විස්තර අවශ්ය විට පමණක් මෙම කොටස කියවන්න.
Optional extra unit worksheet
Practise the whole unit and receive a separate answer or model guide.
Explicit information is stated directly in a text.
Before answering, decide what the question asks for: a person, place, time, reason, or detail.
Scan for the relevant part, then read the whole sentence and its neighbours.
See it. Say it. Understand it.
Easy / Start here
The gate opens at nine; visitors arrive at half past nine.
Moderate / Add a little
Opening time and arrival time are different details.
More detail for teachers and confident learners
Explicit information is stated directly in a text. Before answering, decide what the question asks for: a person, place, time, reason, or detail. Scan for the relevant part, then read the whole sentence and its neighbours. A matching word alone is not enough because a nearby sentence may cancel or qualify it. Give the amount of detail requested and avoid adding a guess. When answering in your own words, preserve precise distinctions such as before and after, all and some, or planned and completed.
A useful reading response moves from a clear claim to a precise piece of evidence and then to an explanation. Return to the exact part of the text before deciding. Short evidence is usually easier to analyse than a long copied passage. Keep the wording of the question in mind so that an accurate observation also becomes a relevant answer.
At Stage 4, use a short narrative or an accessible information text about a place, animal, or school project. Explain the choice you make rather than only naming a rule. Aim for connected paragraphs when writing and relevant evidence when reading. Compare the first draft with the intended meaning before deciding what to change.
වැඩි විස්තර අවශ්ය විට පමණක් මෙම කොටස කියවන්න.
Optional extra unit worksheet
Practise the whole unit and receive a separate answer or model guide.
A factual claim can in principle be checked, while an opinion presents a judgment or preference. 'The pool opens at eight' is checkable; 'It is the best pool' is evaluative.
A factual claim can still be false, so being checkable is not the same as being proven.
Look at the evidence, date, source, and context.
See it. Say it. Understand it.
Easy / Start here
The pool opens at eight: a factual claim.
Moderate / Add a little
It is the best pool: an evaluative opinion.
More detail for teachers and confident learners
A factual claim can in principle be checked, while an opinion presents a judgment or preference. 'The pool opens at eight' is checkable; 'It is the best pool' is evaluative. A factual claim can still be false, so being checkable is not the same as being proven. Look at the evidence, date, source, and context. An opinion may be well supported, but words such as clearly and obviously do not supply proof. In your own response, distinguish what the text demonstrates from what it merely asserts.
A useful reading response moves from a clear claim to a precise piece of evidence and then to an explanation. Return to the exact part of the text before deciding. Short evidence is usually easier to analyse than a long copied passage. Keep the wording of the question in mind so that an accurate observation also becomes a relevant answer.
At Stage 4, use a short narrative or an accessible information text about a place, animal, or school project. Explain the choice you make rather than only naming a rule. Aim for connected paragraphs when writing and relevant evidence when reading. Compare the first draft with the intended meaning before deciding what to change.
වැඩි විස්තර අවශ්ය විට පමණක් මෙම කොටස කියවන්න.
Optional extra unit worksheet
Practise the whole unit and receive a separate answer or model guide.
The paid worksheet brings together all the lessons in this unit. A separate answer or model guide is included. Page count depends on the skills and activities.
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