Identify supporting details in literary texts
key notes :
What are Supporting Details?
- Supporting details are pieces of information in a story that back up or explain the main idea.
- They give more information about characters, events, or ideas in the text.
- Example: If the main idea is “Dogs are loyal pets,” a supporting detail might be, “They protect their owners.”
Why are Supporting Details Important?
- They help you understand the story better.
- Supporting details give evidence to explain or prove the main idea of the text.
- They make the main idea clearer by adding description, facts, or examples.
How to Identify Supporting Details
- Step 1: Identify the main idea of the text or paragraph first. This is usually a general statement about what the text is mostly about.
- Step 2: Look for specific examples or descriptions that give more information about the main idea.
- Example: If the main idea is, “The forest was a magical place,” supporting details might describe the forest with “tall, glowing trees” and “mysterious creatures.”
- Step 3: Look for who, what, when, where, why, and how in the text. These questions help uncover details that explain the who or what in the story.
Types of Supporting Details
- Descriptions: Details that describe characters, settings, or events.
- Example: The dragon had shiny green scales and breathed fire.
- Examples: Specific instances that help explain or illustrate a point.
- Example: The brave knight saved the village from danger.
- Facts: Information that can be proven true.
- Example: The castle stood on top of a hill.
Examples of Supporting Details
- Main Idea: The beach is a fun place to visit.
- Supporting Details:
- You can swim in the ocean and play in the sand.
- There are food stands that sell ice cream and snacks.
- People relax under umbrellas while enjoying the sunshine.
Clues to Find Supporting Details
- Adjectives: Look for descriptive words that add detail to characters or events.
- Example: The fluffy white clouds drifted across the bright blue sky.
- Verbs: Action words that describe what happens in the story.
- Example: The children ran quickly through the fields.
- Signal Words: Words like for example, such as, because, and since often introduce supporting details.
- Example: The park is a great place to relax because there are lots of trees and benches.
let’s practice!
In the following text, a boy named Peter is about to board a boat. Select the detail that best shows the wharf, where ships dock, is crowded.
‘Sir,’ he said. ‘Is that our ship?’. . .
Peter was thinking of trying to run away, but he didn’t know if that was possible to run away from ‘away’. In any event, he didn’t see much opportunity for escape; there were sailors and dockhands everywhere.