Reading: Main Points, Details and Text Features

This lesson covers two of the most important reading skills you will need for the Level 1 exam: finding the main points and key details in a text (L1.9) and using text features such as headings, subheadings, and bullet points to locate information quickly (L1.14). These skills are tested in almost every reading paper.

---

What Are Main Points?

The main point of a text (or part of a text) is the most important idea the writer wants you to understand. It is the answer to the question: "What is this mainly about?"

Think of reading like looking at a photograph. The main point is the subject of the photo — the thing your eye is drawn to first. The details are the background, the colours, the smaller things you notice when you look more closely.

Example

Read this short text:

The canteen will be closed on Friday 14th March for deep cleaning. Staff should bring a packed lunch or use the sandwich shop on Park Street. Normal service will resume on Monday 17th March.

The main point is: The canteen will be closed on Friday 14th March.

The supporting details are:

• The reason (deep cleaning)
• What to do instead (packed lunch or sandwich shop)
• When it reopens (Monday 17th March)

---

How to Find the Main Point

Here is a simple method you can use every time:

Step	What to Do	Example
1	Read the whole text or paragraph once	Read the canteen notice above
2	Ask yourself: "What is this mainly about?"	It is about the canteen being closed
3	Check: does the rest of the text support this idea?	Yes — the other sentences give reasons and alternatives
4	Write or select the main point	"The canteen will be closed on Friday 14th March"

This works for short texts like notices and for longer texts like articles. In longer texts, each paragraph usually has its own main point, and the overall text has one big main point that ties them all together.

Exam Tip: In the exam, main point questions often use phrases like "What is the main purpose of this text?" or "What is the writer mainly telling you?" Do not get distracted by small details — focus on the biggest idea.

---

Main Points vs Supporting Details

Understanding the difference between a main point and a supporting detail is a common exam question. Here is a clear way to think about it:

	Main Point	Supporting Detail
What is it?	The key idea or message	Extra information that backs up the main idea
Where is it?	Often (but not always) near the start of a paragraph	Usually comes after the main point
How to spot it	Remove it and the paragraph loses its meaning	Remove it and the paragraph still makes sense
Example	"Sales increased this quarter"	"The South-East region saw the biggest growth at 14%"

Practice: Spot the Main Point

Read this paragraph:

Our company has introduced a new recycling scheme. Separate bins for paper, plastic, and food waste are now available in the kitchen area. Staff are asked to rinse containers before placing them in the plastic bin. The scheme supports the company's goal of reducing landfill waste by 50% by 2027.

Main point: The company has introduced a new recycling scheme.

Supporting details:

• Separate bins are in the kitchen
• Staff should rinse containers
• The goal is to reduce landfill waste by 50% by 2027

---

Skimming: Getting the Overall Idea Quickly

Skimming means reading a text quickly to get a general sense of what it is about. You do not read every word — instead, you focus on key parts.

When skimming, look at:

• The title or heading
• Any subheadings
• The first sentence of each paragraph
• Any bold or highlighted words
• Images, diagrams, or tables

Skimming is useful when you first receive the exam paper. Before answering any questions, skim all the texts to get a feel for what they are about. This saves time later.

When to Use Skimming

Situation	Use Skimming?
Getting an overview of a text you have not read before	Yes
Finding a specific date or phone number	No (use scanning instead)
Deciding which text answers a particular question	Yes
Understanding every detail of a paragraph	No (use close reading)

---

Scanning: Finding Specific Information

Scanning means looking through a text quickly to find a specific piece of information — a name, a number, a date, or a particular word.

When scanning:

1. Decide what you are looking for (e.g. a phone number)
2. Move your eyes quickly over the text
3. Look for numbers, capital letters, bold text, or keywords
4. Stop when you find what you need

Scanning is like using the search function on a computer — you are not reading everything, just hunting for one thing.

graph LR
    A[Reading Strategies] --> B[Skimming]
    A --> C[Scanning]
    A --> D[Close Reading]
    B --> E[Get the overall idea quickly]
    C --> F[Find a specific fact or detail]
    D --> G[Understand every part in depth]