One of the most important skills for success on the Digital SAT (DSAT) English section is the ability to identify the main idea of a passage. This is especially crucial when answering “main purpose” questions, which test your understanding of the author’s primary objective in writing the text.
Understanding the Main Idea
The main idea is the central point or argument that the author is trying to convey. It’s the overarching message that ties all the individual details and examples together. To find the main idea, ask yourself:
- What is the passage mostly about? Are all the ideas about one big topic?
- What is the author trying to convince me of? What are the smaller topics and ideas?
- How do you make sense of all the small topics and ideas in individual sentences? How are they related to the big topic?
Example: Analyzing a Speech
Let’s consider the passage in the video: a speech addressing coal miners who are protesting their working conditions. In this speech, the speaker makes several key points:
- She compares the miners to dogs to highlight the fact that even dogs are treated better by their owners than the miners are by the mine owners.
- She emphasizes that the mistreatment of the coal miners is unacceptable and that they deserve a better quality of life.
- She relates to the miners’ suffering through a shared experience of hardship.
So naturally, the overarching idea of the passage is this: The miners are treated poorly. And the way the passage is written is through extensive description, contrast, and examples, so the purpose is to show or demonstrate the main idea as clearly as possible.
Tips for Answering Main Purpose Questions on SAT English
- Read the passage carefully: Pay close attention to the author’s tone, focus of each sentence, and how they are related to each other.
- Eliminate incorrect answer choices: Focus on choices that accurately reflect the main idea. Avoid those that are too narrow, too broad, or misrepresent the author’s intent. Remember the goal is the main idea, not simply a correct statement that only applies to part of the passage.
- The Verbs: Separate the words in the choices like “argue,” “persuade,” “explain,” “describe,” and “analyze” from the ideas. Make sure it captures how the passage is written.
Conclusion
Mastering the ability to identify the main idea is essential for success on the DSAT English section, particularly when tackling main purpose questions. By carefully analyzing the passage and applying the tips above, you can confidently choose the correct answer and demonstrate your understanding of the author’s primary objective.
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