MAIN POINT QUESTIONS

What is the author's main conclusion?

Worksheet

Main Point Questions

Watch this first. Then review the Cheat Sheet tab.

STRATEGY

How to Approach Main Point Questions

1

Find the Main Point

Use one of three ways:

  • Conclusion indicators
  • Process of elimination
  • The Why Test
2

Note the Details

Can you put it in your own words without looking back? Say your noun, verb, and predicate clearly.

3

Find the Best Match

Find the answer choice that best captures it.

FINDING THE CONCLUSION

Three Ways to Find the Main Point

1
Conclusion Indicators

If you spot one of these, the sentence it introduces is the conclusion.

Therefore Thus Hence So Consequently It follows that This shows that This means that We can conclude that It can be properly inferred that
2
Process of Elimination

No conclusion indicator? Look for a premise indicator instead. Whatever it supports is the conclusion.

Because Since For After all Given that Due to the fact that This is supported by The reason is that As indicated by This is evidenced by
3
The Why Test

When there are no indicator words, take two sentences and plug them into this template:

"Because [Sentence A], therefore [Sentence B]."

✓ If the logical flow makes sense → Sentence B is the conclusion
↻ If it doesn't make sense → flip them and try again
This is the game-changer. The Why Test works even when there are zero indicator words. Practice it until it becomes automatic.
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