Which term best matches the definition: Important details in a story that support the main idea?

• A. Main Idea
• B. Facts
• C. Key Details
• D. Topic

Answer: (C)

Spotting the crucial details that support the main idea helps you see how the author builds and proves the central message. These important pieces of information—key details—give examples, descriptions, and evidence that directly reinforce the main idea.

Think of the main idea as the big claim or message, and the key details as the supporting evidence that makes that claim clear and convincing. A topic is simply what the story is about, while facts are individual bits of information; the phrase “key details” grabs the idea that these particular details are essential to understanding the main point.

For a quick example: if the main idea is that animals adapt to cold climates, the key details would be the specific adaptations—thick fur, fat or blubber, and behaviors like hibernation or seeking shelter—that illustrate and support that main idea.