I can find the main idea in a passage by identifying the topic of the passage and what the main idea is.

To find a main idea in a short passage, there is a formula. Main idea = topic + detail. To find a main idea of a passage you must first read and ask yourself, what is the author trying to communicate with me?, also it helps if you have a good idea of what the title is about. Drawing conclusions can be tricky in figuring out what the main idea of a story or short passage is. Always use your formula and answer with a most detailed answer.