Lesson · R.1.2
Locating supporting details
Supporting details back up a passage's main idea with facts, examples and reasons. Here is how to spot them fast on the HESI A2.
ObjectiveR.1.2Read3 minExam weightKey Ideas and Details ≈ 34% of Reading
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See editions and pricing →What you will be able to do
- You can tell a supporting detail apart from the main idea it backs up.
- You can use transition words to locate details quickly under time pressure.
- You can decide which details actually matter for a HESI A2 question.
What the lesson concludes
- A supporting detail proves, explains or illustrates the main idea; it never replaces it.
- Transition words such as first, another, for example and in addition flag where a detail starts.
- Facts and statistics, examples, reasons and descriptions are the four common detail types.
- A detail found in only one line of a passage is rarely the main idea, but it is often the answer to a details question.