Strong or Weak Main Idea

Question 1

Position: "Universities should offer more evening classes." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Evening classes let employed students keep studying without losing income.

Answer

Evening classes are a useful idea that matters in modern education in many different ways.

Answer

One college near my home holds a single lecture at 7 p.m. every Tuesday evening.

Answer

Universities ought to give students more chances to study during the evening hours.

Question 2

Position: "Companies should let employees work from home two days a week." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Staff use time saved from commuting to finish reports earlier and with less stress.

Answer

Working from home is becoming common and important in a great many modern offices.

Answer

My uncle bought a new desk and a bright lamp when his company allowed remote work.

Answer

Employees should not be required to attend the office premises on every single working day.

Question 3

Position: "Governments should build more cycle lanes." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Separate lanes reduce accidents because riders no longer have to share fast roads with cars.

Answer

Cycling is a healthy and positive activity that appeals to a great many people.

Answer

Two cycle lanes already run beside the river in my city, one on each bank.

Answer

Governments should create more places where people are able to ride bicycles safely.

Question 4

Position: "Schools should limit the use of phones during lessons." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Clear rules help students listen longer because notifications stop interrupting them.

Answer

Phones in school are a serious issue that concerns many people in education today.

Answer

Some students keep phones in blue bags at the front of the classroom.

Answer

Students should not use their phones too much while their teachers are actually teaching.

Question 5

Position: "Cities should plant more trees along busy roads." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Roadside trees give pedestrians shade, so more people walk short trips instead of driving.

Answer

Trees are beautiful and important for everybody in society, in a lot of different ways.

Answer

A street near the station has ten young trees planted in a row beside the shops.

Answer

Cities ought to plant a considerably greater number of trees beside streets carrying heavy traffic.

Question 6

Position: "Parents should teach children simple money skills." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Children who save for small items learn to delay spending.

Answer

Money is something that children genuinely need to understand as they are growing up.

Answer

My cousin once put spare coins into a glass jar for three whole months.

Answer

Parents ought to help their own children learn how money actually works.

Question 7

Position: "Public parks should include free sports areas." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

People who cannot pay for gyms can exercise if courts and fitness equipment are open to all.

Answer

Free sports areas are a good thing for members of the public.

Answer

In my district, one park has two basketball hoops standing on concrete near the entrance.

Answer

Parks should provide places where the public can play sports without paying.

Question 8

Position: "News websites should mark opinion articles clearly." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Clear labels stop readers mistaking personal views for reported facts.

Answer

News is a very important part of life in the modern world today.

Answer

One website prints the word opinion in orange letters above some of its articles.

Answer

Readers ought to know whether an article is news or somebody's personal opinion.

Question 9

Position: "Schools should give students more project work." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Projects make students divide tasks, gather information, and present results together.

Answer

Project work is a popular and widely used method in a great many schools.

Answer

Last month one class in my school made large posters about desert animals.

Answer

Students ought to undertake considerably more project work within their normal schoolwork.

Question 10

Position: "Cities should make rents cheaper for small shops." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Lower rent lets local owners survive beside chains that can afford expensive locations.

Answer

Small shops are nice places and they help the whole city feel much friendlier.

Answer

The bakery on my street pays its rent on the first day of each month.

Answer

City leaders ought to reduce the cost of renting commercial premises for small shopkeepers.

Question 11

Position: "Hospitals should send appointment reminders by text message." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Reminders reduce missed appointments, so doctors see more patients and fewer slots go empty.

Answer

Text messages are a simple and modern form of everyday communication.

Answer

My dentist sends a message with the appointment time and the room number.

Answer

Hospitals ought to use phone messages to remind people about their visits.

Question 12

Position: "Students should learn basic first aid at school." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

A student who knows how to stop bleeding can safely help an injured classmate.

Answer

First aid is an important subject that absolutely everybody in society should know.

Answer

Some students practise putting a clean bandage onto a plastic arm in class.

Answer

Schools ought to teach young people how to help during small emergencies.

Question 13

Position: "Public transport should run later at night." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Late buses give shift workers a safe way home when taxis are too expensive.

Answer

Public transport is a very important service for cities at absolutely all times.

Answer

The last bus near my apartment building leaves at 10:45 on every single night.

Answer

Transport companies ought to continue their services until later in the evening.

Question 14

Position: "Schools should include lessons about online privacy." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Students who understand privacy settings share fewer personal details with strangers.

Answer

Online privacy is a major issue for a great many young people today.

Answer

My class once watched a video about strong passwords for about fifteen minutes.

Answer

Schools ought to teach students how to protect themselves properly while using the internet.

Question 15

Position: "Restaurants should show calorie information on menus." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Visible calorie counts let customers compare meals, so healthier choices get easier.

Answer

Calories are connected to food and health in a number of ways.

Answer

A cafe near my office prints small grey numbers beside each sandwich.

Answer

Restaurants ought to provide information about calories on their printed menus.

Question 16

Position: "Governments should repair old apartment blocks before building new ones." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Repairing old blocks protects residents from unsafe wiring without forcing them out.

Answer

Housing is an important matter for every single family living in a city.

Answer

Some of the old blocks have grey concrete walls and very small balconies.

Answer

Governments ought to improve existing apartments rather than only constructing new buildings.

Question 17

Position: "Schools should start later for teenagers." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

A later start gives teenagers more sleep, so they concentrate in morning lessons.

Answer

School starting times are an important consideration for students and their parents everywhere.

Answer

My old school opened its front gate at 7:15 on every single weekday morning.

Answer

Teenagers ought not to be made to begin their school day quite so early.

Question 18

Position: "Employers should provide training for older workers." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Training helps older staff keep up with new software, so their experience stays in the company.

Answer

Older workers are valuable people who ought to be respected by their companies.

Answer

One worker in my office learned how to use a tablet computer last year.

Answer

Companies ought to be teaching their older workers a range of useful new skills.

Question 19

Position: "Local councils should create more public toilets." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

More clean toilets make town centres usable for elderly people, parents, and tourists.

Answer

Public toilets are useful facilities in a great many towns and cities.

Answer

There is one public toilet behind the market that closes at 6 p.m.

Answer

Councils ought to provide more public toilets for everybody in town to use.

Question 20

Position: "Libraries should lend tablets as well as books." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Borrowed tablets let low-income students do online homework on devices their families cannot afford.

Answer

Libraries are changing because technology has become important for absolutely everybody nowadays.

Answer

One library keeps six tablets locked inside a glass cupboard beside the front desk.

Answer

Libraries ought to allow local people to borrow digital devices as well as books.

Question 21

Position: "Children should spend more time playing outdoors." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Outdoor play builds children's strength because running and climbing use the whole body.

Answer

Playing outside is a very good and important activity for absolutely all young children.

Answer

My neighbour's son plays football in the alley behind our houses after dinner.

Answer

Children ought not to stay indoors for the whole of their free time.

Question 22

Position: "Cities should charge less for buses than for parking." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Cheaper fares make the bus the sensible option for short trips into the centre.

Answer

Buses and parking are both connected to the transport choices people make.

Answer

The car park beside the cinema has three payment machines standing near its entrance.

Answer

Cities ought to make buses cheaper and make parking considerably more expensive.

Question 23

Position: "Schools should teach students how to check online information." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Checking authors and dates stops students using false information in essays and presentations.

Answer

The internet contains many different kinds of information about many subjects.

Answer

In one lesson students checked the date printed at the top of a webpage.

Answer

Students ought to learn how to judge whether online information is actually true.

Question 24

Position: "Companies should offer childcare for employees." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Workplace childcare cuts absences when normal childcare falls through.

Answer

Childcare is an important issue for a great many working parents everywhere.

Answer

One company has a playroom with small yellow chairs on the second floor.

Answer

Employers ought to help their workers look after children during the working day.

Question 25

Position: "People should be encouraged to repair clothes instead of buying new ones." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Repairing clothes keeps wearable items out of landfill and reduces fast-fashion demand.

Answer

Clothes are important because people wear them every single day of the year.

Answer

My grandmother sewed a new button onto my blue shirt one evening last week.

Answer

People ought to repair their old clothing rather than always purchasing brand-new items.

Question 26

Position: "Schools should replace some exams with portfolios." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Portfolios show months of progress, so teachers judge improvement, not one test day.

Answer

Exams are a stressful part of education for a great many students everywhere.

Answer

One student put three essays and two pencil drawings into a cardboard folder.

Answer

Schools ought to use collections of classwork instead of relying only upon examinations.

Question 27

Position: "Supermarkets should sell more loose fruit and vegetables." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Loose produce lets shoppers buy only what they need, cutting packaging and food waste.

Answer

Fruit and vegetables are healthy foods that people really ought to eat.

Answer

Some apples are placed in a wooden box near the shop entrance.

Answer

Supermarkets ought to offer fruit and vegetables without any plastic packaging.

Question 28

Position: "Cities should turn empty lots into community gardens." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Community gardens give neighbours a shared place to grow food on unused land.

Answer

Gardens are nice places that make a great many people feel rather happy.

Answer

One empty lot behind my building has broken bricks and very tall grass.

Answer

Empty urban land ought to become gardens for the residents living in the neighbourhood.

Question 29

Position: "Teenagers should have part-time jobs during long school holidays." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Holiday jobs teach teenagers punctuality and responsibility inside a real workplace.

Answer

Teenagers frequently have a great deal of spare time throughout their school holidays.

Answer

My friend worked eight hours a week in a juice shop throughout last summer.

Answer

Young people ought to be working during some part of their long holiday time.

Question 30

Position: "Public museums should offer audio guides in simple language." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Simple audio guides let children and foreign visitors follow displays.

Answer

Museums hold a great many objects from history and from world culture today.

Answer

One guide says the word statue very slowly through small plastic headphones.

Answer

Museums ought to explain their collections in much easier spoken language.

Question 31

Position: "Governments should support local farmers' markets." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Farmers' markets let producers sell directly, so more money stays with local farms.

Answer

Markets are interesting places where a great many people like to shop.

Answer

A farmer near my town sells his tomatoes from a red table.

Answer

Governments ought to help the markets where local farmers sell their food.

Question 32

Position: "Schools should offer quiet rooms for independent study." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Quiet rooms let students from crowded homes finish homework without interruption.

Answer

Quiet places are important in schools for a great many different reasons.

Answer

The room beside the library has six small wooden desks and a clock.

Answer

Schools ought to provide rooms where individual students can study entirely alone.

Question 33

Position: "People should use reusable bottles instead of buying bottled water." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Reusable bottles cut plastic waste because one container is refilled hundreds of times.

Answer

Water is necessary for life and people drink it every day of the year.

Answer

My sister has a metal water bottle with a bright green plastic lid.

Answer

People ought to stop purchasing their drinking water in expensive single-use plastic bottles.

Question 34

Position: "Employers should give new workers a mentor." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

A mentor answers small daily questions, so new staff learn office routines faster.

Answer

Starting a new job can be quite difficult for a great many people.

Answer

My first mentor sat at the desk directly opposite mine for six months.

Answer

Companies ought to pair each of their new employees with a more experienced colleague.

Question 35

Position: "Cities should create safe walking routes to schools." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Crossings and lower speed limits let children walk to school without a parent driving.

Answer

Walking to school is a normal daily activity for many young children.

Answer

One crossing near a school has yellow lines and a flashing amber light.

Answer

Cities ought to make the daily journey to school safer for young pedestrians.

Question 36

Position: "Streaming services should include more local films." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Big platforms bring local films to viewers who never go to art cinemas.

Answer

Films are a popular form of entertainment right around the whole wide world.

Answer

One local film on the platform shows a picture of a market on its poster.

Answer

Streaming services ought to show more of the films made in the local area.

Question 37

Position: "Schools should teach students to cook healthy lunches." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Cooking lunches lets students replace sugary snacks with meals they prepare.

Answer

Lunch is an important meal during every single day of the school week.

Answer

One student made rice and fried eggs during a cooking class last term.

Answer

Students ought to learn how to prepare healthy food while they are at school.

Question 38

Position: "Governments should make home insulation cheaper." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Cheaper insulation lowers heating bills, so families save money and use less energy.

Answer

Insulation is useful because houses genuinely need to be comfortable for their families.

Answer

My apartment has thick curtains in the bedroom and a rug on the floor.

Answer

Governments ought to help ordinary people pay for much better home insulation.

Question 39

Position: "Schools should invite workers to speak about their jobs." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Talks by workers show the daily tasks of a job, so students make more realistic career choices.

Answer

Jobs are important because all students will be working in the future.

Answer

A nurse visited my school and showed a stethoscope to our whole class.

Answer

Schools ought to bring local employees into their classrooms to give talks.

Question 40

Position: "Cities should reduce bright advertising screens at night." Which is the strongest main idea?

Accepted Answer

Lower brightness protects residents' sleep because less flashing light reaches their bedrooms.

Answer

Advertising screens are common in the busiest parts of a great many cities.

Answer

One screen outside the shopping mall changes colour every ten seconds throughout the night.

Answer

Cities ought not to allow quite so many bright screens after dark.

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Strong or Weak Main Idea

Ways to Play

Device Games: Students play on their phones

Blast Go

Zombie Escape

Avalanche

Maze Blast

Cave Climb

Blast Out

Mystery Auction

Tour Guide

Food Truck Rush

Tug of War

Alien Blast

Glacier Rush

Board Games: Teacher-led, projected to the class

Like what you see?

Bug Blast

BlastRace

BlastQuiz

BlastBoard

Seek & Destroy

Mystery Blast

Checkers

Texas Hold 'Em

Da Bomb

Castle Siege

Hot Potato

Market Mayhem

King of the Hill

Bank Heist

Top Corner

Strong or Weak Main Idea

Ways to Play

Device Games: Students play on their phones

Blast Go

Zombie Escape

Avalanche

Maze Blast

Cave Climb

Blast Out

Mystery Auction

Tour Guide

Food Truck Rush

Tug of War

Alien Blast

Glacier Rush

Board Games: Teacher-led, projected to the class

Like what you see?

More like this

Bug Blast

BlastRace

BlastQuiz

BlastBoard

Seek & Destroy

Mystery Blast

Checkers

Texas Hold 'Em

Da Bomb

Castle Siege

Hot Potato

Market Mayhem

King of the Hill

Bank Heist

Top Corner