UPM-CALC/SEM2/2014-15/CEL2102/SCL-WEEK 1

Listening for Main ideas, details, and specific details

Deadline: 01/03/2015

1. The following is an online individual activity meant to help strengthen your language for
effective listening and speaking.
So, please complete the activity on your own without copying answers from your
friend(s) so that you benefit from such SCL activities.
2. Submit your completed exercise to me via Edmodo. Marks will only be awarded for each
completed exercise that is submitted on time.

TASK
Do some research on listening for main ideas, details and specific details. Then,
answer the following questions:
a) What are main ideas, details and specific details?
Main ideas are the main points the instructor makes about specific topic or
heading. The main or essential part of a story, the central meaning or theme of a
speech. In addition, the main idea of a paragraph is what that paragraph is about.
The rest of the sentences are details that support the main idea.
Details mean other than main ideas, the sentences which support the main ideas.
Details provide the information that supports the topic sentence. It can create
supporting details with descriptions, examples, reasons, explanations and
comparisons. It consists all the information the text provides.
Specific details means to add specific information to help the listener visualize a
person, thing or place. Also known as key words in the speech.

b) How do we listen for main ideas, details and specific details?

i.

Firstly, concentrate and focus on the listening text.

UPM-CALC/SEM2/2014-15/CEL2102/SCL-WEEK 1

ii.

Try to listen with a purpose and grasp the main ideas of the text.
Decide what information we should listen for. Look for the key
words and facts.

iii.

Take notes to support your memory.

iv.

Intonation and stress of the speakers can help you to understand what
you hear.

v.

We need not try to understand every word the speaker is saying

in order to understand the general message the speaker intends
to get across.

vi.

Learn to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words by paying

attention to the context in which they occur.

c) What are some of the words and phrases used to signal main ideas, details and
specific details?
Speakers stress important information of points in their discourse try to recognise
when a speaker does this, it will help in listening for the important points and will
enable to get the main idea of the text. Some of the techniques used by speakers
to stress important points in their discourse are rephrasing, repetition and
summarizing. In addition, key words to listen to signal main ideas, details and
specific details such as advantages, benefits, causes, characteristics, effects,
factors, steps, principles and others.

d) Why is it important for listeners to be able to identify main ideas, details and
specific details?

UPM-CALC/SEM2/2014-15/CEL2102/SCL-WEEK 1

i.
ii.

Allows to sort, select and retain essential information

To find and differentiate between main ideas, details and specific details in

iii.

the story or speech.

to ensure listener understand about the story easily. It can extract the

iv.

important sentences.
to focus on messages sent by other people or noises coming from our

v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.

surroundings;
to better our understanding of other peoples communication;
to critically evaluate other peoples messages;
to monitor nonverbal signals;
to indicate that we are interested or paying attention;
to empathize with others and show we care for them (relational

x.

maintenance); and
to engage in negotiation, dialogue, or other exchanges that result in
shared understanding of or agreement on an issue.