What is the difference between the main idea and a detail?

• A. Details are the overarching point; the main idea is a summary.
• B. The main idea is a random fact; details are opinions.
• C. The main idea is the overarching point; details are evidence or examples that support it.
• D. Details and main idea are the same thing.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is the central point the author is making about the topic—the big claim or message the passage is about. Details are the specific facts, examples, or descriptions that show or prove that point. They provide evidence, illustrate how the main idea works, or add more information, but they don’t stand alone as the main message.

So the best choice says the main idea is the overarching point, and details are evidence or examples that support it. That captures the relationship: details back up the central claim.

The other ideas mix up roles or mischaracterize the purpose. Details aren’t the main point themselves, a main idea isn’t just a random fact, and they aren’t the same thing—the main idea is broader, and details are the supporting pieces that clarify and prove it.