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Quizzes > Literature & Language > English & Grammar

Master Minor Supporting Details: Take the Quiz!

Ready to find out what is minor supporting details? Dive in now!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art style illustration for a major vs minor supporting details quiz on a coral background with layered paper elements

Use this quiz to spot minor supporting details and tell them from major points in short passages. You'll get instant feedback and build reading comprehension as you practice across fiction, news, and textbook excerpts. For a warm‑up, try a quick main idea check.

What term describes a detail that adds minor or interesting information to support the main idea but is not essential?
Minor supporting detail
Thesis statement
Transition sentence
Major supporting detail
A minor supporting detail provides extra or interesting information without being critical to the main argument. It enriches the text but can be removed without altering the core meaning. Recognizing these details helps readers focus on the essential points.
Which of the following best describes a minor supporting detail in an essay?
A restatement of the thesis in different words
A brief anecdote or fact that is not central to the main argument
A fact that is critical to proving the thesis
The main argument of the essay
A minor supporting detail includes brief anecdotes or facts that add interest but do not directly prove the thesis. These details supplement the argument without being fundamental. They help to engage the reader without shifting the focus away from major points.
Identify the minor supporting detail in the following sentence: 'The antique clock chimes every hour, has ornate golden hands, and weighs over 20 pounds.'
It weighs over 20 pounds.
It is antique.
It chimes every hour.
It has ornate golden hands.
The ornate golden hands are a decorative detail that adds color but isn't essential to understanding the clock's main functions. Chiming every hour and its weight are more relevant to its operation and physical characteristics. Removing the golden-hand detail doesn't change the core meaning.
In a paragraph about the benefits of exercise, which would be considered a minor supporting detail?
Helps build muscle
Reduces risk of heart disease
Makes people feel more confident
Improves cardiovascular health
Improving confidence is a positive outcome but is less central to the physiological benefits of exercise. The other options - cardiovascular improvement, muscle building, and reduced heart disease risk - directly relate to health benefits. Confidence is more of a secondary or minor effect.
Minor supporting details most often do which of the following?
Serve as a concluding summary
Provide essential evidence for the thesis
Offer additional background or interesting facts
Introduce the main idea of the text
Minor supporting details offer background information or interesting facts that enrich the text. They aren't necessary to uphold the main argument but add depth or context. Essential evidence and main idea introductions are roles of major details or topic sentences.
Which example is a minor supporting detail in a description of a beach scene?
Two beach towels were left on the sand.
The sand was golden.
The waves crashed against the shore.
Seagulls cried in the distance.
The mention of two beach towels is a small, incidental detail that doesn't affect the overall imagery of the beach. The crashing waves, golden sand, and seagull sounds are central visuals and auditory elements of a beach scene. Removing the towel detail doesn't change the main sensory description.
Which sentence best illustrates a minor supporting detail?
The film explores themes of love and sacrifice.
The soundtrack features an original score by a famous composer.
The film won three Academy Awards.
It grossed $200 million at the box office.
The detail about the composer enriches the description but isn't critical to understanding the film's themes or success. Winning awards, exploring themes, and box office gross directly reflect the film's impact and central message.
In which part of a well-structured paragraph are minor supporting details most likely found?
The transitional phrase
The topic sentence
The conclusion
The body sentences
Minor supporting details typically appear in the body of a paragraph, where they add extra information or examples. The topic sentence introduces the main idea, and the conclusion summarizes it. Transitions link ideas but don't usually contain minor details.
Read the sentence: 'The café opened in 1995, offers organic coffee, serves pastries baked daily, and displays local artwork on its walls.' Which is a minor supporting detail?
It opened in 1995.
It offers organic coffee.
It serves pastries baked daily.
It displays local artwork on its walls.
Displaying local artwork is an interesting addition that enriches the café's description but is not essential to its core offerings. The opening date, organic coffee, and fresh pastries are central to understanding its identity and service. Removing the art detail would not alter the main idea.
When distinguishing minor from major supporting details, which guiding question is most helpful?
Is it the longest sentence in the paragraph?
Is the sentence grammatically correct?
Does it appear at the end of the paragraph?
Does this detail directly support the thesis or main idea?
Asking whether a detail directly supports the main idea helps determine if it's essential (major) or peripheral (minor). Grammar, sentence length, or position in the paragraph do not reliably indicate its importance. Relevance to the thesis is the key criterion.
In a research paper on bees, which detail would most likely be considered minor supporting information?
Bees have a barbed stinger.
Some species communicate via dances.
Population decline threatens ecosystems.
Bees pollinate important crops.
The barbed stinger is a specific anatomical detail that does not directly relate to the broader ecological or behavioral arguments of the paper. Pollination, communication dances, and population trends are central to discussions on bees' roles and threats.
Which sentence is a minor supporting detail in a biography focusing on a writer's early literary influences?
He was influenced by Victorian poetry.
He borrowed books from his local library.
He read Shakespeare extensively.
He visited Paris in 2010.
Visiting Paris in 2010 is unrelated to a writer's early influences and thus is a minor or extraneous detail. Reading Shakespeare, borrowing library books, and being influenced by Victorian poetry directly shape literary development.
Identify the minor supporting detail: 'The smartphone features a 6.5-inch display, a dual-lens camera system, long battery life, and a customizable ringtone option.'
Long battery life
Dual-lens camera system
Customizable ringtone option
6.5-inch display
The ringtone customization adds personalization but does not impact the smartphone's core performance features. Display size, camera system, and battery life are central to user functionality and product appeal.
What role do minor supporting details often play in persuasive writing?
Offer counterarguments
Serve as the main claim
Build emotional connection or interest
Present the central hypothesis
Minor supporting details often provide emotive or illustrative anecdotes that engage the audience. They are not the main claims or hypotheses but help build interest and reinforce tone. Counterarguments or main claims are usually major elements.
In comparing major versus minor supporting details, which characteristic typically applies to minor details?
They are essential to the thesis.
They present a counterargument.
They add interesting but non-critical information.
They restate the main idea.
Minor supporting details add color or interest without being necessary to support the thesis. They are non-critical and can be removed without altering the main argument. Essential details and counterarguments are major components.
Which detail would likely be considered minor in a historical analysis of a famous leader?
Significant economic policies.
Major speeches delivered to the nation.
Key political reforms they enacted.
Their personal attire during a public event.
Details about personal attire are less relevant to understanding the leader's impact and policies, making them minor supporting details. Political reforms, economic policies, and major speeches directly inform the historical significance.
In the passage: 'Volcanoes form when magma reaches Earth's surface. Some eruptions are explosive, creating ash clouds that can disrupt air travel. Others produce lava flows that reshape landscapes over time. The Hawaiian hotspots are known for gentle lava flows, and the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption was highly explosive.' Which is a minor supporting detail?
Hawaiian hotspots are known for gentle lava flows.
Explosive eruptions create ash clouds that disrupt air travel.
Lava flows reshape landscapes over time.
Magma reaches Earth's surface to form volcanoes.
The note about Hawaiian hotspots is a specific example of lava flows and isn't essential to understanding the general behavior of volcanoes. The formation process, explosive ash clouds, and landscape reshaping are key elements of volcanic activity.
In an essay arguing the benefits of solar power, which detail would most likely be considered minor supporting information?
Decrease in installation costs over time
Efficiency of photovoltaic cells
Panel color aesthetic options
Government incentives for homeowners
Panel color options are an aesthetic consideration and do not influence the core argument about solar power's benefits. Efficiency, cost trends, and incentives are directly relevant to the essay's thesis on solar viability.
In the passage: 'Installing low-flow showerheads can reduce water usage by 25%. Using rain barrels collects runoff for gardening. The EPA recommends fixing leaks promptly. The color of garden hoses doesn't affect conservation.' Which is a minor supporting detail?
Rain barrels collect runoff for gardening.
Color of garden hoses doesn't affect conservation.
Low-flow showerheads reduce usage by 25%.
EPA recommends fixing leaks promptly.
The color of garden hoses is irrelevant to water conservation methods and serves as a trivial detail. The other points directly impact water usage and efficiency, making them major supporting details.
In a complex academic argument, which type of detail is most likely to be considered a minor supporting detail?
Core definitions of key terms.
Direct quotations from primary sources.
Background anecdotes or side notes.
Central statistical findings.
Background anecdotes provide context or human interest but aren't essential to the main argument. Definitions, statistics, and primary quotations are central to establishing credibility and evidence, making them major details.
Read the extract: 'The novel's protagonist travels through Europe, encountering various cultures. In Paris, she enjoyed croissants fresh from a local bakery. In Rome, she marveled at ancient ruins. She later described these experiences in her memoir.' Which is a minor supporting detail?
She traveled through Europe.
In Rome, she marveled at ancient ruins.
In Paris, she enjoyed croissants fresh from a local bakery.
She later described these experiences in her memoir.
Enjoying croissants is a flavorful anecdote but not vital to understanding the protagonist's cultural journey. The travel scope, reflection in her memoir, and visiting ancient ruins convey broader narrative elements.
During peer review, what is the best way to identify minor supporting details?
See if the sentence is the longest in the paragraph
Count how many commas it contains
Mark each sentence and check if removing it changes the main idea
Determine if it appears at the beginning
Testing whether removing a detail alters the main argument is an effective way to spot minor details that are non-essential. Length, punctuation, or position alone don't reliably indicate importance. This removal test focuses on the detail's relevance.
In a methods section of a research paper that focuses on experimental results, which detail is most likely minor?
Measurement instruments calibration
Version and brand of software used for data entry
Statistical significance thresholds
Sample size and selection criteria
The specific software brand and version used for data entry is procedural detail that generally doesn't affect interpretation of results. Statistical thresholds, sample criteria, and calibration directly influence study validity.
Consider the passage: 'Climate change is accelerating due to increased greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon dioxide levels have reached unprecedented highs. Melting ice caps contribute to rising sea levels, which can displace coastal communities. Some regions also experience shifts in traditional fishing seasons. Interestingly, penguin populations in Antarctica have begun adapting their feeding patterns.' Which is a minor supporting detail?
Greenhouse gas emissions accelerate climate change.
Penguin populations adapting feeding patterns.
Ice cap melting contributes to sea level rise.
Regions experience shifts in fishing seasons.
Penguin adaptation is an interesting ecological observation but is not central to the discussion of greenhouse gases, sea levels, or fishing season shifts. It adds a specific example rather than supporting the core argument.
In a policy analysis on global economic trends, which would be considered a minor supporting detail?
Effects of inflation on purchasing power
Fluctuations in currency exchange rates
Global debt-to-GDP ratios
A footnote on the use of British spelling in the report
The footnote regarding spelling conventions does not relate to the economic content and serves only as a stylistic note. Inflation effects, debt ratios, and exchange fluctuations are substantive analyses central to the policy discussion.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand what are minor supporting details -

    Explain the concept of minor supporting details and how they contribute subtly to the main idea of a text.

  2. Identify minor supporting details in passages -

    Spot examples of minor supporting details within sample texts to enhance your reading comprehension skills.

  3. Differentiate minor vs major supporting details -

    Distinguish what are major supporting details from minor ones to sharpen your critical analysis.

  4. Apply skills in a supporting details quiz -

    Use your understanding to tackle our supporting details quiz and reinforce your learning through practice.

  5. Evaluate the role of supporting details -

    Assess how both minor and major supporting details impact overall comprehension and text structure.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Understanding What Are Minor Supporting Details -

    According to Purdue's OWL, minor supporting details are the extra facts or examples that flesh out a main idea without changing its core meaning. These tiny tidbits, like a statistic tucked into a paragraph, add depth and texture. Think of them as sprinkles on a cake that enhance flavor but aren't the cake itself.

  2. Comparing Minor vs Major Supporting Details -

    While minor details boost depth, major supporting details drive the central argument or thesis, like a statistic on rising sea levels in a climate essay. For example, major detail: global temperature trends; minor detail: a single city's temperature record. Use the "M&M" mnemonic - Major equals Main, Minor equals More info - to remember what are major supporting details versus minor ones.

  3. Boosting Comprehension with Minor Details -

    Research from Reading Rockets shows that identifying what is minor supporting details helps readers avoid getting lost in the text and stay focused on core ideas. By skimming first for main points, then scanning for minor details like examples or anecdotes, you can enhance retention and clarity. This two-pass method makes review sessions faster and more effective.

  4. Quick Strategies to Spot Minor Supporting Details -

    Use the "5W Filter" (Who, What, When, Where, Why) to ask if a detail is essential to the argument or just extra context - if it answers "How?" or "When?" without altering the main idea, it's minor. For instance, in a biology article on photosynthesis, the exact wavelength chlorophyll absorbs is a minor detail. This simple filter helps you nail minor supporting details every time.

  5. Reinforce Learning with a Supporting Details Quiz -

    Practice makes perfect, so take a quick supporting details quiz to classify sentences as major or minor, then check answers against a reliable rubric from educational institutions like Edutopia or university reading labs. Try underlining major details in blue and minor ones in green to visualize the difference. Tracking your scores over time builds confidence and sharpens analysis skills for academic or real-world reading.

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