When answering a Detail question, what is the best practice?

• A. Identify the main idea of the paragraph.
• B. Determine the sequence of events.
• C. Infer the author's attitude toward the topic.
• D. Find the specific sentence that directly mentions the detail.

Answer: (D)

Detail questions focus on a specific fact as it appears in the text. The best approach is to locate the exact sentence that directly mentions the detail or the precise phrase that contains it, then read it in context to verify it matches what the question asks. This keeps you anchored in the writing and avoids guessing based on general impressions.

To do this well, first identify the key term or fact in the question, then scan the passage for that term, a name, a date, a number, or a distinctive phrase. Once you find a likely sentence, read the surrounding sentences to make sure the detail is stated explicitly and not inferred from nearby ideas.

Other strategies are helpful for different types of questions: identifying the main idea targets the overall gist of a paragraph, determining the sequence of events helps with ordering questions, and inferring the author’s attitude deals with tone or stance. These approaches won’t reliably yield the exact fact a detail question asks for, so focus on pinpointing the explicit sentence that mentions the detail.