What are supporting details in a passage?

• A. The last sentence of each paragraph.
• B. The title and subtitle.
• C. The main claim only.
• D. Specific pieces of information that support the main idea, answering who, what, when, and where.

Answer: (D)

Supporting details are the specific facts, examples, descriptions, and evidence that back up the main idea of a passage. They provide concrete information that helps you understand why the central point is true and meaningful. These details usually answer questions like who did something, what happened, when and where it occurred, and why it matters or how it happened. Without them, the main idea can feel vague or abstract. The last sentence of a paragraph often concludes a thought or signals a transition, but it isn’t guaranteed to be the place where backup information lives. A title or subtitle points you to the topic, not to the concrete backing for the claim. The main claim states the idea, but the details flesh it out. The choice that describes the specific pieces of information that support the main idea—answering who, what, when, and where—best captures what supporting details are.