Supporting Details | Definition, Types & Examples

'The weather was not good for sailing today.' The wind was whipping at thirty knots and the seas were dotted with white-caps. We could see the ocean swells around the jetty from the safety of the dock. In the distance, black storm clouds loomed on the horizon like an approaching army.

The previous paragraph is an example of fiction with a main idea and supporting details. The first sentence declares that the weather wasn't good for sailing. The following sentences are the supporting details that help to clarify what the weather was like to give the reader a more vivid picture. If the author hadn't included supporting details, it would have been left up to the reader to fill in their own details about the bad weather, which could have resulted in many different images depending on the reader. Supporting details in fiction help to paint a similar picture for all readers.

Supporting details can paint a clear picture in the mind of a reader, much like this picture of stormy sea.

Definitions and Vocabulary

The use of definitions and vocabulary help to better clarify a main idea that might be complicated or confusing. In cases where the words in a main idea or topic sentence are potentially unknown, the author can use word definitions or alternate vocabulary words to help clarify.

Main idea: The stock market is falling fast because it's in a bear market.

Supporting detail: A bear market is when investors are selling stocks because the prices are falling.

The supporting detail above defines what a bear market is. This definition helps to clarify the main idea by defining a key term.

Descriptions and Details

Descriptions and details are most often used to elaborate on main ideas in fiction and informational writing. Descriptions serve to explain or describe a topic in more detail.

Main idea: The neighbor's dog always scared me.

Supporting detail: He was a giant, mangy dog with huge teeth and an unsettling growl.

The supporting detail helps to paint a clearer picture of the dog to help the reader understand why the author was scared.

Anecdotes and Examples

Anecdotes and examples help explain the main idea by presenting stories and situations that back up the topic. An anecdote is a funny or interesting story about a real event or person.

Main idea: John is a really kind person even though he is a tough basketball player.

Supporting detail: My friend met John and he signed her hat without her even asking.

The supporting detail above is an anecdote that helps to support the claim that John is a kind person.

Testimonials and Quotes

Testimonials and quotes are used primarily in persuasive essays. A testimonial is a formal statement that testifies to something's quality or qualifications.

Main idea: These purple sneakers are the best basketball shoes you can buy.

Supporting detail: Basketball legend John says, 'I've never played a game in any other shoe!'

The supporting detail above is a testimonial from a famous basketball player that helps to bolster the main idea of the quality of the shoe.

Main idea: The United States has a significant number of people living in poverty.

Major supporting detail: According to the U.S Census Bureau, 22% percent of Americans were living below the poverty level in 2020.

Minor supporting detail: In 2020, any individual whose income was below $12,880 dollars a year was considered to be living in poverty.

The minor supporting detail does relate to the main idea, but it doesn't directly support it. Without the major supporting detail, the information about the salary would not support the main idea. The salary information helps to elaborate on the major detail.

• Facts and evidence
• Reasons and explanations
• Definitions and vocabulary
• Descriptions and details
• Anecdotes and examples
• Testimonials and quotes

Supporting details always follow the main idea and can either be major, which directly support the main idea, or minor, which support the major details.