Which term means 'the main idea of a written work'?

• A. Thesis
• B. Topic
• C. Trace
• D. Transition

Answer: (A)

The main idea the author argues for in a piece is captured by the thesis. The thesis presents the central claim or argument, serving as the backbone that guides what points the writer develops and how the piece is organized. It’s often stated in the introduction as a concise statement of the writer’s position or purpose. The topic, by contrast, is simply what the work is about—the subject—without asserting a specific argument. A trace isn’t about the author’s central claim, and a transition is a connective device that links ideas, not the main idea itself.