Which of the following correctly explains the difference between the topic of an essay and the main idea of anessay? Check all that apply. The topic is just the issue that the essay is about, whereas the main idea is the point that the writer is making about the issue. The topic is always introduced in the opening paragraph of an essay, whereas the main idea is usually not introduced until later in the essay. An essay has only one topic but often has many main ideas about the topic. The thesis statement of an essay includes the main idea of the essay but does not usually include the topic of the essay