main character — most important person in a story
collocationB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
The person who the story is mostly about; the central figure in a book, movie, or play.
Say it like a native
Textbook The protagonist of the narrative undergoes great change.
Native The main character changes a lot.
'The main character' is the everyday term; 'protagonist of the narrative' is literary-essay.
Pattern: main character (in/of something)
In use
- Harry Potter is the main character in the famous book series.daily life
- In my favorite novel, the main character faces many challenges but never gives up, which makes the story inspiring.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ The main character's name is call Tom.
✓ The main character's name is Tom. / is called Tom.
'is called Tom' (passive) or just 'is Tom' — not 'is call'.
Common collocations
the main character— of, play, the story's, lead
Don't confuse it
A 'supporting character' is important but not the focus of the story.