Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 1 · 40 questions

Writing tip (Main idea first): Read the detail sentences and ask: what are they ALL about? The topic sentence names that main idea in one sentence. A sentence about a different topic cannot open the paragraph, however nice it sounds.

1. 1.What is this paragraph mostly about?
   
   The monsoon is my favourite season. Dark clouds gather and rain pours down. Frogs croak loudly in the wet fields. Children float paper boats in puddles. The monsoon turns the dry fields green. (a) the rainy season (b) our postman (c) the vegetable market (d) our pet cat
2. 2.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ She grows tomatoes and chillies too. She sprinkles the plants every morning. Butterflies visit the marigold flowers. (a) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (c) We spent a happy day at the beach. (d) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday.
3. 3.What is this paragraph mostly about?
   
   We spent a happy day at the beach. The waves splashed over our feet. We built a big sandcastle. Dad bought us fresh coconuts. We collected shells near the shore. (a) a day at the beach (b) my grandfather (c) the vegetable market (d) ants
4. 4.What is this paragraph mostly about?
   
   Ants are tiny but very hard-working. They live together in an anthill. Ants can carry food heavier than themselves. Ants walk one behind the other in a line. Ants store food for the winter. (a) saving water (b) the vegetable market (c) ants (d) a busy railway station
5. 5.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ Our desks are arranged in neat rows. A green board hangs at the front. We keep our classroom tidy every day. (a) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.
6. 6.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ It has big windows that let in sunlight. A green board hangs at the front. We keep our classroom tidy every day. (a) The monsoon is my favourite season. (b) Our classroom is bright and clean. (c) My grandfather is seventy years old. (d) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday.
7. 7.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ He brings letters and parcels every day. The postman knows every house on our street. We always thank the postman with a smile. (a) Our school sports day was full of fun. (b) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (c) We must not waste water. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.
8. 8.What is this paragraph mostly about?
   
   I got a new bicycle on my birthday. It is red with a shiny silver bell. Its seat is soft and comfortable. I ride it to the park every evening. I oil the chain of my bicycle every week. (a) elephants (b) my new bicycle (c) the old banyan tree (d) a busy railway station
9. 9.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ He carries a big brown bag of letters. The postman knows every house on our street. We always thank the postman with a smile. (a) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
10. 10.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ They live together in an anthill. Ants can carry food heavier than themselves. Ants walk one behind the other in a line. (a) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
11. 11.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ The day began with a march past. I ran in the hundred-metre race. Our house won the tug of war. (a) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday.
12. 12.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ They have long trunks and big ears. Elephants eat grass, leaves and fruit. Baby elephants stay close to their mothers. (a) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
13. 13.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    Our school sports day was full of fun. The day began with a march past. I ran in the hundred-metre race. Our house won the tug of war. The winners got shiny medals. (a) the old banyan tree (b) my new bicycle (c) our school sports day (d) the vegetable market
14. 14.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Stalls sell bangles, toys and balloons. A magician does tricks for the children. We eat hot jalebis at the fair. (a) A fair comes to our village every winter. (b) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (c) The night sky is full of wonders. (d) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong.
15. 15.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Thousands of stars twinkle above us. The moon looks like a silver plate. Sometimes we spot a shooting star. (a) In January, the sky fills with kites. (b) The night sky is full of wonders. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
16. 16.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ We saw a tiger resting on a big rock. The monkeys jumped from branch to branch. A giraffe ate leaves from a tall tree. (a) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
17. 17.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ We built a big sandcastle. Dad bought us fresh coconuts. We collected shells near the shore. (a) We spent a happy day at the beach. (b) The night sky is full of wonders. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
18. 18.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Fruits give us many vitamins. Dal and eggs build strong muscles. Too many sweets are bad for our teeth. (a) My best friend is Farhan. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
19. 19.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Farhan sits next to me in class. Farhan and I play football after school. He is a true friend who helps me. (a) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
20. 20.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Our team scored fifty runs. Imran took the last wicket. Everyone cheered when we won the match. (a) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) A fair comes to our village every winter. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday.
21. 21.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    The vegetable market near our house opens early. Sellers pile fresh vegetables on their carts. Shoppers pick the best onions and potatoes. People bargain loudly over prices. By noon, most of the vegetables are sold. (a) ants (b) the vegetable market (c) making a rangoli (d) my new bicycle
22. 22.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Grandpa tells us stories of his childhood. Grandpa reads the newspaper after breakfast. My grandfather loves to play chess with me. (a) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
23. 23.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Milk and curd make our bones strong. Dal and eggs build strong muscles. Too many sweets are bad for our teeth. (a) The monsoon is my favourite season. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) We must not waste water.
24. 24.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    Ramesh is the postman in our area. He brings letters and parcels every day. He carries a big brown bag of letters. The postman knows every house on our street. We always thank the postman with a smile. (a) our pet cat (b) ants (c) our postman (d) eating healthy food
25. 25.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Sellers pile fresh vegetables on their carts. People bargain loudly over prices. By noon, most of the vegetables are sold. (a) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.
26. 26.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. Fruits give us many vitamins. Milk and curd make our bones strong. Dal and eggs build strong muscles. Too many sweets are bad for our teeth. (a) saving water (b) flying kites (c) eating healthy food (d) a visit to an old fort
27. 27.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. First we draw the pattern with white chalk. Then we fill it with bright coloured powder. We place small lamps around the design. Our neighbours stop to admire our rangoli. (a) making a rangoli (b) our classroom (c) elephants (d) my grandfather
28. 28.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Farhan sits next to me in class. My friend always shares his lunch with me. Farhan and I play football after school. (a) We spent a happy day at the beach. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.
29. 29.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Frogs croak loudly in the wet fields. Children float paper boats in puddles. The monsoon turns the dry fields green. (a) We spent a happy day at the beach. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.
30. 30.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ I ran in the hundred-metre race. Our house won the tug of war. The winners got shiny medals. (a) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.
31. 31.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Thousands of stars twinkle above us. Sometimes we spot a shooting star. Some stars make shapes in the sky. (a) Our school library is my favourite place. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (d) The night sky is full of wonders.
32. 32.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Then we fill it with bright coloured powder. We place small lamps around the design. Our neighbours stop to admire our rangoli. (a) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) The night sky is full of wonders.
33. 33.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Sellers pile fresh vegetables on their carts. Shoppers pick the best onions and potatoes. People bargain loudly over prices. (a) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.
34. 34.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    Our classroom is bright and clean. It has big windows that let in sunlight. Our desks are arranged in neat rows. A green board hangs at the front. We keep our classroom tidy every day. (a) the vegetable market (b) a busy railway station (c) the old banyan tree (d) our classroom
35. 35.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Dark clouds gather and rain pours down. Frogs croak loudly in the wet fields. Children float paper boats in puddles. (a) We spent a happy day at the beach. (b) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (c) My grandfather is seventy years old. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
36. 36.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    Our school library is my favourite place. It has tall shelves full of storybooks. The librarian helps us find good books. We may borrow two books every week. Everyone reads quietly in the library. (a) our classroom (b) a day at the beach (c) the school library (d) the village fair
37. 37.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ First we draw the pattern with white chalk. Then we fill it with bright coloured powder. We place small lamps around the design. (a) We must not waste water. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (d) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli.
38. 38.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Trains arrive and leave every few minutes. Porters in red shirts carry heavy luggage. Loud announcements tell people about the trains. (a) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) The railway station is always busy.
39. 39.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Porters in red shirts carry heavy luggage. Tea sellers walk up and down the platform. Loud announcements tell people about the trains. (a) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.
40. 40.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Kites of every colour dance in the wind. We buy strong string for our kites. At night, people fly kites with small lights. (a) Our school sports day was full of fun. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.

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