Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 168 · 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.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ Turn off the tap while you brush. Use a bucket, not a pipe, to wash the car. Take a quick bath with one bucket of water. (a) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) We must not waste water.
2. 2.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ Its branches spread very wide. Long roots hang down from its branches. Birds build nests in its branches. (a) Our school library is my favourite place. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) The night sky is full of wonders. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
3. 3.What is this paragraph mostly about?
   
   Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. Kunal bowled very fast. Our team scored fifty runs. Imran took the last wicket. Everyone cheered when we won the match. (a) a cricket match (b) flying kites (c) our pet cat (d) my best friend
4. 4.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ Shoppers pick the best onions and potatoes. People bargain loudly over prices. By noon, most of the vegetables are sold. (a) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (d) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday.
5. 5.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) my grandfather (b) eating healthy food (c) the school library (d) a cricket match
6. 6.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) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
7. 7.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ It has tall shelves full of storybooks. The librarian helps us find good books. Everyone reads quietly in the library. (a) The night sky is full of wonders. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
8. 8.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ She has soft white fur and green eyes. She sleeps in a basket near the window. Mishti chases balls of wool all day. (a) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) A fair comes to our village every winter. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
9. 9.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 classroom (b) our postman (c) grandma's garden (d) our pet cat
10. 10.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. By noon, most of the vegetables are sold. (a) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) Our school library is my favourite place. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
11. 11.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Red roses grow along the fence. She grows tomatoes and chillies too. Butterflies visit the marigold flowers. (a) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (d) The railway station is always busy.
12. 12.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) Our school library is my favourite place. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
13. 13.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ My grandfather goes for a walk every morning. Grandpa tells us stories of his childhood. Grandpa reads the newspaper after breakfast. (a) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
14. 14.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    We must not waste water. Turn off the tap while you brush. Fix leaking taps quickly. Use a bucket, not a pipe, to wash the car. Take a quick bath with one bucket of water. (a) our classroom (b) saving water (c) grandma's garden (d) the peacock
15. 15.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. Tea sellers walk up and down the platform. (a) The railway station is always busy. (b) The night sky is full of wonders. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli.
16. 16.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    The night sky is full of wonders. Thousands of stars twinkle above us. The moon looks like a silver plate. Sometimes we spot a shooting star. Some stars make shapes in the sky. (a) the night sky (b) the peacock (c) the vegetable market (d) eating healthy food
17. 17.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ The day began with a march past. Our house won the tug of war. The winners got shiny medals. (a) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.
18. 18.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ It has a long, bright blue neck. Its tail feathers have beautiful eye spots. A peacock dances with its feathers spread. (a) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) The railway station is always busy.
19. 19.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    In January, the sky fills with kites. Children fly kites from their rooftops. Kites of every colour dance in the wind. We buy strong string for our kites. At night, people fly kites with small lights. (a) a cricket match (b) flying kites (c) my new bicycle (d) our classroom
20. 20.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    Elephants are the biggest land animals. They have long trunks and big ears. An elephant picks up food with its trunk. Elephants eat grass, leaves and fruit. Baby elephants stay close to their mothers. (a) grandma's garden (b) elephants (c) saving water (d) a visit to an old fort
21. 21.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Red roses grow along the fence. She grows tomatoes and chillies too. She sprinkles the plants every morning. (a) The railway station is always busy. (b) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
22. 22.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ There is a giant wheel and a merry-go-round. Stalls sell bangles, toys and balloons. A magician does tricks for the children. (a) A fair comes to our village every winter. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
23. 23.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. The monsoon turns the dry fields green. (a) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) The night sky is full of wonders. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.
24. 24.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) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
25. 25.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) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
26. 26.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) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
27. 27.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) The monsoon is my favourite season. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
28. 28.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Turn off the tap while you brush. Fix leaking taps quickly. Take a quick bath with one bucket of water. (a) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) We must not waste water.
29. 29.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) a busy railway station (d) a visit to an old fort
30. 30.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Mishti drinks milk from a blue bowl. She sleeps in a basket near the window. Mishti chases balls of wool all day. (a) The night sky is full of wonders. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) We must not waste water. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
31. 31.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. We saw a tiger resting on a big rock. The monkeys jumped from branch to branch. A giraffe ate leaves from a tall tree. We watched the zookeeper feed the bears. (a) our pet cat (b) our trip to the zoo (c) the vegetable market (d) elephants
32. 32.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Children fly kites from their rooftops. Kites of every colour dance in the wind. We buy strong string for our kites. (a) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) My best friend is Farhan.
33. 33.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Trains arrive and leave every few minutes. Tea sellers walk up and down the platform. Loud announcements tell people about the trains. (a) The railway station is always busy. (b) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong.
34. 34.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) In January, the sky fills with kites. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) The vegetable market near our house opens early.
35. 35.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Long roots hang down from its branches. Birds build nests in its branches. Villagers rest in its cool shade. (a) Our school sports day was full of fun. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong.
36. 36.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ She has soft white fur and green eyes. Mishti drinks milk from a blue bowl. She sleeps in a basket near the window. (a) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) Our school library is my favourite place. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) The night sky is full of wonders.
37. 37.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Kunal bowled very fast. Our team scored fifty runs. Imran took the last wicket. (a) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.
38. 38.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Its stone walls were very thick. We climbed up to the tower. The guide told us about the old kings. (a) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) A fair comes to our village every winter. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
39. 39.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    Our class visited an old fort on a hill. Its stone walls were very thick. We climbed up to the tower. The guide told us about the old kings. From the tower we could see the whole town. (a) our trip to the zoo (b) saving water (c) the village fair (d) a visit to an old fort
40. 40.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) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (d) The vegetable market near our house opens early.

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