Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 176 · 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?
   
   ___ They live together in an anthill. Ants can carry food heavier than themselves. Ants walk one behind the other in a line. (a) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
2. 2.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) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (c) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
3. 3.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 village fair (b) the night sky (c) a busy railway station (d) our classroom
4. 4.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) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli.
5. 5.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ Thousands of stars twinkle above us. The moon looks like a silver plate. Some stars make shapes in the sky. (a) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) We must not waste water. (d) The night sky is full of wonders.
6. 6.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) ants (b) saving water (c) grandma's garden (d) a busy railway station
7. 7.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) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
8. 8.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ They have long trunks and big ears. An elephant picks up food with its trunk. Baby elephants stay close to their mothers. (a) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.
9. 9.What is this paragraph mostly about?
   
   My grandfather is seventy years old. My grandfather goes for a walk every morning. Grandpa tells us stories of his childhood. Grandpa reads the newspaper after breakfast. My grandfather loves to play chess with me. (a) my best friend (b) a cricket match (c) my grandfather (d) a day at the beach
10. 10.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    We have a pet cat named Mishti. She has soft white fur and green eyes. Mishti drinks milk from a blue bowl. She sleeps in a basket near the window. Mishti chases balls of wool all day. (a) the school library (b) the rainy season (c) making a rangoli (d) our pet cat
11. 11.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) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.
12. 12.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) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (c) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.
13. 13.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) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
14. 14.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) The night sky is full of wonders. (b) Our school library is my favourite place. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday.
15. 15.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ It has big windows that let in sunlight. Our desks are arranged in neat rows. We keep our classroom tidy every day. (a) Our classroom is bright and clean. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) The railway station is always busy.
16. 16.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ We saw a tiger resting on a big rock. A giraffe ate leaves from a tall tree. We watched the zookeeper feed the bears. (a) The monsoon is my favourite season. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
17. 17.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ The waves splashed over our feet. We built a big sandcastle. Dad bought us fresh coconuts. (a) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong.
18. 18.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 store food for the winter. (a) Our school sports day was full of fun. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
19. 19.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    My grandmother has a lovely garden. Red roses grow along the fence. She grows tomatoes and chillies too. She sprinkles the plants every morning. Butterflies visit the marigold flowers. (a) my new bicycle (b) our classroom (c) grandma's garden (d) our pet cat
20. 20.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) flying kites (b) making a rangoli (c) the vegetable market (d) ants
21. 21.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. Mishti chases balls of wool all day. (a) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) A fair comes to our village every winter. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) The night sky is full of wonders.
22. 22.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 village fair (b) our school sports day (c) a visit to an old fort (d) ants
23. 23.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Fix leaking taps quickly. Use a bucket, not a pipe, to wash the car. Take a quick bath with one bucket of water. (a) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) We must not waste water. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.
24. 24.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ The waves splashed over our feet. We built a big sandcastle. We collected shells near the shore. (a) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
25. 25.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. We eat hot jalebis at the fair. (a) The monsoon is my favourite season. (b) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (c) A fair comes to our village every winter. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
26. 26.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) a visit to an old fort (b) a day at the beach (c) the school library (d) the old banyan tree
27. 27.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 railway station is always busy. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
28. 28.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) our trip to the zoo (b) the vegetable market (c) the rainy season (d) a busy railway station
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) my best friend (b) my new bicycle (c) making a rangoli (d) the rainy season
30. 30.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) elephants (b) a day at the beach (c) a cricket match (d) the rainy season
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) my best friend (b) our trip to the zoo (c) the rainy season (d) our classroom
32. 32.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) Our classroom is bright and clean. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
33. 33.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. Our neighbours stop to admire our rangoli. (a) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
34. 34.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    The peacock is the national bird of India. It has a long, bright blue neck. Its tail feathers have beautiful eye spots. A peacock dances with its feathers spread. Peahens are smaller and brown in colour. (a) the rainy season (b) my new bicycle (c) ants (d) the peacock
35. 35.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) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
36. 36.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ The librarian helps us find good books. We may borrow two books every week. Everyone reads quietly in the library. (a) Our school library is my favourite place. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) We must not waste water.
37. 37.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) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (c) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (d) The vegetable market near our house opens early.
38. 38.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    The railway station is always busy. Trains arrive and leave every few minutes. Porters in red shirts carry heavy luggage. Tea sellers walk up and down the platform. Loud announcements tell people about the trains. (a) a busy railway station (b) a day at the beach (c) the night sky (d) my best friend
39. 39.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    My best friend is Farhan. Farhan sits next to me in class. My friend always shares his lunch with me. Farhan and I play football after school. He is a true friend who helps me. (a) making a rangoli (b) a visit to an old fort (c) my best friend (d) the vegetable market
40. 40.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Its branches spread very wide. Birds build nests in its branches. Villagers rest in its cool shade. (a) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong.

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