Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 18 · 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 have long trunks and big ears. Elephants eat grass, leaves and fruit. Baby elephants stay close to their mothers. (a) In January, the sky fills with kites. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
2. 2.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) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
3. 3.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ Kunal bowled very fast. Our team scored fifty runs. Everyone cheered when we won the match. (a) In January, the sky fills with kites. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (d) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday.
4. 4.What is this paragraph mostly about?
   
   An old banyan tree stands in our village. Its branches spread very wide. Long roots hang down from its branches. Birds build nests in its branches. Villagers rest in its cool shade. (a) the village fair (b) a cricket match (c) the old banyan tree (d) grandma's garden
5. 5.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. We may borrow two books every week. (a) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
6. 6.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) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (b) Our school library is my favourite place. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.
7. 7.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) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) The vegetable market near our house opens early.
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) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
9. 9.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) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
10. 10.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) We spent a happy day at the beach. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
11. 11.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) grandma's garden (b) our postman (c) my best friend (d) our pet cat
12. 12.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) our school sports day (b) the rainy season (c) the village fair (d) my best friend
13. 13.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) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) We must not waste water. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong.
14. 14.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) our postman (b) our trip to the zoo (c) the peacock (d) elephants
15. 15.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ It is red with a shiny silver bell. I ride it to the park every evening. I oil the chain of my bicycle every week. (a) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.
16. 16.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) elephants (b) my new bicycle (c) the school library (d) a day at the beach
17. 17.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 spent a happy day at the beach. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
18. 18.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ There is a giant wheel and a merry-go-round. A magician does tricks for the children. We eat hot jalebis at the fair. (a) A fair comes to our village every winter. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
19. 19.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) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) Our classroom is bright and clean. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
20. 20.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) The railway station is always busy. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.
21. 21.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) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday.
22. 22.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) our trip to the zoo (b) a day at the beach (c) a busy railway station (d) the night sky
23. 23.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) flying kites (b) the rainy season (c) a day at the beach (d) my grandfather
24. 24.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) My best friend is Farhan. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.
25. 25.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) the old banyan tree (b) my new bicycle (c) a busy railway station (d) our pet cat
26. 26.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) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
27. 27.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Children fly kites from their rooftops. 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) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.
28. 28.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 day at the beach (b) flying kites (c) my best friend (d) the school library
29. 29.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) my best friend (b) our classroom (c) making a rangoli (d) grandma's garden
30. 30.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) our school sports day (c) eating healthy food (d) saving water
31. 31.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. Peahens are smaller and brown in colour. (a) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
32. 32.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) elephants (b) our trip to the zoo (c) our school sports day (d) eating healthy food
33. 33.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) my best friend (b) a day at the beach (c) our classroom (d) a cricket match
34. 34.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 grandfather is seventy years old. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli.
35. 35.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) Our school library is my favourite place. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
36. 36.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) the night sky (c) eating healthy food (d) our trip to the zoo
37. 37.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ He brings letters and parcels every day. He carries a big brown bag of letters. We always thank the postman with a smile. (a) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
38. 38.What is this paragraph mostly about?
    
    A fair comes to our village every winter. There is a giant wheel and a merry-go-round. Stalls sell bangles, toys and balloons. A magician does tricks for the children. We eat hot jalebis at the fair. (a) eating healthy food (b) our school sports day (c) elephants (d) the village fair
39. 39.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ An elephant picks up food with its trunk. Elephants eat grass, leaves and fruit. Baby elephants stay close to their mothers. (a) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
40. 40.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) My best friend is Farhan. (b) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (c) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.

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