Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 228 · 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?
   
   ___ 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) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) We spent a happy day at the beach. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
2. 2.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ It has a long, bright blue neck. A peacock dances with its feathers spread. Peahens are smaller and brown in colour. (a) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) The night sky is full of wonders.
3. 3.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) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
4. 4.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) the night sky (b) a visit to an old fort (c) saving water (d) making a rangoli
5. 5.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ They live together in an anthill. Ants walk one behind the other in a line. Ants store food for the winter. (a) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (d) My best friend is Farhan.
6. 6.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ Turn off the tap while you brush. Fix leaking taps quickly. Use a bucket, not a pipe, to wash the car. (a) In January, the sky fills with kites. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) We must not waste water. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
7. 7.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) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
8. 8.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) my new bicycle (b) a cricket match (c) ants (d) the village fair
9. 9.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) our classroom (b) my grandfather (c) our postman (d) elephants
10. 10.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) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
11. 11.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) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
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) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (b) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
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) elephants (b) flying kites (c) our school sports day (d) my best friend
14. 14.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ It has tall shelves full of storybooks. We may borrow two books every week. Everyone reads quietly in the library. (a) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
15. 15.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) our classroom (b) my new bicycle (c) the peacock (d) making a rangoli
16. 16.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) Our school library is my favourite place. (b) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) The vegetable market near our house opens early.
17. 17.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ We climbed up to the tower. The guide told us about the old kings. From the tower we could see the whole town. (a) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
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) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
19. 19.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Its seat is soft and comfortable. I ride it to the park every evening. I oil the chain of my bicycle every week. (a) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (c) The night sky is full of wonders. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.
20. 20.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Ants can carry food heavier than themselves. Ants walk one behind the other in a line. Ants store food for the winter. (a) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) The night sky is full of wonders. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
21. 21.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) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) We must not waste water. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
22. 22.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) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (d) Our class visited an old fort on a hill.
23. 23.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) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (d) My best friend is Farhan.
24. 24.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) eating healthy food (b) the peacock (c) grandma's garden (d) our classroom
25. 25.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 day at the beach (b) my new bicycle (c) a busy railway station (d) the rainy season
26. 26.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) grandma's garden (c) making a rangoli (d) elephants
27. 27.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) A fair comes to our village every winter. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) My grandfather is seventy years old. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
28. 28.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) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) A fair comes to our village every winter. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.
29. 29.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) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli.
30. 30.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) my new bicycle (b) our school sports day (c) the night sky (d) the peacock
31. 31.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. We watched the zookeeper feed the bears. (a) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
32. 32.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) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
33. 33.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) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
34. 34.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) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) The night sky is full of wonders. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
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) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) A fair comes to our village every winter. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
36. 36.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) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) A fair comes to our village every winter. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
37. 37.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) In January, the sky fills with kites. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) A fair comes to our village every winter. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
38. 38.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. Elephants eat grass, leaves and fruit. (a) Our school library is my favourite place. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
39. 39.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 monsoon is my favourite season. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.
40. 40.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) Our school library is my favourite place. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.

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