Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 287 · 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?
   
   ___ Farhan sits next to me in class. My friend always shares his lunch with me. Farhan and I play football after school. (a) The night sky is full of wonders. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
2. 2.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) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
3. 3.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ My friend always shares his lunch with me. Farhan and I play football after school. He is a true friend who helps me. (a) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) Our classroom is bright and clean. (c) We spent a happy day at the beach. (d) My best friend is Farhan.
4. 4.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 best friend (c) elephants (d) our postman
5. 5.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) a visit to an old fort (b) our pet cat (c) eating healthy food (d) my new bicycle
6. 6.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) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli.
7. 7.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) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) The night sky is full of wonders.
8. 8.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 peacock is the national bird of India. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
9. 9.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ The monkeys jumped from branch to branch. A giraffe ate leaves from a tall tree. We watched the zookeeper feed the bears. (a) In January, the sky fills with kites. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
10. 10.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) My best friend is Farhan. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) We spent a happy day at the beach. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
11. 11.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. A green board hangs at the front. (a) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
12. 12.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) The railway station is always busy. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) A fair comes to our village every winter. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
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) Our classroom is bright and clean. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
14. 14.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) the old banyan tree (b) our school sports day (c) flying kites (d) the school library
15. 15.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Its tail feathers have beautiful eye spots. A peacock dances with its feathers spread. Peahens are smaller and brown in colour. (a) The night sky is full of wonders. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) We must not waste water.
16. 16.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) flying kites (b) eating healthy food (c) our trip to the zoo (d) my best friend
17. 17.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) a day at the beach (b) a visit to an old fort (c) my best friend (d) making a rangoli
18. 18.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) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (c) The night sky is full of wonders. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
19. 19.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) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
20. 20.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) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) We must not waste water.
21. 21.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. He is a true friend who helps me. (a) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) The night sky is full of wonders. (c) My grandfather is seventy years old. (d) My best friend is Farhan.
22. 22.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) the rainy season (b) the old banyan tree (c) my best friend (d) elephants
23. 23.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) our classroom (b) the peacock (c) the rainy season (d) the school library
24. 24.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) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
25. 25.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 postman (b) making a rangoli (c) our pet cat (d) the school library
26. 26.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ My grandfather goes for a walk every morning. Grandpa reads the newspaper after breakfast. My grandfather loves to play chess with me. (a) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
27. 27.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) Our school library is my favourite place. (b) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong.
28. 28.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) grandma's garden (b) my best friend (c) the night sky (d) the old banyan tree
29. 29.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) the school library (b) elephants (c) a busy railway station (d) a cricket match
30. 30.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) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong.
31. 31.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 new bicycle (b) my best friend (c) the school library (d) our classroom
32. 32.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) Our school library is my favourite place. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
33. 33.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) the old banyan tree (b) my best friend (c) my grandfather (d) making a rangoli
34. 34.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) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.
35. 35.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) flying kites (b) a day at the beach (c) the old banyan tree (d) eating healthy food
36. 36.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) We must not waste water. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (d) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong.
37. 37.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Kunal bowled very fast. Imran took the last wicket. Everyone cheered when we won the match. (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) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
38. 38.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) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (d) The night sky is full of wonders.
39. 39.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 postman (b) a day at the beach (c) flying kites (d) the peacock
40. 40.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) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.

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