Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 419 · 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.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) my best friend (b) a visit to an old fort (c) the rainy season (d) the old banyan tree
2. 2.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) our postman (b) our classroom (c) our pet cat (d) our trip to the zoo
3. 3.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) In January, the sky fills with kites. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
4. 4.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) Our classroom is bright and clean. (b) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (c) A fair comes to our village every winter. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
5. 5.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) my best friend (b) our postman (c) ants (d) the peacock
6. 6.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) Our classroom is bright and clean. (b) We must not waste water. (c) A fair comes to our village every winter. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.
7. 7.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) my new bicycle (b) a cricket match (c) ants (d) making a rangoli
8. 8.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) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) We must not waste water.
9. 9.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) making a rangoli (b) a busy railway station (c) my grandfather (d) saving water
10. 10.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) Our classroom is bright and clean. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.
11. 11.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) grandma's garden (b) elephants (c) our school sports day (d) the village fair
12. 12.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 trip to the zoo (b) the old banyan tree (c) my grandfather (d) making a rangoli
13. 13.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) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) Our school library is my favourite place. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.
14. 14.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) the rainy season (b) our postman (c) my grandfather (d) saving water
15. 15.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Red roses grow along the fence. She sprinkles the plants every morning. Butterflies visit the marigold flowers. (a) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
16. 16.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) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) The night sky is full of wonders. (d) Our class visited an old fort on a hill.
17. 17.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) a busy railway station (c) eating healthy food (d) the village fair
18. 18.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) ants (b) flying kites (c) the school library (d) the vegetable market
19. 19.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) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) Our class visited an old fort on a hill.
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) In January, the sky fills with kites. (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.
21. 21.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) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.
22. 22.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. Loud announcements tell people about the trains. (a) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) Our class visited an old fort on a hill.
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) my best friend (b) the night sky (c) our classroom (d) our trip to the zoo
24. 24.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) ants (c) a visit to an old fort (d) a cricket match
25. 25.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ The waves splashed over our feet. Dad bought us fresh coconuts. We collected shells near the shore. (a) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) We must not waste water. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
26. 26.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) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
27. 27.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) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) We must not waste water. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) The vegetable market near our house opens early.
28. 28.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. At night, people fly kites with small lights. (a) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (b) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.
29. 29.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) A fair comes to our village every winter. (b) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) We must not waste water.
30. 30.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) our classroom (b) the school library (c) the vegetable market (d) the night sky
31. 31.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) Our classroom is bright and clean. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.
32. 32.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. The winners got shiny medals. (a) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) The night sky is full of wonders. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.
33. 33.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) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) The night sky is full of wonders. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
34. 34.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) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (d) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday.
35. 35.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) the old banyan tree (c) making a rangoli (d) my best friend
36. 36.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) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.
37. 37.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 monsoon is my favourite season. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
38. 38.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) The railway station is always busy. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
39. 39.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 peacock (b) my new bicycle (c) a cricket match (d) elephants
40. 40.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) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.

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