Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 465 · 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?
   
   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) my grandfather (b) the rainy season (c) the school library (d) a visit to an old fort
2. 2.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) Our school sports day was full of fun. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (d) The railway station is always busy.
3. 3.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) Our school library is my favourite place. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
4. 4.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) grandma's garden (b) my grandfather (c) saving water (d) our trip to the zoo
5. 5.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) grandma's garden (b) my best friend (c) a busy railway station (d) our postman
6. 6.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) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
7. 7.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) our postman (c) my grandfather (d) eating healthy food
8. 8.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ Dark clouds gather and rain pours down. Children float paper boats in puddles. The monsoon turns the dry fields green. (a) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
9. 9.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) the school library (b) grandma's garden (c) making a rangoli (d) our trip to the zoo
10. 10.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) The railway station is always busy. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) The night sky is full of wonders. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
11. 11.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) our trip to the zoo (b) the vegetable market (c) a cricket match (d) ants
12. 12.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) We spent a happy day at the beach. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) A fair comes to our village every winter. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.
13. 13.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) Our school library is my favourite place. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) The night sky is full of wonders.
14. 14.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) In January, the sky fills with kites. (b) We must not waste water. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
15. 15.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) Our school sports day was full of fun. (b) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) The vegetable market near our house opens early.
16. 16.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 school library (b) grandma's garden (c) the night sky (d) our pet cat
17. 17.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) my best friend (b) a visit to an old fort (c) the rainy season (d) our pet cat
18. 18.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. She sleeps in a basket near the window. (a) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
19. 19.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) a visit to an old fort (b) my new bicycle (c) the peacock (d) the school library
20. 20.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 busy railway station (b) a visit to an old fort (c) grandma's garden (d) the school library
21. 21.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 grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) My grandfather is seventy years old. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
22. 22.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) Our school sports day was full of fun. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli.
23. 23.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Kites of every colour dance in the wind. We buy strong string for our kites. At night, people fly kites with small lights. (a) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
24. 24.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 night sky (b) a cricket match (c) grandma's garden (d) the village fair
25. 25.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) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) My grandfather is seventy years old. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
26. 26.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) flying kites (b) a visit to an old fort (c) elephants (d) saving water
27. 27.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ It has big windows that let in sunlight. A green board hangs at the front. We keep our classroom tidy every day. (a) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) We must not waste water. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
28. 28.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) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) Our class visited an old fort on a hill.
29. 29.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) making a rangoli (b) the village fair (c) the night sky (d) a cricket match
30. 30.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) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) The night sky is full of wonders. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
31. 31.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) the school library (b) the village fair (c) flying kites (d) elephants
32. 32.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) We must not waste water. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (d) Our class visited an old fort on a hill.
33. 33.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) making a rangoli (b) grandma's garden (c) our postman (d) the vegetable market
34. 34.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) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
35. 35.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) The railway station is always busy. (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.
36. 36.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) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong.
37. 37.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) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.
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. People bargain loudly over prices. (a) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) The vegetable market near our house opens early.
39. 39.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) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
40. 40.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) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.

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