Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 485 · 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) My best friend is Farhan. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
2. 2.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) our pet cat (b) the old banyan tree (c) our postman (d) making a rangoli
3. 3.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) elephants (b) the night sky (c) our trip to the zoo (d) my best friend
4. 4.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) A fair comes to our village every winter. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.
5. 5.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) the peacock (b) our school sports day (c) my grandfather (d) the rainy season
6. 6.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 grandfather (b) a visit to an old fort (c) flying kites (d) my best friend
7. 7.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) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
8. 8.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 cricket match (b) grandma's garden (c) our pet cat (d) saving water
9. 9.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) flying kites (b) a cricket match (c) a visit to an old fort (d) the peacock
10. 10.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) our classroom (c) my grandfather (d) my best friend
11. 11.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) We must not waste water. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) A fair comes to our village every winter. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.
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) the school library (b) the old banyan tree (c) the rainy season (d) eating healthy food
13. 13.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) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
14. 14.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) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
15. 15.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) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) We spent a happy day at the beach. (d) We must not waste water.
16. 16.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) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday.
17. 17.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 street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
18. 18.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Turn off the tap while you brush. Use a bucket, not a pipe, to wash the car. Take a quick bath with one bucket of water. (a) The railway station is always busy. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) We must not waste water.
19. 19.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) Our school sports day was full of fun. (b) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
20. 20.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) the peacock (b) the vegetable market (c) making a rangoli (d) the old banyan tree
21. 21.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) A fair comes to our village every winter. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.
22. 22.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 railway station is always busy. (b) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.
23. 23.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) a visit to an old fort (c) eating healthy food (d) elephants
24. 24.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 trip to the zoo (b) our classroom (c) ants (d) the rainy season
25. 25.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) We must not waste water. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong.
26. 26.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) the night sky (c) ants (d) the old banyan tree
27. 27.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 busy railway station (b) grandma's garden (c) eating healthy food (d) the rainy season
28. 28.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) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) Our classroom is bright and clean. (c) We must not waste water. (d) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday.
29. 29.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) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) The night sky is full of wonders. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday.
30. 30.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) a cricket match (b) a day at the beach (c) the school library (d) saving water
31. 31.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) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) We spent a happy day at the beach. (d) The night sky is full of wonders.
32. 32.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) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
33. 33.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. We eat hot jalebis at the fair. (a) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
34. 34.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) eating healthy food (b) the vegetable market (c) my grandfather (d) my new bicycle
35. 35.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) In January, the sky fills with kites. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
36. 36.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) a busy railway station (b) my best friend (c) the village fair (d) saving water
37. 37.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) The railway station is always busy. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
38. 38.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 peacock is the national bird of India. (b) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
39. 39.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) The night sky is full of wonders. (b) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
40. 40.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) our trip to the zoo (b) grandma's garden (c) the night sky (d) the village fair

Free writing skills lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/english-writing-skills