Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 510 · 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?
   
   ___ Mishti drinks milk from a blue bowl. She sleeps in a basket near the window. Mishti chases balls of wool all day. (a) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) We must not waste water. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.
2. 2.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) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (b) Our school library is my favourite place. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) We must not waste water.
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 class visited an old fort on a hill. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
4. 4.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) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (b) Our classroom is bright and clean. (c) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
5. 5.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ The moon looks like a silver plate. Sometimes we spot a shooting star. Some stars make shapes in the sky. (a) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (b) A fair comes to our village every winter. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) The night sky is full of wonders.
6. 6.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) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) We spent a happy day at the beach. (d) We must not waste water.
7. 7.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) The monsoon is my favourite season. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
8. 8.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) my best friend (b) a busy railway station (c) eating healthy food (d) the old banyan tree
9. 9.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) A fair comes to our village every winter. (b) We must not waste water. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
10. 10.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) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) We must not waste water. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
11. 11.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) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) Our classroom is bright and clean. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
12. 12.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ He brings letters and parcels every day. He carries a big brown bag of letters. The postman knows every house on our street. (a) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) The night sky is full of wonders. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
13. 13.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) making a rangoli (c) the peacock (d) our classroom
14. 14.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) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
15. 15.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 school library is my favourite place. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) The vegetable market near our house opens early.
16. 16.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) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
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) our pet cat (b) our trip to the zoo (c) ants (d) flying kites
18. 18.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Grandpa tells us stories of his childhood. Grandpa reads the newspaper after breakfast. My grandfather loves to play chess with me. (a) The monsoon is my favourite season. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) My grandfather is seventy years old. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
19. 19.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 best friend is Farhan. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) A fair comes to our village every winter. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
20. 20.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) A fair comes to our village every winter. (b) Our classroom is bright and clean. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
21. 21.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 street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) Our class visited an old fort on a hill.
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) my new bicycle (b) our pet cat (c) elephants (d) saving water
23. 23.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Fruits give us many vitamins. Milk and curd make our bones strong. Too many sweets are bad for our teeth. (a) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
24. 24.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) the peacock (b) a busy railway station (c) our pet cat (d) the vegetable market
25. 25.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 village fair (b) the school library (c) grandma's garden (d) my new bicycle
26. 26.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ It is red with a shiny silver bell. Its seat is soft and comfortable. I ride it to the park every evening. (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) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong.
27. 27.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) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
28. 28.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) a cricket match (b) eating healthy food (c) our postman (d) the village fair
29. 29.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 village fair (b) our school sports day (c) making a rangoli (d) our classroom
30. 30.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) ants (b) the night sky (c) grandma's garden (d) our trip to the zoo
31. 31.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) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.
32. 32.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 night sky is full of wonders. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
33. 33.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 visit to an old fort (b) my best friend (c) the vegetable market (d) the school library
34. 34.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) grandma's garden (b) my new bicycle (c) our classroom (d) the night sky
35. 35.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) We spent a happy day at the beach. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) We must not waste water. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
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) grandma's garden (b) eating healthy food (c) saving water (d) the rainy season
37. 37.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 grandfather (b) the peacock (c) ants (d) our school sports day
38. 38.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ They live together in an anthill. Ants can carry food heavier than themselves. Ants walk one behind the other in a line. (a) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
39. 39.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Kunal bowled very fast. Our team scored fifty runs. Imran took the last wicket. (a) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
40. 40.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) grandma's garden (b) my best friend (c) a busy railway station (d) flying kites

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