Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 54 · 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?
   
   ___ Children fly kites from their rooftops. We buy strong string for our kites. At night, people fly kites with small lights. (a) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
2. 2.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) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
3. 3.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) a busy railway station (b) the vegetable market (c) the village fair (d) making a rangoli
4. 4.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) making a rangoli (b) flying kites (c) my grandfather (d) the rainy season
5. 5.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) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) The night sky is full of wonders. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.
6. 6.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) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) The vegetable market near our house opens early.
7. 7.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) my new bicycle (b) grandma's garden (c) ants (d) our pet cat
8. 8.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) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.
9. 9.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) the peacock (c) our postman (d) grandma's garden
10. 10.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) the rainy season (b) the peacock (c) our trip to the zoo (d) my best friend
11. 11.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) a busy railway station (c) our postman (d) the vegetable market
12. 12.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) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli.
13. 13.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) making a rangoli (b) our pet cat (c) flying kites (d) our classroom
14. 14.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ She grows tomatoes and chillies too. She sprinkles the plants every morning. Butterflies visit the marigold flowers. (a) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) We must not waste water. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
15. 15.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) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) The railway station is always busy.
16. 16.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) grandma's garden (b) the old banyan tree (c) the peacock (d) a visit to an old fort
17. 17.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) our school sports day (b) eating healthy food (c) the rainy season (d) grandma's garden
18. 18.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) saving water (b) a busy railway station (c) ants (d) the night sky
19. 19.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) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) My best friend is Farhan.
20. 20.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) our school sports day (b) my grandfather (c) our classroom (d) a busy railway station
21. 21.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 classroom is bright and clean. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (d) We must not waste water.
22. 22.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 library is my favourite place. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) A fair comes to our village every winter. (d) The vegetable market near our house opens early.
23. 23.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Its stone walls were very thick. We climbed up to the tower. From the tower we could see the whole town. (a) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) Our class visited an old fort on a hill.
24. 24.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Porters in red shirts carry heavy luggage. Tea sellers walk up and down the platform. Loud announcements tell people about the trains. (a) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (d) The railway station is always busy.
25. 25.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ My grandfather goes for a walk every morning. Grandpa tells us stories of his childhood. My grandfather loves to play chess with me. (a) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.
26. 26.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) the school library (c) our school sports day (d) the peacock
27. 27.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) The railway station is always busy. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli.
28. 28.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) the vegetable market (b) making a rangoli (c) the rainy season (d) my new bicycle
29. 29.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) We spent a happy day at the beach. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.
30. 30.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Farhan sits next to me in class. Farhan and I play football after school. He is a true friend who helps me. (a) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (b) Our school library is my favourite place. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
31. 31.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) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
32. 32.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) We spent a happy day at the beach. (b) A fair comes to our village every winter. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
33. 33.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) ants (c) my grandfather (d) the peacock
34. 34.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) a day at the beach (b) our school sports day (c) my new bicycle (d) elephants
35. 35.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 village fair (b) my best friend (c) our trip to the zoo (d) the rainy season
36. 36.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) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) The railway station is always busy.
37. 37.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) elephants (b) our pet cat (c) the rainy season (d) ants
38. 38.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ He brings letters and parcels every day. The postman knows every house on our street. We always thank the postman with a smile. (a) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
39. 39.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) a visit to an old fort (b) ants (c) a busy railway station (d) my grandfather
40. 40.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ The waves splashed over our feet. We built a big sandcastle. Dad bought us fresh coconuts. (a) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (c) We spent a happy day at the beach. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.

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