Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 546 · 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?
   
   ___ 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 library is my favourite place. (c) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (d) Our class visited an old fort on a hill.
2. 2.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ We climbed up to the tower. The guide told us about the old kings. From the tower we could see the whole town. (a) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (c) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
3. 3.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) a cricket match (b) the vegetable market (c) my new bicycle (d) our classroom
4. 4.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 railway station is always busy. (b) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) The vegetable market near our house opens early.
5. 5.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) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
6. 6.What is this paragraph mostly about?
   
   We spent a happy day at the beach. The waves splashed over our feet. We built a big sandcastle. Dad bought us fresh coconuts. We collected shells near the shore. (a) a day at the beach (b) ants (c) our pet cat (d) elephants
7. 7.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) The railway station is always busy. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) My best friend is Farhan.
8. 8.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) my new bicycle (b) our postman (c) making a rangoli (d) the school library
9. 9.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ Kunal bowled very fast. Imran took the last wicket. Everyone cheered when we won the match. (a) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) The night sky is full of wonders. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
10. 10.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. We place small lamps around the design. (a) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (b) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
11. 11.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) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) The night sky is full of wonders.
12. 12.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) the night sky (b) the village fair (c) our classroom (d) our pet cat
13. 13.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) our trip to the zoo (b) my best friend (c) a visit to an old fort (d) the village fair
14. 14.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) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
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. Farhan and I play football after school. (a) My best friend is Farhan. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
16. 16.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) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) Our classroom is bright and clean. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
17. 17.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) a cricket match (b) a visit to an old fort (c) the night sky (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. Mishti chases balls of wool all day. (a) Our school sports day was full of fun. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
19. 19.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) a visit to an old fort (b) eating healthy food (c) making a rangoli (d) the school library
20. 20.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) Our school sports day was full of fun. (b) A fair comes to our village every winter. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
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) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (c) A fair comes to our village every winter. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
22. 22.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 rainy season (b) our school sports day (c) the school library (d) a busy railway station
23. 23.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ She has soft white fur and green eyes. She sleeps in a basket near the window. Mishti chases balls of wool all day. (a) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (b) A fair comes to our village every winter. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
24. 24.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) the school library (b) our pet cat (c) ants (d) our school sports day
25. 25.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 rainy season (b) our trip to the zoo (c) my new bicycle (d) eating healthy food
26. 26.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ We built a big sandcastle. Dad bought us fresh coconuts. We collected shells near the shore. (a) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
27. 27.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Our team scored fifty runs. Imran took the last wicket. Everyone cheered when we won the match. (a) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday.
28. 28.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) eating healthy food (b) a cricket match (c) a visit to an old fort (d) my best friend
29. 29.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) our trip to the zoo (b) grandma's garden (c) elephants (d) the village fair
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. He is a true friend who helps me. (a) In January, the sky fills with kites. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
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) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) Our classroom is bright and clean. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
32. 32.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) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
33. 33.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) my new bicycle (b) the night sky (c) flying kites (d) a day at the beach
34. 34.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Thousands of stars twinkle above us. The moon looks like a silver plate. Some stars make shapes in the sky. (a) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) A fair comes to our village every winter. (d) The night sky is full of wonders.
35. 35.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) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
36. 36.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) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (c) We spent a happy day at the beach. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.
37. 37.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 cricket match (b) the night sky (c) saving water (d) ants
38. 38.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 pet cat (b) flying kites (c) the village fair (d) grandma's garden
39. 39.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. We always thank the postman with a smile. (a) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (c) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
40. 40.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Sellers pile fresh vegetables on their carts. People bargain loudly over prices. By noon, most of the vegetables are sold. (a) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.

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