Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 551 · 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?
   
   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) making a rangoli (b) a visit to an old fort (c) saving water (d) my best friend
2. 2.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) My best friend is Farhan. (b) The night sky is full of wonders. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.
3. 3.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 street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) My best friend is Farhan.
4. 4.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) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
5. 5.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) the peacock (b) the rainy season (c) my grandfather (d) our trip to the zoo
6. 6.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) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) We spent a happy day at the beach. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
7. 7.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) the peacock (b) saving water (c) the village fair (d) elephants
8. 8.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 vegetable market (d) a busy railway station
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) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) My best friend is Farhan.
10. 10.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 rainy season (b) a busy railway station (c) our trip to the zoo (d) the school library
11. 11.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) a visit to an old fort (b) our school sports day (c) a busy railway station (d) our classroom
12. 12.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) flying kites (b) a day at the beach (c) grandma's garden (d) a cricket match
13. 13.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) our pet cat (b) ants (c) the school library (d) the night sky
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) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) Our classroom is bright and clean. (c) We spent a happy day at the beach. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
15. 15.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) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) In January, the sky fills with kites. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
16. 16.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) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
17. 17.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Trains arrive and leave every few minutes. Tea sellers walk up and down the platform. Loud announcements tell people about the trains. (a) We must not waste water. (b) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
18. 18.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) making a rangoli (b) my best friend (c) the vegetable market (d) flying kites
19. 19.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Thousands of stars twinkle above us. Sometimes we spot a shooting star. Some stars make shapes in the sky. (a) The night sky is full of wonders. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday.
20. 20.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) my grandfather (b) our school sports day (c) a visit to an old fort (d) the old banyan tree
21. 21.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) making a rangoli (b) the school library (c) my best friend (d) our postman
22. 22.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. Elephants eat grass, leaves and fruit. (a) A fair comes to our village every winter. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
23. 23.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) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) We must not waste water.
24. 24.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) ants (b) saving water (c) a visit to an old fort (d) our trip to the zoo
25. 25.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) making a rangoli (d) my best friend
26. 26.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) Our school library is my favourite place. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) We must not waste water.
27. 27.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) A fair comes to our village every winter. (b) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
28. 28.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 trip to the zoo (b) ants (c) eating healthy food (d) flying kites
29. 29.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) The monsoon is my favourite season. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.
30. 30.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) our classroom (b) our pet cat (c) our school sports day (d) the peacock
31. 31.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) Our classroom is bright and clean. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
32. 32.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) the night sky (b) my new bicycle (c) a visit to an old fort (d) the school library
33. 33.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Stalls sell bangles, toys and balloons. A magician does tricks for the children. We eat hot jalebis at the fair. (a) The monsoon is my favourite season. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
34. 34.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) a visit to an old fort (b) the old banyan tree (c) the rainy season (d) saving water
35. 35.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 classroom (b) making a rangoli (c) our postman (d) elephants
36. 36.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) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli.
37. 37.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) our postman (b) our trip to the zoo (c) the night sky (d) ants
38. 38.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 village fair (b) a cricket match (c) the night sky (d) a visit to an old fort
39. 39.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. Everyone reads quietly in the library. (a) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
40. 40.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Its branches spread very wide. Long roots hang down from its branches. Villagers rest in its cool shade. (a) The monsoon is my favourite season. (b) Our classroom is bright and clean. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.

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