Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 766 · 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. An elephant picks up food with its trunk. Elephants eat grass, leaves and fruit. (a) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
2. 2.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) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
3. 3.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) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
4. 4.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 monsoon is my favourite season. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) We must not waste water.
5. 5.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) My best friend is Farhan. (b) Our school library is my favourite place. (c) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
6. 6.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) Our school sports day was full of fun. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
7. 7.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) our school sports day (b) a cricket match (c) my best friend (d) my new bicycle
8. 8.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) my best friend (b) my new bicycle (c) the rainy season (d) a busy railway station
9. 9.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) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
10. 10.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 have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (c) We must not waste water. (d) The vegetable market near our house opens early.
11. 11.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) Our classroom is bright and clean. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (d) The night sky is full of wonders.
12. 12.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Its branches spread very wide. Birds build nests in its branches. Villagers rest in its cool shade. (a) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) Our class visited an old fort on a hill.
13. 13.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) grandma's garden (b) a cricket match (c) a day at the beach (d) our school sports day
14. 14.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) my grandfather (b) the village fair (c) flying kites (d) the night sky
15. 15.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) The night sky is full of wonders. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
16. 16.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Fruits give us many vitamins. Milk and curd make our bones strong. Dal and eggs build strong muscles. (a) In January, the sky fills with kites. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) The night sky is full of wonders. (d) The railway station is always busy.
17. 17.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) The night sky is full of wonders. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
18. 18.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) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.
19. 19.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) a visit to an old fort (d) the rainy season
20. 20.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) eating healthy food (b) a visit to an old fort (c) grandma's garden (d) the night sky
21. 21.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 monsoon is my favourite season. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.
22. 22.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) our classroom (b) a cricket match (c) a visit to an old fort (d) our postman
23. 23.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 night sky (b) the vegetable market (c) a cricket match (d) making a rangoli
24. 24.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) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) Our class visited an old fort on a hill.
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) a busy railway station (b) our trip to the zoo (c) grandma's garden (d) the rainy season
26. 26.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. Peahens are smaller and brown in colour. (a) The railway station is always busy. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) My best friend is Farhan.
27. 27.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 oil the chain of my bicycle every week. (a) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
28. 28.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ They live together in an anthill. Ants walk one behind the other in a line. Ants store food for the winter. (a) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
29. 29.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Long roots hang down from its branches. Birds build nests in its branches. Villagers rest in its cool shade. (a) We must not waste water. (b) A fair comes to our village every winter. (c) We spent a happy day at the beach. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
30. 30.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) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
31. 31.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) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
32. 32.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) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.
33. 33.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) We spent a happy day at the beach. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) My grandfather is seventy years old. (d) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong.
34. 34.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) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.
35. 35.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 monsoon is my favourite season. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) The railway station is always busy.
36. 36.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) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (b) The night sky is full of wonders. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
37. 37.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) We must not waste water. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
38. 38.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Its stone walls were very thick. We climbed up to the tower. The guide told us about the old kings. (a) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) We must not waste water.
39. 39.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 store food for the winter. (a) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (d) We must not waste water.
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) Our school sports day was full of fun. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) We spent a happy day at the beach. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.

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