Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 769 · 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?
   
   ___ Long roots hang down from its branches. Birds build nests in its branches. Villagers rest in its cool shade. (a) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) The night sky is full of wonders. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
2. 2.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) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) My grandfather is seventy years old. (d) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli.
3. 3.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) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
4. 4.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) A fair comes to our village every winter. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
5. 5.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) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) Our classroom is bright and clean. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
6. 6.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) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
7. 7.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) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (b) A fair comes to our village every winter. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) The railway station is always busy.
8. 8.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) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) My grandfather is seventy years old. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.
9. 9.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) The night sky is full of wonders. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) Our class visited an old fort on a hill.
10. 10.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) My best friend is Farhan. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
11. 11.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) a busy railway station (b) making a rangoli (c) flying kites (d) the school library
12. 12.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) We spent a happy day at the beach. (b) Our classroom is bright and clean. (c) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (d) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday.
13. 13.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) A fair comes to our village every winter. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) Ramesh is the postman in our area.
14. 14.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) our classroom (b) eating healthy food (c) a cricket match (d) our school sports day
15. 15.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) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) Our class visited an old fort on a hill.
16. 16.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Its seat is soft and comfortable. I ride it to the park every evening. I oil the chain of my bicycle every week. (a) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (c) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
17. 17.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) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
18. 18.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) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
19. 19.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) my best friend (c) a visit to an old fort (d) the rainy season
20. 20.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 street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
21. 21.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) making a rangoli (b) flying kites (c) elephants (d) grandma's garden
22. 22.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) grandma's garden (c) flying kites (d) saving water
23. 23.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) a visit to an old fort (b) saving water (c) the peacock (d) our classroom
24. 24.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) the rainy season (b) our school sports day (c) my new bicycle (d) elephants
25. 25.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 school library is my favourite place. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
26. 26.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) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) My grandfather is seventy years old. (d) The vegetable market near our house opens early.
27. 27.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) my new bicycle (b) our classroom (c) the school library (d) elephants
28. 28.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) flying kites (b) the peacock (c) our trip to the zoo (d) a day at the beach
29. 29.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 postman (b) our pet cat (c) the peacock (d) elephants
30. 30.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 school library (b) our school sports day (c) my best friend (d) a visit to an old fort
31. 31.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 day at the beach (b) the village fair (c) the school library (d) saving water
32. 32.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) The railway station is always busy. (b) We must not waste water. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
33. 33.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) We must not waste water. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
34. 34.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) The peacock is the national bird of India. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
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) elephants (b) the village fair (c) our postman (d) the peacock
36. 36.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 vegetable market (b) our trip to the zoo (c) our school sports day (d) our postman
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) making a rangoli (b) a visit to an old fort (c) our pet cat (d) our trip to the zoo
38. 38.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 school library is my favourite place. (b) We must not waste water. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) My best friend is Farhan.
39. 39.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) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (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.
40. 40.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Milk and curd make our bones strong. Dal and eggs build strong muscles. Too many sweets are bad for our teeth. (a) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) Our school sports day was full of fun.

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