Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 827 · 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 live together in an anthill. Ants walk one behind the other in a line. Ants store food for the winter. (a) We must not waste water. (b) My best friend is Farhan. (c) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
2. 2.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ Dark clouds gather and rain pours down. Frogs croak loudly in the wet fields. The monsoon turns the dry fields green. (a) The monsoon is my favourite season. (b) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
3. 3.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) elephants (b) ants (c) our school sports day (d) saving water
4. 4.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ We saw a tiger resting on a big rock. A giraffe ate leaves from a tall tree. We watched the zookeeper feed the bears. (a) We must not waste water. (b) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (c) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (d) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo.
5. 5.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ I ran in the hundred-metre race. Our house won the tug of war. The winners got shiny medals. (a) Our school sports day was full of fun. (b) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
6. 6.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) The night sky is full of wonders. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
7. 7.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ The waves splashed over our feet. We built a big sandcastle. We collected shells near the shore. (a) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (b) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
8. 8.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) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (d) The vegetable market near our house opens early.
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) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.
10. 10.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ There is a giant wheel and a merry-go-round. A magician does tricks for the children. We eat hot jalebis at the fair. (a) Our school library is my favourite place. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) The peacock is the national bird of India. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
11. 11.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 pet cat (b) a busy railway station (c) my new bicycle (d) a visit to an old fort
12. 12.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) making a rangoli (c) my best friend (d) the school library
13. 13.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 old banyan tree (b) our school sports day (c) a cricket match (d) saving water
14. 14.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) We must not waste water. (c) My best friend is Farhan. (d) Our class visited an old fort on a hill.
15. 15.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) the night sky (b) a cricket match (c) a visit to an old fort (d) eating healthy food
16. 16.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ It has a long, bright blue neck. A peacock dances with its feathers spread. Peahens are smaller and brown in colour. (a) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) We spent a happy day at the beach. (c) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.
17. 17.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) the peacock (b) the rainy season (c) the village fair (d) the night sky
18. 18.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) the school library (b) our postman (c) our school sports day (d) grandma's garden
19. 19.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) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong.
20. 20.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Children fly kites from their rooftops. Kites of every colour dance in the wind. We buy strong string for our kites. (a) The railway station is always busy. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
21. 21.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 cricket match (b) the rainy season (c) my best friend (d) the peacock
22. 22.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) elephants (b) ants (c) my grandfather (d) our classroom
23. 23.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) our school sports day (b) the school library (c) my new bicycle (d) ants
24. 24.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) making a rangoli (b) flying kites (c) our school sports day (d) our postman
25. 25.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Turn off the tap while you brush. Use a bucket, not a pipe, to wash the car. Take a quick bath with one bucket of water. (a) We must not waste water. (b) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
26. 26.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) our classroom (b) a day at the beach (c) the school library (d) the vegetable market
27. 27.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) A fair comes to our village every winter. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) My grandfather is seventy years old. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
28. 28.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ The day began with a march past. Our house won the tug of war. The winners got shiny medals. (a) My grandfather is seventy years old. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
29. 29.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) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) The night sky is full of wonders. (d) We spent a happy day at the beach.
30. 30.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 village fair (b) the peacock (c) our classroom (d) our trip to the zoo
31. 31.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 rainy season (b) a cricket match (c) a visit to an old fort (d) our pet cat
32. 32.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ The librarian helps us find good books. We may borrow two books every week. Everyone reads quietly in the library. (a) We spent a happy day at the beach. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
33. 33.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) saving water (b) my grandfather (c) our trip to the zoo (d) a cricket match
34. 34.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) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.
35. 35.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 spent a happy day at the beach. (b) We must not waste water. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
36. 36.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) our classroom (b) the peacock (c) a cricket match (d) the old banyan tree
37. 37.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 trip to the zoo (b) the village fair (c) our postman (d) my new bicycle
38. 38.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) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (c) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.
39. 39.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) A fair comes to our village every winter. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.
40. 40.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ It is red with a shiny silver bell. I ride it to the park every evening. I oil the chain of my bicycle every week. (a) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) The monsoon is my favourite season. (c) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (d) I got a new bicycle on my birthday.

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