Topic Sentence Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 9: Topic sentence · Set 999 · 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?
   
   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) elephants (b) our classroom (c) ants (d) grandma's garden
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. Sometimes we spot a shooting star. (a) Last Sunday, our class went to the zoo. (b) The night sky is full of wonders. (c) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
3. 3.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 pet cat (b) our school sports day (c) our postman (d) making a rangoli
4. 4.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) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) An old banyan tree stands in our village. (c) My grandfather is seventy years old. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.
5. 5.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
   
   ___ Its stone walls were very thick. The guide told us about the old kings. From the tower we could see the whole town. (a) The night sky is full of wonders. (b) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) Our class visited an old fort on a hill.
6. 6.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) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
7. 7.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) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (b) The night sky is full of wonders. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
8. 8.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) Our school library is my favourite place. (b) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (c) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (d) Our classroom is bright and clean.
9. 9.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) making a rangoli (b) my grandfather (c) my best friend (d) the peacock
10. 10.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 old banyan tree (b) a visit to an old fort (c) elephants (d) the vegetable market
11. 11.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) The night sky is full of wonders. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
12. 12.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) My best friend is Farhan. (b) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (c) The monsoon is my favourite season. (d) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli.
13. 13.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) the peacock (b) our postman (c) a cricket match (d) making a rangoli
14. 14.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 class visited an old fort on a hill. (b) The peacock is the national bird of India. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) My grandfather is seventy years old.
15. 15.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) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (d) Our school library is my favourite place.
16. 16.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) Our school library is my favourite place. (b) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (c) The railway station is always busy. (d) A fair comes to our village every winter.
17. 17.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ The day began with a march past. I ran in the hundred-metre race. Our house won the tug of war. (a) Our school sports day was full of fun. (b) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (c) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
18. 18.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) the village fair (b) grandma's garden (c) our classroom (d) saving water
19. 19.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) Ramesh is the postman in our area. (b) Our school sports day was full of fun. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
20. 20.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) Every Diwali, my sister and I make a rangoli. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) Our school library is my favourite place. (d) The peacock is the national bird of India.
21. 21.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) a visit to an old fort (b) flying kites (c) my grandfather (d) the school library
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) grandma's garden (b) our pet cat (c) our trip to the zoo (d) the school library
23. 23.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 vegetable market (b) the rainy season (c) a day at the beach (d) our classroom
24. 24.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) We must not waste water. (b) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
25. 25.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 pet cat (b) grandma's garden (c) elephants (d) a visit to an old fort
26. 26.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) grandma's garden (b) our trip to the zoo (c) the night sky (d) a busy railway station
27. 27.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Our desks are arranged in neat rows. A green board hangs at the front. We keep our classroom tidy every day. (a) I got a new bicycle on my birthday. (b) Our classroom is bright and clean. (c) We spent a happy day at the beach. (d) We have a pet cat named Mishti.
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) a day at the beach (b) a busy railway station (c) the old banyan tree (d) eating healthy food
29. 29.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) the old banyan tree (c) saving water (d) a busy railway station
30. 30.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) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) Elephants are the biggest land animals. (d) My grandmother has a lovely garden.
31. 31.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) our trip to the zoo (b) flying kites (c) a busy railway station (d) making a rangoli
32. 32.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) saving water (b) flying kites (c) our school sports day (d) our postman
33. 33.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) We have a pet cat named Mishti. (b) In January, the sky fills with kites. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) An old banyan tree stands in our village.
34. 34.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 night sky is full of wonders. (b) Ants are tiny but very hard-working. (c) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong. (d) The monsoon is my favourite season.
35. 35.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) Our street had a cricket match on Sunday. (b) My grandmother has a lovely garden. (c) Our classroom is bright and clean. (d) Elephants are the biggest land animals.
36. 36.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) The night sky is full of wonders. (b) Our class visited an old fort on a hill. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) Healthy food keeps our bodies strong.
37. 37.Which sentence is the best opening (topic sentence) for this paragraph?
    
    ___ Ants can carry food heavier than themselves. Ants walk one behind the other in a line. Ants store food for the winter. (a) We spent a happy day at the beach. (b) My grandfather is seventy years old. (c) The vegetable market near our house opens early. (d) Ants are tiny but very hard-working.
38. 38.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) We spent a happy day at the beach. (b) We must not waste water. (c) A fair comes to our village every winter. (d) The railway station is always busy.
39. 39.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 night sky (c) our classroom (d) the vegetable market
40. 40.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) The monsoon is my favourite season. (b) The railway station is always busy. (c) Our school sports day was full of fun. (d) In January, the sky fills with kites.

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