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Topic Sentence Test

Name_________________________________

 

If it is suitable to be a topic sentence, highlight or circle the conclusion (the point or the focus).

If it is unsuitable to be a topic sentence, label it as too broad, too narrow, too vague, or a fact. Do not highlight or circle anything.

Examples:

• Saturday my sister and I spent the day shopping at the mall. A fact
• My friend Chris should dump her boyfriend.
• “Hoot” is an enjoyable book. too vague

1. My dad is a golfer.
2. My dad has become obsessed with lowering his golf score.
3. Last summer our family vacationed in the Grand Bahamas for the first time.
4. Uncle Harvey tends to panic in an emergency.
5. When I was fourteen, my friend and I were arrested for shoplifting.
6. Shana has become a health food fanatic.
7. “Snakes on a Plane” was an enjoyable movie.
8. Mr. Kelsey is an indecisive supervisor.
9. Last Saturday night I stayed up late studying.
10. High school students today do not respect teachers or anybody else for that matter, including themselves.
11. Prejudice of all kinds still exists in the world today.
12. Male customers at Hooters can be obnoxious.
13. Roberta is a fierce defender of animal rights.
14. An expensive hobby is flying gasoline model airplanes.
15. Last week at school we had a false bomb threat.
16. Marine biology is an interesting career.
17. Shelly has trained hard to become a champion tennis player.
18. Dinner before the movie last Friday night was expensive.
19. Being a jockey is a demanding sport.
20. When Alex was seventeen, he bought a car with his own savings.
21. My parents own a vacation condo in Key West.
22. In the past two years, Tammy has disgraced her family.
23. Bruce is a compulsive gambler.
24. Eddie came to the wedding reception wearing a warm-up outfit.
25. Tanya’s husband is not supporting her efforts to continue college while raising a family.

 

1. My dad is a golfer.  A fact
2. My dad has become obsessed with lowering his golf score.
3. Last summer our family vacationed in the Grand Bahamas for the first time.  A fact
4. Uncle Harvey tends to panic in an emergency.
5. When I was fourteen, my friend and I were arrested for shoplifting. A fact
6. Shana has become a health food fanatic.
7. “Snakes on a Plane” was an enjoyable movie. Too vague
8. Mr. Kelsey is an indecisive supervisor.
9. Last Saturday night I stayed up late studying. Too narrow to be worth a paragraph
10. High school students today do not respect teachers or anybody else for that matter, including themselves.  Too broad
11. Prejudice of all kinds still exists in the world today.  Too broad
12. Male customers at Hooters can be obnoxious.
13. Roberta is a fierce defender of animal rights.
14. An expensive hobby is flying gasoline model airplanes.
15. Last week at school we had a false bomb threat.  A fact
16. Marine biology is an interesting career. Too vague
17. Shelly has trained hard to become a champion tennis player.
18. Dinner before the movie last Friday night was expensive. Too narrow to be worth a paragraph
19. Being a jockey is a demanding sport
20. When Alex was seventeen, he bought a car with his own savings. A fact
21. My parents own a vacation condo in Key West. A fact
22. In the past two years, Tammy has disgraced her family.
23. Bruce is a compulsive gambler.
24. Eddie came to the wedding reception wearing a warm-up outfit. A fact
25. Tanya’s husband is not supporting not supporting her efforts to continue college while raising a family.

 Last updated 9/18/0