Identifying Key Sentences
This worksheet helps 8th-grade students practice identifying key sentences and understanding their role in paragraphs.
Includes
Standards
Topics
Identifying Key Sentences
Name:
Date:
Score:
Read each paragraph carefully. Identify the key (topic) sentence in each paragraph and answer the questions that follow.
Paragraph 1: The Amazon rainforest is home to an incredible variety of plant and animal species. Scientists estimate that it contains 10% of the world's known species, making it a crucial biodiversity hotspot. From jaguars to macaws, and from towering Kapok trees to tiny orchids, the Amazon's ecosystems are teeming with life. Unfortunately, deforestation and climate change threaten this delicate balance, putting countless species at risk.
1. Which sentence is the key sentence of the paragraph?
2. What is the main idea of this paragraph?
Paragraph 2: Exercise offers numerous benefits for both physical and mental health. Regular physical activity strengthens the heart and lungs, reduces the risk of chronic diseases, and helps maintain a healthy weight. Beyond the physical, exercise can also boost mood, reduce stress, and improve cognitive function, making it an essential component of a balanced lifestyle.
3. Which sentence is the key sentence of the paragraph?
4. What evidence or details support the key sentence?
5. A key sentence often appears at the of a paragraph, but it can also be found in the middle or at the end.
6. The key sentence introduces the idea of the paragraph.
7. All other sentences in the paragraph should or elaborate on the key sentence.
8. Write a short paragraph (3-5 sentences) about your favorite hobby. Underline your key sentence.