Question

1When it comes to fiction, there are many genres. 2Some authors choose to write action adventures, while others enjoy science fiction and fantasy. 3There is the ever-popular romance genre, where love is sure to sweep the reader away. 4Then there’s the suspense, mystery, and horror novel, which is guaranteed to give some thrills. 5And finally there’s the literary novel, which, if mastered, engages the reader with profound insights into the human experience. Which numbered sentence is the topic sentence?
A.) 1
B.) 2
C.) 3
D.) 4

Answer 1

If this paragraph stands by itself, sentence 1 is the topic sentence because it sets up sentences 2-5 to explain the many genres.  If this paragraph is the introduction to an essay, or longer analysis into how a particular novel "engages the reader with profound insights into the human experience", then sentence 5 is the topic sentence and claim for the essay.