Question

You have been asked to write an essay about the checks and balances of political power in the United States federal government. Which of these is the most effective topic sentence for a paragraph in this essay?


The judicial branch has the following check over the legislative branch: courts can judge legislative acts to be unconstitutional.


This essay is about the checks and balances of political power in the United States federal government.


The federal government is sometimes called other things, like the "national government" or "Washington."


One of the branches of the United States government is the executive branch.

Answer 1

"The judicial branch has the following check over the legislative branch: courts can judge legislative acts to be unconstitutional."

This is the best choice because it is specific to checks and balances, names the branches involved, and clearly states the particular power (judicial review) that the paragraph can explain and support.