Which feature is most characteristic of narrative texts?

Transition words that signify chronology are a hallmark of narrative texts because they guide the reader through the sequence of events in a story. These transitional phrases—such as "first," "next," "then," and "finally"—help to clarify the order in which events occur, which is essential for understanding the flow of the narrative. This characteristic is especially important in storytelling, where the unfolding of events over time is central to the structure and impact of the narrative.

In contrast to this, graphs and charts are typically associated with expository or informational texts that present data in a visual format. Tables of contents are used in various types of texts to provide an overview of the structure but are not unique to narratives. Similarly, indexing is a feature that helps locate specific information within both fiction and nonfiction works. Thus, the presence of chronological transition words is what primarily distinguishes narrative texts from other forms of writing.