Freshman English Second Semester Author’s Purpose Freshman English Second Semester

Author’s Purpose An author writes to share ideas about a given topic. Three different kinds of purposes when addressing an audience: To inform To argue/persuade To tell a story

Informative Writing Facts, statistics, true information. Explains or gives the audience information on a specific topic. Also known as expository writing. Examples: Textbooks, cookbooks, informational brochures, etc.

Argumentative Writing To persuade or to argue a point, that the audience will accept. Usually this is the authors own feelings, bias, or beliefs. Also known as persuasive writing Examples: Commercials, advertisements, newspapers, etc

Narrative Writing Written to entertain, interest, or appeal to the reader. Mostly fictional writing, but can be factual. This writing usually elicits some sort of emotional response from the audience. (sad, happy, scared, etc) Examples: Poems, stories, plays, comics, etc

Ask yourself these questions… Did they author try to make me laugh, cry, hide under my bed? Did the author try to get me to buy something, change something, or think a certain way? Did the author try to teach me something, give me facts, or statistics?

Why do we need to know this? Helps to prepare your mind for the type of information you are reading. (You will already know the point) Helps when summarizing the main ideas of the text. Helps to discriminate the main points and the small details of the text.

How Do Authors Achieve Purpose?

Diction Diction = the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing. Denotative – literal/dictionary meaning Connotative – figurative/associated meaning. Slaughtered Denotative: “The killing of animals especially for food.” Connotative: The Falcon’s basketball team slaughtered WWS.

Tone The authors attitude towards the topic. The attitude is expressed through word choice, or diction. There are two different types of tone, subjective and objective.

Objective Tone Objective tone is “impartial”. Does not show feelings, and is neither for or against a topic. Unbiased or neutral Does not use pronouns such as “I and You” Examples: Textbooks

Subjective Tone Subjective tone is personal and biased. The author is writing to evoke an emotion within the audience. Author uses words that describe feelings, experiences, or thoughts This writing is often informal. Example: Stories or Poems