DETERMINING AUTHOR'S PURPOSE

Summary

In this English class video, the teacher explains the three main purposes an author writes for: to persuade, to inform, and to entertain. The teacher provides examples of each purpose, such as persuasive essays, informational texts, and entertaining stories. The lesson emphasizes how authors aim to either change the reader's viewpoint, provide factual knowledge, or entertain with humor and engaging narratives. The video ends with an interactive activity to identify the author's purpose in various types of texts, reinforcing the lesson's key concepts.

Takeaways

• 😀 Authors write for three main purposes: to persuade, to inform, and to entertain.
• 😀 The persuasive purpose aims to make the reader believe the author's position or take a specific action.
• 😀 Persuasion is commonly found in essays, advertisements, political writings, and speeches.
• 😀 The informative purpose involves enlightening readers about real-world topics using facts and data.
• 😀 Informative texts include textbooks, encyclopedias, recipe books, and newspapers.
• 😀 The entertaining purpose seeks to engage readers with stories, characters, or events, either real or imaginary.
• 😀 Authors use techniques like humor, storytelling, and character descriptions to entertain readers.
• 😀 Example of persuasion: a message explaining the importance of following rules.
• 😀 Example of information: a biography of Rodrigo Duterte, including factual details about his birth and career.
• 😀 Example of entertainment: a story of children enjoying a windy day by flying kites at the park.
• 😀 In the activity, readers identify the purpose of various texts, such as a recipe, a note from a friend, a map, and a poem.

Q & A

What are the three main purposes an author writes for?

The three main purposes an author writes for are to persuade, to inform, and to entertain.

What is the main goal when an author writes to persuade?

When an author writes to persuade, the main goal is to convince the reader to believe a certain point of view or take a specific action.

Can persuasive writing be found in fictional works?

Yes, persuasive writing can be found in fiction, especially when it includes a message or life lesson, although it is more commonly found in essays, advertisements, and political writings.

What types of texts are commonly written to inform?

Texts that are commonly written to inform include textbooks, encyclopedias, recipe books, and newspapers.

What is a good example of writing meant to inform?

An example of writing meant to inform is: 'Rodrigo Duterte was born on March 28, 1945, in Davao, Philippines.' This provides factual information about his life.

How does an author entertain readers through their writing?

An author entertains by engaging the reader with a story, humor, or interesting descriptions, often using creative techniques to maintain attention.

What is an example of writing meant to entertain?

An example of writing meant to entertain is a passage about boys flying kites: 'The boys were happy when they woke up to find that it was windy outside. It would be a perfect day to fly a kite.'

What is the purpose of the activity provided in the transcript?

The purpose of the activity is to help students identify the author's purpose in different types of texts, such as to persuade, to inform, or to entertain.

In the activity, what was the purpose of a recipe for spicy chicken salad?

The purpose of the recipe for spicy chicken salad was to inform, as it provides instructions on how to prepare the dish.

What was the author's purpose in the note asking a friend to be a science partner?

The purpose of the note asking a friend to be a science partner was to persuade, as it is trying to convince the reader to agree to the partnership.