Uncover the Purpose

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

What is the purpose of every piece of writing?

Every piece of writing should have a purpose, which is the thing that motivates writers to write in the first place.

How can readers determine the purpose or purposes of a text?

Readers have the job of determining the purpose or purposes of a text by analyzing the writer's reason for writing and what the writer wants the reader to do with the text.

What are the three main categories of purposes that writers may choose from?

The three main categories of purposes that writers may choose from are to entertain, to inform, and to persuade.

Give an example of a text created to entertain.

Texts created to entertain are often imaginative works like novels, stories, or poems. Signup and view all the answers

What are the three main purposes of writing discussed in the text?

The three main purposes of writing discussed in the text are to entertain, to inform, and to persuade. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary factor in texts created to entertain?

The primary factor in texts created to entertain is the entertainment factor. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of informative writing?

The purpose of informative writing is to provide facts about a topic that the writer believes is important and necessary for the reader to understand. Signup and view all the answers

Can a text have more than one purpose?

Yes, many texts have more than one purpose, but usually one will stand out as primary. Signup and view all the answers

What are some examples of informative texts?

Some examples of informative texts are textbooks, encyclopedia articles, and instructional manuals. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of instructional writing?

The purpose of instructional writing is to offer a series of steps to accomplish a specific task. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of persuasive writing?

The purpose of persuasive writing is to persuade readers to assent to a particular belief or opinion or to act in a particular way. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of descriptive writing?

The purpose of descriptive writing is to provide sensory details that allow the reader to form a mental picture of some person, place, or thing. Signup and view all the answers

What are the three main categories of purposes for writing?

to entertain, to inform, and to persuade Signup and view all the answers

What types of texts are created to entertain?

imaginative works like novels, stories, or poems Signup and view all the answers

What do texts that inform provide?

facts about some topic that the writer believes is important and necessary for the reader to understand Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean when writers instruct their readers?

they offer a series of steps to accomplish a specific task Signup and view all the answers

What do writers do when they explain?

they tell their readers how something works Signup and view all the answers

What do writers provide when they describe?

sensory details that allow their readers to form a mental picture of some person, place, thing, or event Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of texts that persuade?

to convince readers to assent to a particular belief or opinion or to act in a particular way Signup and view all the answers

How can readers determine a text's purpose?

by asking themselves a series of questions that help identify the text's main characteristics, and thereby, figure out why the writer is writing and how they should respond Signup and view all the answers