Word Bank: entertain, author's perspective, descriptions, explain, opinion, point of view, persuade, inform, author's purpose, judgment, evidence Introduction:

Authors write for many purpose, or reasons. One purpose for writing is to (1), or give information on a topic, as in a newspaper article. The author presents facts and ideas in an organized way.
A second purpose for writing is to (2) how to do something. A recipe and a how-to article are examples of writing to explain.
Another (3) is to (4), to try to get others to hold a certain viewpoint on a topic. The author presents an argument and supports it with reasons and (5). Editorials and ads are two examples.
A fourth purpose for writing is to (6). Most works of fiction, such as novels and short stories, are written for an audience to enjoy. This is true whether the work is sad or happy, scary or funny.
No matter what the author's purpose, or goal, reading a piece of writing is a lot like meeting a new person. You discover the (7) , or (8) . How? You look at the language the writer uses.
When a fiction write describes a character, or when a nonfiction writer describes his or her subject, the words in the (9) convey a particular attitude, or tone. For example, the tone might be approving or disapproving, sincere or humorous. Sometimes authors show their perspective more directly, by clearly stating their (10) , or (11).
As you read, think about the author's overall purpose. Then look for words and phrases that reveal or suggest the author's perspective, as in the chart below.