UNDERSTANDING

PURPOSE AND TONE

PURPOSE
is the author’s reason
for writing about a
topic
WHAT ARE THE COMMON
PURPOSES FOR WRITING?
WHAT ARE THE COMMON
PURPOSES FOR WRITING?
 to give information
To inform- about a subject
Pain is a normal part of Eating food between two
a physical process that slices of bread – a
lets us know something sandwich – is a practice
is wrong. that has its origins in
eighteenth-century
England.
 to convince the reader to
To persuade- agree with the author’s
point of view on a subject
The death penalty is There are good reasons
deeply flawed and why every sandwich
should be abolished. should be made with
whole-grain bread.
 to amuse and delight; to
To entertain- appeal to the reader’s senses
and imagination
Yes, I have gained What I wanted was a
weight. I weighted only midnight snack, but
8 pounds when I was what I got was better –
born. the biggest, most
magical sandwich in the
entire world.
What is the writer’s
purpose?
____________ Required physical
education classes should be a part of
public school education from
elementary through high school.
What is the writer’s
purpose?
PERSUADE Required physical
education classes should be a part of
public school education from
elementary through high school.

The word “should” tells us it’s persuasion.

What is the writer’s
purpose?
____________ A healthy diet includes
several daily servings from each of the
major food groups.
What is the writer’s
purpose?
INFORM A healthy diet includes
several daily servings from each of the
major food groups.

This one is just factual.

What is the writer’s
purpose?
____________ If clothes say much about a
person, a woman risking life and limb to
wear 6-inch high heels to the office must
be screaming something about herself.
What is the writer’s
purpose?
ENTERTAIN If clothes say much about
a person, a woman risking life and limb to
wear 6-inch high heels to the office must
be screaming something about herself.

It’s fun to watch a woman in heels!

PRIMARY PURPOSE
is the author’s main reason for writing the
passage
• Ask, “What is the author’s main idea?” and that
will reveal the primary purpose
TONE
is the emotion or mood of the
author’s written voice.
•It is the author’s attitude toward
a topic.
WHAT CHARACTERIZES
TONE WORDS?
WHAT CHARACTERIZES
TONE WORDS?
Objective-impartial and factual
unbiased accurate
neutral matter-of-fact
formal truthful
 personal, opinionated,
Subjective- and emotional
biased admiring poetic
emotional belligeren sincere
informal t thoughtfu
disdainful l
joyful wry
What is the tone?
My father’s name a) subjective
is Henri Powell, b) objective
and he was born in
1943.
What is the tone?
My father’s name a) subjective
is Henri Powell, b) objective
and he was born in
1943.
What is the tone?
“Mom, I’m having a) emotional
a terrible time; b) instructive
could you please,
please come over?”
What is the tone?
“Mom, I’m having a) emotional
a terrible time; b) instructive
could you please,
please come over?”
One commonly used
tone – in conversation
as well as in writing –
is
One commonly used
tone – in conversation
as well as in writing –
is irony.
Verbal irony
occurs when the author’s
words state one thing but
imply the opposite.
Example:
Looking at her son’s messy
room, Mom says, “Wow, you
could win an award for
cleanliness!”
Situational irony
occurs when the events
of a situation differ
from what is expected.
Example:
A high school dropout
eventually becomes a
medical doctor.