E28: FTCE | GK Reading | Identifying the Author's Purpose of a Passage

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Welcome to episode 28 of FTCE seminar, a teacher certification podcast. I'm your host Mercedes Musto. In today's episode, I'll be talking about the FTCE general knowledge reading subtest. This is part seven of a multi-series review of what you need to know the past, the reading section of the GK. Today, we're going to talk about author's purpose. In author's purpose in the text that you're evaluating. If you tuned into last episode, we talked about tone, which had to do with the author's attitude towards the topic. And remember how we used word choice to solve each example. We were such cool word

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sleuths and tone detectives. Yeah, but this time is the same but different. It's the same because we're going to still be word detectives, but it's different because instead of solving for tone, we're going to solve for the author's purpose. Cool, right? So let's get started. Concept number one, author's purpose. The author's purpose is the why,

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as in why did the author write this passage? Well, I've got five common reasons why authors write stuff. The author's purpose could be to inform, entertain, persuade, explain, or maybe even describe. When you look at word choice and structure of the text, you'll notice that the passage may fall into one of these five categories. What are informative texts anyway? Well, I'm glad you asked.

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Informative texts often include non-fiction, textbooks, biographies, newspapers, and expository essays filled with facts and data and dates. Texts meant to entertain will be stuff like fictional stories, poems, jokes, or even plays. Plays could fit into this category. Texts written to persuade will have an argumentative angle with like debate points and be very persuasive in their perspective, trying to convince you of something. Explanatory texts are easy to identify because they include

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instructions, directions, and things like how to in the essence of these texts that explain using steps or procedures. And descriptive texts are interesting because they often include visual imagery and lots of adjectives or even, gosh, adverbs because the author's purpose is to paint a picture with words for the reader. The word choice that is used throughout the text helps you decipher the author's purpose. So let's try some examples and see how you do. Now, remember, the five common reasons

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authors write stuff are to inform, entertain, persuade, explain, and describe. Example number one, listen carefully and decide what is the author's purpose. Drinking espresso is better than drinking regular coffee. In fact, espresso ounce for ounce contains more caffeine, plus when you drink an espresso, it contains more nutrients and flavor than coffee because you don't use a filter when you make it. Lastly, not only is espresso better than coffee because it's using

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dark roasted beans, but not too long. What's the author's purpose of the passage about espressos? Wait for it. If you chose persuasive, you are correct, because the author's purpose in this passage is to convince us that drinking espresso is better than drinking coffee. Actually, now that I think about it, I am convinced. One sec, I'll be right back. I've got to go get an espresso. Example number two. What is the author's purpose in the following passage? Sarah's refuge was Bernardino's coffee shop on Fifth Avenue. She enjoyed the aroma of roasted coffee beans as she walked through the hand-crafted 18th century wooden doors. Flower pots boasting bouquets of color and dusty books of authors long past adorned the interior of the quaint cafe.

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Yeah, I think I'd like that. Is there really a coffee shop named Bernardino's? Okay, this passage seems noticeably descriptive. And if that's what you think, then you're correct. Hey, what tipped you off? Well, first of all, there are a lot of adjectives that the author used to create visual imagery. So there you have it. The author's purpose is to describe.

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Let's review. Remember, the author's purpose is why they wrote the passage. We reviewed five of the most common reasons authors write, and that is to inform, entertain, persuade, explain, and describe. We learned that when you look at word choice and structure of the text, you'll notice that the passage may fall into one of these five categories.

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Being able to identify the author's purpose of the text will help you to better understand the craft and structure of the writing so you can pass the reading portion of the General Knowledge Test. But in fact, being able to use all these reading skills will help you improve with every portion of the exam because reading is involved. How cool is that? For more practice with reading strategies, visit ftceseminar.com to study for the test. The important thing is to start studying and start studying today so you can pass the teacher certification exam.

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Well, what are you waiting for? Check us out on YouTube at FTCE seminar and start studying today. This podcast was recorded at the Pickens Multimedia Studio at the University of West Florida. This podcast is listener supported. Contributions are greatly appreciated and can be made via the listener support link on Spotify. This is your host Mercedes Musto. Join me again on FTCE Seminar, a teacher certification podcast so you can pass the FTCE.

Transcribed with Cockatoo