Comprehension Toolkit
Text purpose 2
Comprehension Toolkit
Comprehension means understanding.
The best way to
understand a text is to
ask yourself questions
as you read it.
The answers to some
questions are easy to find,
while the answers to others
are more difficult to work out.
Comprehension Toolkit
Why does a writer write?
A writer’s purpose might be to:
entertain
persuade
inform
debate an issue
instruct
sympathise
warn or advise
describe
extend an invitation
do several things at once!
Comprehension Toolkit
Texts that instruct tell us how to do things.
They include:
recipes instruction manuals “how to” books
In instructive texts, you’ll find:
• commands
• prepositions
• adverbials of manner,
time and place.
Comprehension Toolkit
This is part of a recipe for cookies.
Its purpose is to instruct.
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 ° Celsius.
2. Beat butter and brown sugar with electric beaters until well
combined. Add the eggs and beat well after each addition.
3. Sift together plain flour and baking powder and mix into the
butter mixture. Stir in choc bits.
What type of sentences are they? commands
They start with
How do we know the sentences are commands? imperative verbs.
Which words are prepositions?
Which phrase is an adverbial of manner?
Which phrase is an adverbial of time?
Which phrase is an adverbial of place?
Comprehension Toolkit
Texts that persuade try to convince us to believe or
do things. Examples of persuasive texts are advertisements and
political speeches. In persuasive texts you can expect to find:
• catchphrases and slogans
• repetition of key words, phrases and ideas
• words with appealing sounds, such as rhyme, onomatopoeia
and alliteration
• emotive language (language that appeals to our emotions)
• figurative language, such as similes and metaphors
• exaggerated language (also known as hyperbole)
• rhetorical questions
• question and answer structures
• use of the personal pronoun you, so that people believe they
are being addressed directly
• modal verbs and adverbs.
Comprehension Toolkit
This is an extract from a speech.
Its purpose is to persuade people.
I definitely think the Council has made a mistake in planning high-rise
developments for our suburb. Such high-rise developments might
bring more people into the area, but that means more cars, and
exhaust fumes from cars are one of the main causes of air pollution in
urban areas. So not only will we be living in a gloomy suburb that
hardly ever sees the sun, but we will also be forced to breathe
polluted air, and that could lead to health problems. And where are all
those cars going to park? Our suburb is already overflowing with cars.
Which words, phrases or ideas are repeated?
Find examples of emotive language.
Find examples of exaggerated language.
Find a rhetorical question.
Comprehension Toolkit
These are extracts from advertisements.
Their purpose is to persuade people to buy certain products.
Find a simile.
Find a metaphor.
Find a direct address.
Find a catchphrase or slogan.
Find an example of rhyme.
Find examples of alliteration.
Find a rhetorical question.
At Medicor
clinics we put
you first.
Because we
care.
Try new LifeForce
and feel
as right as rain!
A
a day keeps the
blues away.
Swamped by too
many choices?
We’ll help you find
the right mobile for
your lifestyle.
– the bread with
the crunchy crust
Comprehension Toolkit