English 9 Academic Language Handbook for Non-fiction Unit

English 9 Academic Language Handbook for Non-fiction Unit

Directions • Please take notes on the following slides. • After we are done, please turn to page 631 in your textbook and add the words to your list.

expository • anything that is written to inform, describe, persuade, or explain (i.e. newspaper article, magazine article, speech, pamphlet, etc.)

analyze • to break the subject down into parts and explain the various parts

paraphrase • To restate all of the author’s ideas in your own words

argument • a series of statements in a text designed to convince the reader of something

main idea • the writer’s most important point, opinion, or message

claim • The idea or opinion that an author tries to prove or defend in an argument

Audience • who the author is writing to (i.e., teenagers, parents, community, etc.) • An author will write differently based on his or her audience.

Perspective • The point of view from which the author sees the issue based on the relationship the author has with the issue

Purpose • the reason the author wrote the literary work • An author’s purpose is to inform, persuade, or entertain.

Credible • reliable and trustworthy based on the type of source, the actual source, and/or the author’s knowledge about the subject

supporting details • a paraphrase or direct quotation that supports the author’s claim or main idea

direct quotation • anything is a direct quotation once you extract it from a text (i.e. article, novel, play) and put quotation marks around the first word and the last word followed by a parenthetical citation (author’s last name and number of the page)

Parenthetical Citation • text with one author (author’s last name and number of the page used) “It was probably inevitable that one day people would start suing McDonald’s for making them fat” (Brownlee 1). • The period is after the last parentheses.

survey • to examine something

summarize • briefly restate only the author’s main idea and the important supporting details

predict • to foretell something based on observation, experience, or logic

infer • to read between the lines and make an educated guess

style • the particular way in which an author uses language created mainly through diction (word choice), figurative language, and syntax (sentence structure)

diction • word choice or vocabulary used in a text

denotation • the dictionary or literal meaning of a word • The words cheap, inexpensive, and reasonable literally mean “not costly”.

loaded word • a word with a strong, emotional connotation or association

connotation • emotions or associations about a word • The words cheap, inexpensive, and reasonable all mean “not costly”. However, “cheap” has negative connotations whereas inexpensive and reasonable do not.

pathos (emotional appeal) • appeals to the reader’s emotions by using stories, anecdotes, or direct quotations

logos (logical appeal) • appeals to the reader’s common sense and logic by using facts, statistics, and researched information to support a claim/main idea

ethos (ethical appeal) • establishes credibility and trustworthiness based on the author’s knowledge and experience (i.e. perspective)

counterargument • an argument that addresses the opposing side

call to action • When the writer/speaker calls upon the reader/audience to act or do something regarding the subject/issue • Ex: write a letter, participate in a boycott, start a protest, vote, donate money, etc.

English 9 Academic Language Handbook for Non-fiction Unit