1. Nonfiction Key Concepts
Learning Focus Question:
“What is nonfiction and its types and characteristics?”

2. Key literary terminology:
simile, metaphor, oxymoron, hyperbole, imagery, irony, dialect, denotation, connotation, reason, emotion

3. Defining nonfiction
“non” = not
“fiction” = fake
Therefore, nonfiction means
writing based on fact

4. You THINK: Where can nonfiction be found?
Finding nonfiction
You THINK: Where can nonfiction be found?

5. 3 Types of Nonfiction ESSAY Expository/Informative Narrative
Descriptive
Persuasive
ARTICLE
SPEECH

6. the reason an author writes Purposes of writing: Inform Persuade
Definition:
the reason an author writes
Purposes of writing:
Inform
Persuade
Entertain

7. STYLE Definition: the way an author writes
Style is determined by many things including:
Diction = word choice
Formal or informal language
Can you think of examples?
Figurative language (metaphors, similes, etc)
Length of sentences

8. TONE Definition: the way the author sounds in his/her writing
Hint: My mother used to say, “Don’t use that tone of voice with me!” What did she mean?
You THINK: What are some examples of tone?

9. PERSPECTIVE Definition: the author’s viewpoint
FACT= truth, based on statistics or research
OPINION = personal idea, based on your own conclusions
You THINK: What are examples of fact & opinion?

10. Ways Writers Organize Compare/Contrast
to discuss similarities (compare) and differences (contrast)
Cause/Effect
to discuss the relationship of events—what happens that causes something else to happen
Chronological order
to discuss events in the order of time

11. POINT of VIEW 1st person = told from the writer’s or narrator’s view
uses “I”
2nd person = involves the writer/narrator talking directly to the reader
Uses “you”
3rd person = does not involve the writer or a narrator
Uses “he, she, it, they”

12. INFERENCE Definition:
to come to a conclusion based on clues from the text
You THINK: What are some techniques you can use to infer meaning from what you read?

13. EXPOSITORY/INFORMATIVE ESSAY
Definition:
writing meant to inform a reader
Writing techniques:
Compare/contrast concepts
Cause/effect of events
Details/facts

14. EXPOSITORY contd. Biography: writing based on a person’s life
“auto”= one
Therefore, an autobiography is written by the person it is about where a biography is told by a different person than the writing is about.
A biography tells about:
Personality, family & friends, life events, upbringing, influence on society, major accomplishments, and others!

15. NARRATIVE ESSAY Definition: writing that tells a story
Narratives are meant to entertain a reader
Narratives are often told in chronological order
Narratives include a lot of description using adjectives

16. DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY Definition:
writing that uses a lot of details and descriptions
Descriptive writing is different from narrative writing because it does not tell a story, it discusses ideas
Imagery: mental images
5 sense: sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch

17. PERSUASIVE ESSAY Definition:
writing that tries to influence the ideas and actions of others
Reason (head) = argument based on facts/evidence/research
Emotion (heart) = argument based on feeling/ personal conclusions
Writers try to persuade other people because they feel passionately enough about a topic to want to convince others to feel that way too!

18. ARTICLES
Definition:
short, brief writing meant to inform or discuss ideas
Articles are different from essays because they serve a different purpose. There are often shorter and get to the point faster.
Many articles are found in newspapers or magazines and are used to present a topic in a short span of time.

19. SPEECHES Definition: writing meant to be read out loud
Speeches are different from essays and articles because they are used as an announcement.
They tend to be a more personal way of communication.