Supporting the Author's Reasons
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Basics on the topic Supporting the Author's Reasons
Supporting an Argument with Author’s Purpose
When an author writes a non-fiction text, they write it with a specific purpose in mind.
The purpose can be to inform or explain something to the reader. When an author’s purpose is to inform or explain, they use facts and information to support the topic. This can also help support an argument that either the author or the reader wants to make.
We call these facts and information supporting reasons or supporting details. Good readers can describe and prove how these reasons support the topic.
Supporting reasons definition
Supporting reasons are facts and information that support the topic or main idea.
Supporting an Argument – Strategy
To identify the author's purpose, follow these steps:
- First, read the text and state its topic. Think: “What does the author want readers to know?”
- Then, find the reasons or supporting details that the author uses to support their topic. Supporting details can be reasons, examples or facts.
Let’s practise by reading the text about turtles and tortoises and identifying the topic and reasons supporting the main claim:
Turtles and tortoises are both reptiles, but they are very different. One big difference is where they live. Turtles live in water and are really good swimmers. Tortoises, on the other hand, live on land, and don’t swim. While turtles have flippers that help them swim, tortoises have strong legs for walking.
First, let’s identify the topic and state what the author wants readers to know. The topic is turtles and tortoises, and the author wants the reader to know the difference between where turtles and tortoises live.
Now, let’s find the reasons or supporting details the author uses to support the topic. There are multiple supporting details in this text. ”Turtles live in water”, “have flippers that help them swim” and ”tortoises live on land” and “have strong legs for walking”* are both supporting details. They show the big difference between turtles and tortoises.
To describe how these details support the author’s topic, we can use this sentence starter: I think these details support the topic because…
For example: I think these details support the topic because the author is describing the difference between places where turtles and tortoises live, and characteristics each has to help them live there.
Let’s read some more and look for a claim plus supporting reasons.
Another difference is their shells. Turtles’ shells are lighter and flatter, which makes it easier for them to swim and hide underwater. Tortoises have heavier and thicker shells that protect them from predators on land.
What is the topic and what does the author want readers to know? The topic is turtles and tortoises’ shells and they want us to know that turtles and tortoises have different shells.
What are the supporting details? ”Turtles’ shells are lighter and flatter” and ”Tortoises have heavier and thicker shells” are both supporting details. Why are they supporting details? Let’s answer with the sentence starter, “I think it supports the topic because…”
I think it supports the topic because the author tells us how and why the shells of turtles and tortoises are different.
Supporting an Argument – Summary
Let’s review what we have learnt about the supporting reasons.
Writers use reasons as supporting details when they want to support the topic. Good readers know how to describe and prove how those reasons support the topic.
As you read, think: “What is the topic? What does the author want readers to know? Then, find the reasons, or supporting details, that the author uses to support the topic. You can use the sentence starter I think it supports the topic because…*
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| First | Think: “What is the topic? What does the author want readers to know?” |
| Second | Find the reasons, or supporting details, that the author uses to support the topic. |
| Then | Use the sentence starter I think it supports the topic because… |
Now you can answer the question “What is a reason in writing?” and identify supporting details. To practise identifying the author's point and reasons to support it, try our video, activities and finding author's point and reasons worksheet.
Frequently Asked Questions about Supporting the Author’s Reasons
Transcript Supporting the Author's Reasons
"Pearl look at that tiny, fuzzy snake over there!" "Otis that's a caterpillar, or as I like to call it, a baby butterfly!" "Huh?" When an author writes a non-fiction text, the purpose can be to inform or explain something to the reader. In order to find out more about caterpillars and butterflies, let's learn about supporting the author's reasons. Authors use facts and information to support a topic. Good readers describe and prove how these reasons support the topic. Let's follow these steps to do so. First, we are going to read a text about butterflies and state the topic. As you read, think: what does the author want the reader to know? Then, we are going to find the reasons, or supporting details, that the author uses to support their topic. A caterpillar changes into a butterfly. Once it's big enough, it spins a covering around itself. Inside, the wings, legs, and antennae start to form. After two weeks, it becomes a butterfly. What does the author want the reader to know? The author wants the reader to know that a caterpillar changes into a butterfly. Now, let's find reasons or supporting details the author uses to support their topic. Once it's big enough, it spins a covering around itself and inside, the wings, legs, and antennae start to form' are both supporting details. Let's use this sentence starter to describe how this supports the author's topic. I think it supports the topic because the author is telling us about how the caterpillar changes into a butterfly. Let's read some more. A butterfly's diet is mostly liquids and sugar. The sugar comes from the flower's sweet nectar. To get minerals and salt, butterflies visit puddles and pools of water. The act of drinking water is called puddling. What does the author want the reader to know? The author wants the reader to know that a butterfly's diet is mostly liquids and sugar. What is one supporting detail? The sugar comes from the flower's sweet nectar is one supporting detail. Why is this a supporting detail? I think it supports the topic because the author is telling us that butterflies eat nectar from flowers. Can you find another supporting detail? To get minerals and salt, butterflies visit puddles and pools of water is another supporting detail. Why is this a supporting detail? I think it supports the topic because the author is telling us about how butterflies drink water to get minerals and salt. Did you find another supporting detail? Write the last supporting detail in the comments below! Before we see what Otis and Pearl are up to now, let's summarise. Remember, authors use facts and information to support a topic. Good readers describe and prove how these reasons support the topic. As you read, think: what does the author want the reader to know? Then, find the reasons, or supporting details, that the author uses to support their topic. Finally, readers describe how it supports the author's point. "This is the cutest caterpillar I've ever seen! What do you think Pearl? Pearl?" "I can't move Otis, I think they're puddling the water off me!"
Supporting the Author's Reasons exercise
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How do authors support their topic?
HintsA fictional text is a made-up story. A non - fiction text is about something or someone real. Example: Alice in Wonderland is a fictional text. A biography about George Washington is a non - fiction text.
Sometimes authors support their topics with evidence.
There are 2 true sentences.
SolutionTRUE
- When an author writes a non-fiction text, the purpose can be to inform or explain something to the reader.
- Authors support their topics with facts and information.
- When an author writes a non-fiction text, they are trying to tell a story to the reader.
- Authors do not support their topics with facts and information.
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How do caterpillars change into butterflies?
HintsThe author tells us how the caterpillar becomes a butterfly to support the main topic.
How long a caterpillar is in its covering does not tell us how it transforms into a butterfly.
There are two correct choices, and two false.
SolutionThe main idea the author wants you to know is that a caterpillar changes into a butterfly.
Details that support this topic are:- When a caterpillar is big enough, it spins a covering around itself.
- Inside the covering, wings, legs and antennae form.
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What does the author want you to know?
HintsAny sentences that are not in the paragraph can not be the big idea.
What is the main idea that the author wants you to know?
The main point is usually, but not always, the first sentence in a paragraph.
SolutionWhat does the author want you to know?
The big idea of this text is that dragonflies live on land, in the air and in water!
The author supports this idea by giving details about the egg and larvae underwater.
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Find supporting reasons.
HintsThe author tells us where the dragonfly is born and where the larvae grows up to support the main topic.
All supporting details must be part of the main body of text.
There are two details to support the topic, dragonflies live on land, in the air and in water!
SolutionThe main idea the author wants you to know is that dragonflies live on land, in the air and in water!
Details that support this topic are:- A dragonfly is born as an egg in water.
- The larvae stays underwater until it is ready to turn into a dragonfly.
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What does the author want you to know?
HintsWhat is the main idea of this text?
The author tells us that butterflies get sugar from drinking nectar as a supporting detail.
The author tells us that butterflies drink water to get minerals and salt as a supporting detail.
The main idea is usually, but not always, the first sentence in a paragraph.
SolutionThe main topic of this text is:
A butterfly's diet is mostly liquids and sugar.
The author supports this topic with details about butterflies drinking water and sugary nectar. -
What does a dragonfly eat for dinner?
HintsWhat does the author want you to know? This is the main idea
The main idea is usually, but not always, the first sentence in a paragraph.
We are looking for details to support what a dragonfly eats, not where.
There are 2 supporting details for the main idea.
SolutionThe main idea the author wants you to know is:
- Dragonflies have a meat-based diet.
- Dragonflies eat other insects, such as flies, midges and mosquitoes.
- They use their long legs to snatch other insects while they fly.
Sorting Objects into Categories— Let's Practise!
Identifying Characters & Setting— Let's Practise!
What are Settings?
Pictures Add Information!
Understanding Setting From Illustrations and Words
Using Context Clues and Illustrations to Find Meaning
Main Topic
Understanding Story Plots from Actions and Dialogue
Character Points of View
How Characters Respond to Events
Author's Purpose
How Characters' Actions Affect a Story
Compare and Contrast: Themes
Illustrations: Mood, Characters and Setting
Understanding Characters from Actions and Dialogue
A Character's Thoughts, Words and Actions
Character Traits: Describing What a Character is Like
Making Inferences in a Story
Making Inferences from a Narrative Text
Functions of Adjectives
Finding the Main Idea Using Key Details
Strategies to Determine the Main Idea in an Informational Text
Types of Figurative Language
Finding Evidence in Information Texts
Supporting the Author's Reasons
Making Inferences in Information Texts
Context Clues: Definitions, Examples or Restatements
Idioms
What is an Idiom?—Let's Practise
Similes and Metaphors
Comparing Two Sources on the Same Topic
Author's Point of View
Whose point of view? — Let's Practise!
Identifying Text Features
Making Predictions About a Story
Greek Mythology and Allusions
Adages and Proverbs
Third Person Point of View: Limited, Omniscient, and Objective
