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Purpose, tone and cause-effect
Why did the author write this, and how do they sound? These questions ask you to step back from the facts and look at the writing itself. A few verbs and a few tone words cover nearly every answer choice.
Why it was written, and how it sounds
Every town should keep its public pool open all summer. It costs little, it gives kids a safe place to spend hot afternoons, and it is one of the few places where neighbors of every age meet. Closing it to save a small sum would be a mistake.
The author is not just describing the pool: words like “should” and “would be a mistake” argue for something. The purpose is to persuade, and the tone is firm and supportive.
Look at the verbs and the adjectives
“Should,” “must,” “mistake” and “best” signal persuading. Plain facts and numbers signal informing. Strong, colorful adjectives (“brilliant,” “disastrous”) show the author’s attitude, and that is the tone.
How to solve them
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1
The four purposes
Purpose answers almost always start with one of these verbs. Most ASVAB passages inform or explain.
To informfactstells what is true, without arguingTo explainhow / whyshows how something works or why it happensTo persuadeshouldargues for a view or an actionTo entertainstorytells a story or amusesNext step: Tone wordsInformA paragraph listing the dates and heights of three dams
To inform
Persuade“Every town should keep its pool open.”
To persuade
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2
Tone: the author’s attitude
Tone is how the writing sounds. It comes from word choice. Most test passages are neutral or mildly positive; strongly negative or sarcastic tones are rarer.
Neutral, objective=facts, no feelingsAdmiring, enthusiastic+praise, warm wordsCritical, skeptical−doubts or disapprovalHumorous, playful☺jokes, light wordsNext step: Cause and effectExample“The so-called shortcut added an hour to the trip.” What is the tone?
- “So-called” suggests the shortcut did not deserve the name.
- The writer doubts it: the tone is skeptical.
Answer Skeptical
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3
Cause and effect: what led to what
Cause-effect questions ask why something happened or what it led to. Look for because, since, led to, caused, as a result, so. Make sure you do not swap the two.
Next step: Why a sentenceExample“A late frost damaged the orange blossoms, which led to a smaller harvest and higher juice prices.” What caused the higher prices?
- Chain: frost → damaged blossoms → smaller harvest → higher prices.
- The direct cause of the price rise: the smaller harvest (which began with the frost).
Answer A smaller harvest after a late frost
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4
Why did the author include this sentence?
Some questions ask about the role of one sentence. Ask what it does for the paragraph: gives an example, adds a reason, answers an objection, or introduces the topic.
Next step: Moderate answersIn the pool passage“It costs little.”
A reason supporting the argument
In the pool passageThe first sentence
States the claim
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5
Pick the moderate tone
If the passage is positive, choose the tone word that matches its strength. “Mildly approving” or “supportive” is usually safer than “ecstatic,” unless the writing is really that strong.
Next step: CheckShortcutMatch the volume
Imagine reading the passage aloud. Is the author talking calmly, warmly, or shouting? Pick the tone word with the same volume.
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6
Check your answer against the whole passage
The purpose must fit the whole passage, not one sentence. A persuasive passage may include facts, but its purpose is still to persuade.
Trap“To inform about pool costs”
One sentence, not the purpose
Right“To argue that the pool should stay open”
The whole passage
4 traps in the answer choices
The test writes its wrong answers on purpose: each one is what you get if you make one of these mistakes.
Informing when it argues
The pool passage’s purpose:
Wrongto inform about pools
Rightto persuade the town to keep it open
A tone too strong
A calmly positive review:
Wrongecstatic
Rightapproving
Cause and effect swapped
Frost → smaller harvest. The cause:
Wrongthe smaller harvest
Rightthe frost
One sentence as the purpose
A passage with one funny line:
Wrongto entertain
Rightto inform (the rest is factual)
5 questions at test level
Pick an answer, then read why. No timer, no account.
Passage: “The Hoover Dam is 726 feet tall and was completed in 1936. It holds back the Colorado River, forming Lake Mead.” The author’s main purpose is to…
Show the answer
B. The passage gives facts (height, year, what it does) with no opinion or story. The purpose is to Inform readers about the dam.
Passage: “If you have ever wondered whether your houseplant secretly judges you, wonder no more: it does, especially on the days you forget to water it.” The tone is…
Show the answer
B. A plant that “secretly judges you” is a joke; the writing is light and playful. The tone is Humorous.
Passage: “Heavy rains washed soil onto the highway, which forced the state to close two lanes for a week.” What was the effect of the heavy rains?
Show the answer
B. The rains caused soil to wash onto the highway (which then led to the lane closure). The direct effect named is Soil was washed onto the highway.
Passage: “The council’s plan to add bike lanes is welcome, though it arrives years later than it should have.” The author’s attitude toward the plan is…
Show the answer
B. “Welcome” shows approval, and “years later than it should have” shows impatience. The attitude is Approving but impatient.
In the pool passage, why does the author mention that the pool is “one of the few places where neighbors of every age meet”?
Show the answer
B. The passage argues for keeping the pool open, and this line adds a reason: it brings the community together. The answer is To give another reason to keep it open.
9 flashcards
Tap a card to flip it. Keep the ones you miss until they stick.
All 9 cards known.
You finished purpose, tone and cause-effect.
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