STANDARD 2.1   Structural Features w Level 4

Proposition and Support

A proposition is a statement that presents an idea or believe positively or firmly. Propositions often use strong language to say that something is true or not true. A proposition may maintain that a situation or condition actually is the case, or that it is genuinely false. The idea or belief itself may also be referred to as a proposition.

As a reader, recognizing when an author has just presented a proposition will give you a clearer picture of what to expect from the text so that you can assume or adopt the appropriate "frame of mind" as you read the rest of the material, maybe even giving you an idea of what the author is going to say ahead of time.

By being aware that the author is trying to persuade or convince you to agree with his or her opinions, ideas, views, or beliefs, you can be ready (better prepared) for whatever arguments the writer might present.

Such compositions usually begin with an introductory paragraph in which the author states the proposition in a topic sentence and attempts to uphold, affirm, validate, or support the proposition with detail (supporting) sentences.

Here is an example of persuasive writing in which the author describes a problem and tries to persuade people to help solve it:

Objective: Students will identify structural patterns found in informational text, such as proposition and support, to strengthen comprehension..

READING COMPREHENSION

Copyright © 2006 by Fred Duckworth

School Bus Problem

Riding the bus can be a disaster. A lot of kids are getting hurt. We need to make the buses safe to ride.

The buses are just too crowded. There are not enough seats. Kids have to stand.  Then they start fighting and won't listen to the driver.

We must all help solve the bus problem. The school should get enough buses for all the students to have seats. Students need to follow the rules and show respect.

I am so tired of all the damage to her beautiful school. Students write mean things about people on the walls. They ought to think about how this makes other students feel.

They should also think about how damage makes our school look. I think you will agree that we always want to be proud of our building.

The handout formerly accessed here is now available at this link.