When an author writes his or her opinion about something, this is called the author's argument or claim. It is what he or she is trying to prove. You can often find the author's claim at the beginning of the passage. Sometimes it may also appear at the end.
A good author uses facts to support a claim. He or she also may add details to help make a point.
Let's look at an example of an author's argument:
Everyone should get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day.
The author may use the following reasons to support her argument:
These facts give the reasons that the author feels the way she does.
Please evaluate the student's answers:
Excellent
Good
Okay