Identifying Author Function

[Tejas]

Hello everyone!
I’m facing difficulty in Author/Sentence function. I feel I don’t understand those function words, it’s so difficult to spot them. I have solved a homework passage from session 3. Can someone please review it? I really want to improve in RCs. Kindly help.

1st line: Pessen was skeptical of tocqueville’s view. Function word is apparently.

2nd line: Pessen disproves Tocqueville. Evidence is ‘at least so argues…’

3rd line: provide examples, Evidence is ‘does present…examples’.

4th line: present a contrast of having inherited wealth. Function word is though.

5th line: I don’t know

6th line: I don’t know

7th line: concession + main idea

[vince]

I think the confusion is stemming from your attempt to paraphrase the sentences instead of saying what their functions are. There isn’t a “function word” - you have to consider what the sentence’s job is in relation to what came before it.

For example, if you wrote an essay, I might say the functions of the sentences in one of your body paragraphs were to:

introduce one of your supporting points
elaborate
give examples
explain why your examples support your point

I would find a very simple RC passage and post it with your best attempt at this after re-watching the function of a sentence video(s).