What is a primary difference between literary and informational texts in the SOL?

• A. Literary texts convey factual information while informational texts primarily tell stories.
• B. Informational texts are always graphic and literary texts are not.
• C. Both have the same purpose and structure.
• D. Literary texts focus on narratives, characters, and themes; informational texts convey factual information, arguments, and explanations.

Answer: (D)

Literary texts and informational texts differ in purpose: literary texts center on stories, characters, and themes, while informational texts aim to convey factual information, explain concepts, or present arguments. On the SOL, you read to analyze how a story develops and what it reveals about people and life in literary selections, and to evaluate evidence, explanations, and structures in informational pieces. This is why the statement that best captures the difference is that literary texts focus on narratives, characters, and themes, while informational texts convey factual information, arguments, and explanations. The idea that literary texts convey facts and informational texts tell stories reverses their roles, so it doesn’t fit. An assertion that informational texts are always graphic ignores many text-only pieces, and saying they have the same purpose and structure isn’t true. To tell them apart, think: is the passage aiming to tell a story about people and ideas, or is it explaining how something works with facts and reasoning?