What are authentic texts?

Authentic texts are real stories and messages that people use every day, just like the notes you leave for your brother or the letters your parents write.

Imagine you have a favorite book, not one made up by a teacher, but one you actually read because it was exciting. That’s an authentic text. It's something real that people write and read because they want to share ideas, tell stories, or keep in touch with others.

Think about when your friend writes you a letter after moving away. They don’t use special words just to make it sound fancy, they use the kind of language you both understand. That’s like an authentic text too! It's real, it's personal, and it comes from someone who really wants to talk to you.

Adults use authentic texts all the time too, emails, recipes, signs on the street, even song lyrics. These are all messages that people write and read because they’re useful or fun. They're not made up just to teach something, they're used every day in real life.

So next time you read a story you love or get a letter from a friend, remember: that’s an authentic text!