Author’s Purpose

Review and Practice

What is author’s purpose?The main reason an author writes a story.

Author’s PurposeTo inform- The author presents facts and

covers the facts evenly.To persuade- The author wants to persuade the

reader to think or believe the same things the author does. The author might also encourage the reader to do something such as recycle glass bottles or buy a brand of clothing.

To entertain- The author wants to make the reader laugh, cry, feel suspense, or otherwise enjoy the writing.

To express or reflect- The author simply wants to put his or her thoughts and feelings into words on paper. Journal entries and some poems are written for this purpose.

Read the selection.

My dad loves to play April Fool’s pranks. He started years ago by shaking our hands with a hidden buzzer that tickled us. My sisters and I loved that. Over time, the pranks got funnier and more creative. One April 1st, we awoke to find the furniture in our house rearranged! Mom’s favorite joke was when Dad wrote her a big check and told her to cash it the next day. That’s when she discovered it had been written with disappearing ink!

What is the author’s purpose in this passage?A. to informB. to persuadeC. to entertainD. to teach

Which of these details does NOT indicate the author’s purpose?A. Dad shook hands with a tickling buzzer.

B. The family has furniture in their house.

C. Dad rearranged the furniture.D. Mom got a check written with disappearing ink.

Which word best describes the details in the passage?A. seriousB. urgentC. thoughtfulD. amusing

Which of these details shows the author’s feelings about her father?A. The buzzer tickles.B. She describes the pranks as “funnier and

more creative.”C. She describes her mother’s favorite joke.

D. The furniture was “rearranged.”

Read the selection.

If you’re in the market for a spectacular pair of running shoes, try our new Racer’s Edge shoes. In last month’s Lakeshore Run, three of the top five runners were wearing Racer’s Edge shoes. What’s so special about Racer’s Edge shoes? Every Racer’s Edge style is designed with both comfort and performance in mind. The soles of Racer’s Edge shoes protect your feet as you run.To see a demonstration of Racer’s Edge shoes, come to the Runner’s Best store in the High West Mall on Saturday, June 14th.

The author probably wrote this passage toA. inform readers of the Lakeshore Run.

B. persuade readers to buy a pair of Racer’s Edge shoes.

C. explain how to run on a rough surface.

D. describe a personal experience as a runner.

What word best supports the author’s purpose?A. marketB. spectacularC. runD. shoes

Why did the author include information about the demonstration at the Runner’s Best store?

A. to convince readers to run oftenB. to explain what the store sellsC. to encourage readers to come into the

storeD. to inform readers about the location of

the mall

Which phrase helps convince readers to buy a pair of Racer’s Edge shoes?A. were wearingB. last month’sC. comfort and performanceD. as you run

Read the selection.I believe that the only solution to the

traffic on Main Street is to create a bypass. State traffic records show that more than 60 percent of the traffic on Main Street is simply passing through. These are drivers who are going somewhere else but have no choice except to drive on Main Street. These drivers would almost always use the bypass, thus reducing the traffic on Main Street. The county engineer says that Riverside Drive can be widened to serve as a bypass. This construction would cost relatively little and could be finished in less than a month. From my point of view, this is an obvious solution to the problem.

What is the author’s overall purpose?A. to informB. to entertainC. to reflectD. to teach

Which sentence establishes the author’s position?A. I believe that the only solution to the

traffic on Main Street is to create a bypass.B. These drivers would almost always use

the bypass.C. The construction would cost relatively

little and could be finished in less than a month.D. Riverside Drive can be widened to serve

as a bypass.

What background does the author provide?A. Information on trafficB. Information on the townC. Information on the condition of the road

D. Information on the people’s opinions

about the traffic

If the author’s purpose were to entertain, what details might you expect to find?

A. many factsB. funny storiesC. long descriptionsD. personal opinions

How is the author’s purpose supported?A. with examplesB. with factsC. with personal opinionD. with stories

Read the selection.

Fifty years ago there was no TV. After dinner, families would play games together, or possibly take walks. They would have long discussions about what was important to them. And they would sit around the radio and listen to mystery shows and comedy shows.

Most families had only one radio, so everyone listened to the same show. When television was invented, all that began to change. Today, instead of sitting together, most family members now go to their separate rooms to watch the TV shows they want to see. Many parents have no idea what their children are watching because they’re too involved with their own programs. There is very little interaction within the family, and more and more families never do anything together in the evening.

How does the author feel about television?A. The author thinks television has a bad

impact on family life.B. The author thinks television helps people

discover their own interests.C. The author thinks television is better than

radio.D. The author thinks television should not be

watched after dinner.

Read the selection.

It is always the poor who suffer when there are tax cuts. The rich will have more and the poor less. Tax cuts mean budget cutting. How can we in good conscience agree to this? I ask you to take a moment and look deep within yourself to find an answer. What will future generations say of such cruel policies?

Why do you think the author wrote the lines printed above?A. To amuse readers on the subject of

taxesB. To inform readers about the budgetC. To instruct readers on how taxes are

usedD. To persuade readers to oppose the tax

cuts

Read the selection.

Heat garlic in oil until lightly golden. Add diced tomatoes and heat for 20 minutes over a low heat until they are tender. Crumble tuna into smaller pieces and add to tomato sauce. Simmer just enough to warm the tuna through; you don’t want to boil it. Transfer cooked spaghetti to serving bowl and mix in tuna, tomatoes, parsley, and salt and pepper.

The author’s purpose is to—A. explain how to cook spaghetti

with tunafishB. inform someone about the

different types of spaghettiC. discuss the best way to prepare

tunafishD. persuade people to eat more

spaghetti

Read the selection.

Skateboard

The skateboard was invented in California in 1961. Surfers liked skateboarding because it gave them something to do when the surf wasn’t up. It didn’t take long before people who had never seen a surfboard were taking up skateboarding. Millions of skateboards were sold in just a few years. Skateboards are still around today, more than thirty years after their invention.

What is the main reason this paragraph was written?A. To compare surfing and skateboarding

B. To tell about skateboarding’s history

C. To explain how to ride skateboards

D. To make skateboarding safer

Read the description of the selection.

You found the selection in a sports magazine. Its title is “The Superstars of Extreme Skiing.” The article is about three pages long. It is divided into sections with boldfaced subheadings such as “Who says that extreme skiing is only for guys?” and “The challenge of high mountains.”

The author’s purpose isA. to entertainB. to informC. to persuadeD. to share feelings

Read the description of the selection.

The selection is about five pages long. Its title is “A Boy and His Dog.” On the third page is a painting of a boy and a dog sitting quietly in a field. There are no subheadings. The selection begins this way: “My dog is old. His eyes are constantly runny because he’s going blind. Sometimes when we go for his walk he falls down.”

The author’s purpose isA. to entertainB. to informC. to persuadeD. to share feelings

Read the description of the selection.

You found the selection in the newspaper. It is only a few paragraphs long. Its title is “Fixing the Mess on City Council.” There are no subheadings. The selection ends with a suggestion for future action.

The author’s purpose isA. to entertainB. to informC. to persuadeD. to share feelings

Read the description of the selection.

The selection begins with these words: “It was a dark and stormy night.” Scattered throughout the eight pages of the selection are weird, black-and-white sketches of ghosts and graveyards. There are no subheadings. The number of quotation marks tell you that the selection is filled with conversations.

The author’s purpose isA. to entertainB. to informC. to persuadeD. to share feelings

Strategies and Tips

Check for words and phrases that indicate how the author feels about a topic.

The main reason authors write nonfictional passages is to inform. They may also hope to instruct, persuade, or entertain their readers.

Where you read a selection can provide an important clue as to an author’s purpose. Newspaper editorials are usually intended to persuade. School texts are intended to instruct.

It may help if you know who the author is. Humorous writers, for example, probably want to amuse and entertain you.