Once you remember that an author may write a story for three reasons: to persuade, entertain, or inform it is now time to practice finding the purpose on your own.
Here are three books on the same topic, which show differences in how the author chose to write their book. See if you can identify the author's purpose for each book below. To read each story, click the picture of the book you would like to read first.
Here are three books on the same topic, which show differences in how the author chose to write their book. See if you can identify the author's purpose for each book below. To read each story, click the picture of the book you would like to read first.
This isn't an easy task, and to do it the reader must almost turn into a detective. Detectives ask questions as they read and look carefully at the information provided. They may use their close reading strategies and reread.
Let's look at some helpful questions to ask during reading.
1. Is the text a poem, play, or story? If the text is a poem, play, or story, then it’s safe to say that the author’s main purpose is to entertain readers. If the text is not a poem, play, or story, ask yourself the next question.
2. Does the text provide a lot of facts and information? If the text is informational, and focuses on facts about a topic, then the reader can assume the author's main purpose was to inform readers. If the text does not seem to primarily focus on real information, then go to the next question.
3. Is the text attempting to get the reader to do something? If the text contains an argument or opinion, or urges the reader to do something, then the author’s main purpose is to persuade.
Click each picture below to practice finding the author's purpose. The last picture, of the teacher, is a quiz. Print out and have your parents or teacher check to see how well you are understanding finding the author's purpose.