Author's Purpose

Author's Purpose

By Calvin Ortiz

Author's write to inform, describe, persuade, teach, and entertain. As you watch the video, be prepared to explain the author's purpose.

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Author's Purpose

​The first thing to take note of when you are determining the author's purpose is the genre you are reading. You can usually identify the purpose correctly, if you are able to understand the genre.

​The fiction genre and the author's purpose of entertaining go together. Author's create works of fiction with the sole reason of providing their reader with an entertaining story!

Match

Match the following

• Inform

• Persuade

• Entertain

• Describe

• Explain

Provide information

Convince or to change one's mind

Amuse; enjoy

To help you visualize

How to do something or how it works

• Provide information

• Convince or to change one's mind

• Amuse; enjoy

• To help you visualize

• How to do something or how it works

Multiple Choice

What is the author's purpose for the commercial?

• Inform

• Entertain

• Persuade

• Describe

Author's Purpose

Wait! We have to go deeper than just stating the purpose. We must think critically and explain the purpose. Asking yourself questions can help you understand what the author wants you to know or do.

Subject | Subject

• Why does the author include a Hyundai Ionic 5 in this commercial?

• Why is Spider-Man in this commercial?

• What is the author trying to accomplish with this commercial?

Multiple Choice

Let's try it again. Why did the author include the Hyundai car in the commercial?

• To inform you it's for sale

• To persuade you to think it's a cool car worthy of buying

• To entertain you with a great and fun commercial

• To rescue a stranded Peter Parker

Multiple Choice

Part 2: Why did the author include Spider-Man in this commercial?

• To entertain you with a fun movie

• To persuade you to believe Spider-Man needs a lift

• To explain how to drive a car

• To persuade you to go see Spider-Man: No Way Home

Multiple Choice

Do you want to be an artist? Just enroll in "The Awesome Artists" program. Don't let this opportunity or your talent slip away. We guarantee you will be painting like the masters in two weeks for a low cost of $59.95.
What is the author's purpose?

• to entertain you with a story about artists
• to teach you how all artists become famous
• to persuade you to attend an art program
• to explain how to paint a sunset

Multiple Choice

Ted was anxious to try out for the basketball team. He had practiced and knew he was ready. Tryouts made him a little nervous, but when he found out he made the team he knew that all the work had paid off.
What is the author's purpose?

• to entertain you witha story about a boy who worked hard
• to teach how to play basketball
• to persuade you to try out for the basketball team
• to explain the rules of basketball

Multiple Choice

Frogs are amphibians. They can live on either land or in water. A frog can lay thousands of egg called frog spawn.

The author's purpose in writing this passage is to...

• Inform the reader about frogs.

• To persuade the reader to buy frogs.

• To describe how to buy frogs.

Multiple Choice

Rules are very important. They help keep things running smoothly. Rules let you know what you can and cannot do whether you are playing a game or explaining how to act in class. You should follow rules; they help people get along.
What is the author's purpose?

• to entertain with a story about people who follow the rules
• to inform about the rules of games
• to persuade people to follow the rules
• to explain the rules of chess

Multiple Choice

Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs and fangs that inject venom. Spiders have primarily four pairs of eyes on the top-front area.  What is the author's purpose?

• To highlight how the venom spiders have can be dangerous.
• To inform readers on the habitat of a spider.
• To describe characteristics of a spider.
• To compare spiders with other insects.

Multiple Choice

Residents can expect up to six inches of snow overnight, followed by clearing and warmer temperatures in the morning.

• Explain what will happen tonight. 
• Inform the reader of the weather forecast.
• Describe what the streets will look like. 
• Persuade to wear snow boots in the snow. 

Multiple Choice

A commercial ad in a magazine purpose is to ?

• Persuade you to buy and drink more Dr. Pepper
• Inform you of all the ways Dr. Pepper is bad for you.
• Entertain you with a catch phrase.
• Express how delicious Dr. Pepper is 

Multiple Choice

What is the author's purpose for writing a passage like the following?

The story of a garbage truck who has a hard time making friends

• to inform
• to entertain
• to persuade
• to describe