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Author's Purpose - Printable English Worksheets grade 1 - Wayground

Author's Purpose

15 questions

1st - 3rd Grade

English

Author's Purpose is a free printable English worksheet for students in Grades 1–3 who are learning to identify whether a short text is written to persuade, inform, or entertain. The worksheet contains 15 multiple-choice questions, with each item asking students to select the author’s purpose from these three choices. Examples include opinion-based recommendations, factual statements, and short narrative scenes. Students build reading comprehension by noticing the clues that reveal an author’s intent. They learn to distinguish language that tries to convince the reader from language that shares information or tells an engaging story. This practice supports early text analysis and helps students explain why a passage fits a particular purpose. The worksheet includes a complete answer key, making it useful for independent practice, guided instruction, homework, or a quick assessment of students’ ability to identify author’s purpose.

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Worksheets

Author's Purpose

Total questions: 15

Name
Class
Date
1.

You should buy soda. It is the best drink ever. It has the best taste and there are so many flavors! What is the author's purpose?

a)

Persuade

b)

Inform

c)

Entertain

2.

Polar Bears are Arctic animals. They have transparent fur and are going extinct.

What is the author's Purpose?

a)

Persuade

b)

Inform

c)

Entertain

3.

Every one's favorite book series should be "Junie B. Jones." SHe is the funniest girl ever!

What is the author's purpose?

a)

Persuade

b)

Inform

c)

Entertain

4.

Jay ran down the court with only 5 seconds left in the game. He made the last shot with all eyes on him. SWOOSH! He made it! HIs team won the Championship!

a)

Persuade

b)

Inform

c)

Entertain

5.

President Franklin D Roosevelt was the 32nd president of the United States. He was from New York.

What was the author's purpose?

a)

Persuade

b)

Inform

c)

Entertain

6.

You should like cheese pizza. It is the best-tasting pizza and it is the cheapest.

What is the author's purpose?

a)

Persuade

b)

Inform

c)

Entertain

7.

There are 50 states in the United States. Each state has a capitol which runs that state's Government.

a)

Persuade

b)

Inform

c)

Entertain

8.

Everyone should go to a football game. It is the best sport and there is always such good food at the games.

What is the author's purpose?

a)

Persuade

b)

Inform

c)

Entertain

9.

Jan Brett is a children's book author. She has written many books.

What is the Author's Purpose?

a)

Persuade

b)

Inform

c)

Entertain

10.

Joey looked around the house. He could no find his toy plane anywhere. He searched outside and still could not find it. Joey saw his dog Pal playing with his toy plane in his dog house.

What is the author's purpose?

a)

Persuade

b)

Inform

c)

Entertain

11.

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess named Charlotte. She lived in a beautiful castle with her father and mother. Charlotte was the most beautiful girl in the kingdom.

What was the author's purpose?

a)

Persuade

b)

Inform

c)

Entertain

12.

What is the Author's Purpose?

a)

Persuade

b)

Inform

c)

Entertain

13.
a)

Persuade

b)

Inform

c)

Entertain

14.
a)

Persuade

b)

Inform

c)

Entertain

15.

What is the Author's Purpose?

a)

Persuade

b)

Inform

c)

Entertain

Answer Key

Author's Purpose

Total questions: 15

1.
a)

Persuade

2.
b)

Inform

3.
a)

Persuade

4.
c)

Entertain

5.
b)

Inform

6.
a)

Persuade

7.
b)

Inform

8.
a)

Persuade

9.
b)

Inform

10.
c)

Entertain

11.
c)

Entertain

12.
c)

Entertain

13.
b)

Inform

14.
b)

Inform

15.
c)

Entertain

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FAQs

What does the Author's Purpose worksheet cover?

This worksheet helps Grades 1–3 students identify whether each short statement or passage is written to persuade, inform, or entertain. Its 15 multiple-choice items require students to use clues such as opinion language, factual details, and narrative events to choose the author’s purpose.

How can I use this worksheet to teach author’s purpose?

Introduce the three purposes—persuade, inform, and entertain—before students complete the multiple-choice items. Have students underline a clue in each recommendation, factual statement, or story scene and explain how that clue supports their answer.

What mistakes should I watch for when students complete this author’s purpose worksheet?

Students may confuse a strong opinion or recommendation with information, especially when a persuasive statement includes reasons. They may also choose inform for a story that contains details, so ask them to decide whether the main goal is sharing facts or engaging the reader with events.

How do I assign and grade the Author’s Purpose worksheet?

The worksheet is available as a printable PDF and as a digital quiz on Wayground, and it includes a complete answer key for checking all 15 multiple-choice responses. For printable submissions, you can scan student work with the Wayground for Teachers app to grade it.

How can I differentiate this Author’s Purpose worksheet for my students?

Under the worksheet’s Advanced Settings, adjust font spacing or choose a larger font size to make the short statements and passages easier to read. You can also enable a dyslexia-friendly font or translate the worksheet into another language while students practice distinguishing persuade, inform, and entertain.

Where can I find more worksheets like this on Wayground?

Wayground offers a comprehensive collection of free printable worksheets and practice problems across all subjects, with downloadable PDFs and answer keys to help students master essential skills and concepts. Browse more resources at https://wayground.com/en-us/worksheets.

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