AUTHOR’S PURPOSEHow do we identify the Author’s Purpose?

WHAT IS AUTHOR’S PURPOSE

• Author’s Purpose is the reason the author is writing that particular piece

• The Four Types of Author’s Purpose:

• To inform

• To entertain

• To persuade

• To describe

TO INFORM

• When writing to inform, it is the author’s goal to enlighten the reader with subjects that are typically real and factual. Few opinions are expressed.

• Examples of this kind of writing are textbooks and

newspapers.

TO ENTERTAIN

• When writing to entertain, one goal may be to tell a story or to describe characters, places, or events (real or imaginary)

• Examples of this type of writing are stories, plays,

poems, jokes, and even comic stripes.

TO PERSUADE

• When writing to persuade, the goal is to get the reader to agree with the writer’s opinion, or thoughts about a certain subject. This type of writing if opinionated, but the author may provide facts and examples to support the opinion.

• Examples of this kind of writing are commercials,

advertisements, and newspaper editorials

TO DESCRIBE

• When writing to describe, the author’s goal is to compare/contrast things through details and description. It could also be, quite simply, to describe how something looks or what it’s like.

• Examples of descriptive texts include comparative texts

describing the differences between things and travel

brochures describing a specific location/destination.