CHAPTER 3

IDENTIFYING AN
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE
 IDENTIFYING AN AUTHOR’S PURPOSE
Everyday, we read different texts and passages in different sources. All these different passages are written
with a particular intent or purpose. In other words, writers write for a reason. When we know the author’s
reason for writing, we know the purpose of the text and can tell a lot about a passage.

What is author’s purpose? Authors always write for a reason. Different authors have
Author’s
different purposes of writing. Everything you read has a purpose. The authors usually have
purpose
one of these three main purposes which are known as “PIE”.

.
PERSUADE INFORM ENTERTAIN

Any texts that you encounter (whether the menu for your favorite restaurant or Shakespeare’s Hamlet) will
serve one of the three following purposes:

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1. Writing to persuade
In a text that is written to persuade, the author’s primary purpose is to compel readers to take
action, convince them of an idea through argument, or to reaffirm their existing beliefs.

As with the others purposes for writing, there may be crossover with writing to persuade. For
example, readers or viewers may find a television commercial to be extremely entertaining. Such a
video may even go viral because so many people find it enjoyable. Nonetheless, the primary
purpose of such a text is to persuade people to purchase a product or service.

2. Writing to inform
The primary purpose of texts that are written to inform is to enlighten the reader or provide the
reader with information about a topic.

The lines separating these distinctions may blur. A text that is written to inform may entertain
readers. For example, many readers find reading the newspaper to be very entertaining, but the
primary purpose of the majority of the text is to provide information. From other reference texts,
some readers may learn about ninjas, dinosaurs, or robots solely for enjoyment, but the author’s
main purpose in writing such texts is to inform the reader.

3. Writing to Entertain
The primary purpose of texts that are written to entertain is to amuse readers. This does not mean
that the text must be happy; the text could be a tragedy, but the main reason for writing the text is
to amuse readers.

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 This is not to say that stories, poems, or plays cannot be informative. These texts may even express
values and ideas that will persuade readers to view the world differently. Nonetheless, if the text is
not entertaining, readers are unlikely to find enlightenment or be moved by such a text. Therefore,
the primary purpose of any text, poem and play is to entertain readers.

Authors may write to inform or instruct, to entertain or to persuade. Therefore, identifying the author’s
purpose may be challenging to readers or students who have not had much exposure to this skill.

How to identify the author’s purpose? When you read, ask yourself, “What does the
Identify author want me to know?” and you can also use these three questions to help you figure
purpose out the author’s purpose.

Here are three questions that you can ask yourself to help you identify the author’s
purpose:

1. Is the text attempting to get the reader to do or buy something?

If the text contains many arguments and claims, or a call where the reader is urged to take
action, then the author’s main purpose is to persuade. If the text does not appear to be
persuasive, reanalyze the text and repeat the process.

2. Does the text provide a lot of facts and information?

If the text is primarily providing readers with facts and information, then we can conclude
that the author’s main purpose in writing the text is to inform readers. If the text does not
contain an abundance of what appears to be factual information, then go to the next
question.

3. 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.

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 Let’s read the passage below and try to figure out the author’s purpose.

In early colonial days, children learned what they could at home from their parents. Their parents,
however, often couldn’t read or write. In time, women began teaching in their homes. These first schools
were called “dame schools.” In 1647, a law was passed in New England Colonies requiring towns with fifty
or more families to set up elementary schools. By the 1700’s one-room school houses were common.

From the passage, think about what the author wants you to know to find the author’s purpose. By doing
this, you can narrow the choices by asking yourself these questions.

Purpose Questions Yes No

Persuade 1. Is the text attempting to get the reader to do or buy something?
2. Is the author for or against something?

Inform 1. Does the text provide a lot of facts and information?

2. Does the passage tell how to do something?
3. Does the passage give mostly details about a particular person, place, or thing?
Entertain 1. Is the text a poem, play, or story?
2. Does the passage tell a humorous story or teach a lesson?
ANS: The purpose of the passage is “TO INFORM”. The author is trying to give the fact about setting up
elementary schools in New England colonies.

Examples Let’s see the examples below to understand more about identifying the author’s purpose.

We’ve all read textbooks or encyclopedia articles.

From this encyclopedia, the purpose is to inform us the fact about science.

For more examples, articles about the invention and use of emails are written to
give information or to inform the reader.

Some texts are written simply to target the reader’s imagination by telling a story
or describing an event.

Imaginative works like novels, stories, or poems may educate us about human
nature or important values, but they are written for the purpose of entertainment.

If the writer tells us about his or her opinion, offers proof to support it,
and then invites us to share the same opinion, the writer’s purpose is
to persuade.

For example, advertisements, blogs and editorials persuade you to

take action.

Sources: 1. https://www.gardencity.k12.ny.us/cms/lib8/NY01913305/Centricity/Domain/721/Authors%20Purpose%20Notes%20and%20Strategies.pdf
2. https://sites.austincc.edu/tsiprep/reading-review/recognizing-the-authors-purpose/
3. https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/free-reading-worksheets/authors-purpose-worksheets/authors-purpose/
 PRACTICE
Resource: https://sites.austincc.edu/tsiprep/reading-review/recognizing-the-authors-purpose/

Direction: Read the passages carefully and identify the author’s purpose.

1. Do you want to add years to your life and feel better? Here are a few tips. First, to
decrease your chance of a heart attack, eat a handful of nuts each day. Also, to ease the
effects of arthritis, be sure to include some citrus, such as orange juice in your diet.
Finally, exercise on a regular basis.

* arthritis = โรคข้ ออักเสบ

The purpose of this passage is to________________________________________________________

2. The moment the words were out of my mouth, I wished I could take them back. I didn't
mean to hurt Keith's feelings. He is such a nice person, and he certainly doesn't deserve to
be treated so poorly. I guess the stress from my job has been more than I can handle.
Instead of taking my problems out on him, I need to deal directly with the people who
create the stress. If only I didn't care so much what people thought of me at work, then
this would not have happened.

The purpose of this passage is to________________________________________________________

3. Alonzo winked at his mother's shocked gaze and with a smile he said, "sausage and
pepperoni pizza for breakfast makes perfect sense. Allow me to demonstrate. You have
your tomato. Tomato is technically a fruit. You have your cheese. Cheese is a dairy
product. You have your crust… necessary carbs for quick energy in the morning. And don't
forget the sausage and the pepperoni… my protein. If you think about it, it is just like
bacon and eggs, toast, and orange juice." Still smiling, he added, "really, it is… well,
almost." "Why are you looking at me that way?" The primary purpose of this passage is

The purpose of this passage is to________________________________________________________

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ANS:
1. To persuade: the author is trying to persuade the reader to use add years to their lives and feel better by eating nuts, drinking orange juice, and exercising on a regular basis.
2. To inform: the author is informing the reader about the effects of stress with a story about taking out stress on someone else.
3. To entertain: the author is entertaining the reader with a story about how a juvenile rationalizes pizza for breakfast.
 https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/free-reading-
worksheets/authors-purpose-worksheets/
เว็บนีม้ ีทุกอย่ าง

ให้ เล่ นเกมส์ เป็ นกลุ่ม

https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/choosingsources/
chapter/fact-or-opinion/
(เว็บนีม้ ีประโยชน์ สำหรับเชื่อมต่ อ fact กับ purpose)

ให้ หา text เป็ นกลุม่

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 A. Does the author repeat any words, phrases, or ideas throughout the text? If so, what are they?

_____________________________________________________________________________

B. Who or what is the passage about? (What is the topic?)

_____________________________________________________________________________

C. What is the central point the author is trying to make about that topic?

_____________________________________________________________________________

D. Does the information in the passage support the answers to questions #2 and #3?

_____________________________________________________________________________

E. What is the implied main idea of this passage?

_____________________________________________________________________________

1. Read the following passage and choose the correct answer.

When I was a little girl, I took piano lessons every Monday after school. I walked to Mrs. Siever's
house with my tattered sheet music in my school lunch-stained hands. She taught me the scales,
the proper way to hold my small fingers, and the theme song from The Pink Panther. She also
taught me much more. From her I learned the necessity of practice, the importance of patience,
and the joy of achieving a goal after hard work. She also gave me the gift of music. All of that was
learned in a half hour lesson on Monday afternoons in Hamel, Illinois.

A. What is the topic of this paragraph?

a.) Piano lessons with Mrs. Siever
b.) How to hold fingers properly
c.) Duration of a piano lesson
d.) The necessity of practice to become a good pianist
B. What is the implied main idea?
a.) When I was young, I took piano lesson every Monday after school.
b.) Piano lesson can teach a person about music, and many other life lessons.
c.) Taking piano lessons taught me how to become a patient person.
d.) A half hour lesson on Monday afternoon is a gift.

2. Read the following passage and choose the correct answer.

Early scientists believed that all dinosaurs, like most reptiles, laid and then immediately
abandoned their eggs. The newly hatched young were left to take care of themselves. However,
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the recent discovery of a group of nests has challenged this belief. The nests, which contained
fossilized baby dinosaurs that were not newborn, provided evidence that dinosaur parents
actually cared for their young. For some time after birth, the babies would stay at their nest while
 C. What is the topic of this paragraph?
a.) Early scientists
b.) Dinosaurs
c.) Changing belief about dinosaurs
d.) The age of dinosaurs
D. What is the implied main idea?
a.) All dinosaurs laid and abandoned their eggs for a while to let babies grow up by
themselves.
b.) For some time after birth, the babies would stay at their nest while the parents brought
back food.
c.) The difference between the discovery of early scientists and recent scientists.
d.) The discovery of a dinosaurs nest has provided evidence that dinosaur parents care for
their young.

Read the following passages and identify the topics and the implied main ideas.

3. When tigers hunt, they hunt alone. In contrast, lions hunt in groups; they work together to drive
their prey into an ambush. Cheetahs are known for their speed when they chase prey. Leopards are
able to climb trees when they are prowling for prey. Surprisingly, jaguars often hunt in water. There
is great diversity in the hunting habits of large cats. There is also great diversity in the places in
which they hunt.
Topic:
_________________________________________________________________________________
_______
Implied main idea:
______________________________________________________________________________

4. How do migrating animals find their destination? They navigate in a variety of ways. Fish use their
sense of smell to recognize their migration paths and are guided by changing water temperatures.
Birds use the position of the sun to orient themselves. Some birds have magnetic particles in their
ear mechanisms that act as a compass. Mammals rely on their memory. Some elephant trails have
been used for hundreds of years.

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 Topic:
_________________________________________________________________________________
_______
Implied main idea:
______________________________________________________________________________

5. Locus of control means source of motivation. Students who have an external locus of control
expect their instructors to motivate them and keep them interested. These students do not see a
connection between effort and grades. They make excuses for poor performance or blame the
instructor. Students who have an internal locus of control are self-motivated. They believe that
their grades reflect their effort. Instead of making excuses for failure, they try to identify their
mistakes and learn from them. What is your source of motivation, and does it help or hinder your
performance in college?
Topic:
_________________________________________________________________________________
_______
Implied main idea:
______________________________________________________________________________

6. If you visit any American school today, you’ll notice that a large number of children are overweight.
One reason may be lack of exercise. With all the technology available to them, children are often
inactive. Another reason may be that their parents rely too often on fast food and prepared foods.
Many of these foods are high in fat and calories. Finally, some studies suggest that lack of sleep
may cause some children to gain weight. Anyone of these factors or a combination of them may be
the cause.
Topic:
_________________________________________________________________________________
_______
Implied main idea:
______________________________________________________________________________
References:
https://www.palmbeachstate.edu/slc/documents/implied%20main%20idea%20hints.pdf
https://www.blendspace.com/lessons/VFknv1sU2zjuMA/main-idea
https://mrsjkay.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/9/9/109985009/implied_main_idea_.pdf
https://www.i-pathways.org/public/sampleLesson/languageArts/p5.jsp
https://content.nroc.org/DevelopmentalEnglish/unit03/Foundations/implied-main-ideas.html
https://www.ccis.edu/student-life/advising-tutoring/writing-math-tutoring/main-idea

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