Inquire

Persuade
Instruct
Inform Entertain
Recount
Describe
Explain
Socialise
What is ‘Author’s Purpose’?

An author’s purpose
explains why the author
wrote the text.

It is what the author was

hoping the reader would get
from reading his or her
writing.
 Author’s Purpose

1 To persuade
2 To inform
3 To entertain
4 To describe
5 To explain
6 To inquire
7 To instruct
8 To recount
9 To socialise
 Persuade
Sometimes authors write to try to persuade the reader to do something or believe
what he or she is writing about.

Examples include:

• advertisements
• posters
• speeches
 Inform
Other times, an author may write to share information about a topic with the
reader.

Examples include:

• a thesaurus
• non-fiction books
• newspaper articles
 Entertain
Some authors write to entertain the reader. This may be to tell an interesting story
or to make the reader laugh.

Examples include:

• fiction books
• mysteries
• joke books
 Describe
Sometimes an author will write a text that describes a topic to their reader.

Examples include:

• menus
• travel brochures
• reports
 Explain
Other times an author might write a text that explains to their reader how something
works.

Examples include:

• classroom rules
• explanation text
• procedure text
 Inquire
Sometimes an author might write a text to find out information from their reader.

Examples include:

• interviews
• questionnaires
• invitations
 Instruct
Sometimes an author might write to tell a reader how to do something.

Examples include:

• recipes
• directions
• procedure text
 Recount
Sometimes an authors will write a text to retell an event or experience to their
reader.

Examples include:

• diary
• autobiography
• biography
 Socialise
An author might compose something as a method to start or build a
relationship.

Examples include:

• emails
• notes
• invitations
 Inquire
Persuade
Instruct
Inform Entertain
Recount
Describe
Explain
Socialise