Author's purpose guide for teachers and students.

WHAT IS THE AUTHOR'S PURPOSE?

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When we talk of the author's purpose we are referring to the why behind their writing. What motivated the author to produce their work? What is their intent and what do they promise to reach?

The author's purpose is the reason they decided to write about something in the first identify.

There are many reasons a writer puts pen to newspaper. It'south important that our students possess the necessary tools for identifying these various reasons and intents.

Being able to identify the author'due south purpose accurately is admittedly essential if the student is to effectively evaluate a piece of writing.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF AUTHOR'S PURPOSE?

Depending on who you lot talk to when the question is raised about how many types of author's purpose there are, you lot'll generally be quoted a number ranging from around 3 to most 7.

A skilful starting point for students showtime to larn more than most the dissimilar types of authors' purpose is, to begin with, the main 3: to persuade, to inform, and to entertain. These tin can easily be remembered with the PIE acronym.

All the same, these 3 represent only an introduction. In the interests of covering the topic a little more comprehensively, we will define 5 different types of writer's purpose, look at some examples of each in utilise, and give a few pointers helpful in identifying them.

Writer'S PURPOSE DEFINITION

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The author'southward purpose is their intent (or purpose) for writing something. To either persuade, inform or entertain an audience.

You will most ordinarily run across these three aspects attributed as being the author's purpose however other elements such as describing and explaining are ordinarily sighted besides.

We volition explore the author'due south purpose in much more detail throughout this commodity.

A Consummate UNIT ON THE Writer'Due south PURPOSE FOR STUDENTS

An entire unit of measurement on THE Author'S PURPOSE awaits you. Admittedly no prep required. This editable PowerPoint packet provides you with a proven resource based on research skills, writing strategies and engaging content. The bundle includes65 PAGES OF:

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THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF Author'Due south PURPOSE

THE AUTHOR'S PURPOSE 1: PERSUADE

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Definition: This is a very mutual purpose of writing, particularly in nonfiction writing. When a text is written to persuade information technology will aim to convince the reader of the claim of a certain point of view. With this type of writing the author will effort to persuade the reader to concord with this point of view and/or subsequently take a particular grade of action.

Examples: This purpose can be found in all kinds of writing. It tin can even be in fiction writing when the author has an agenda, whether consciously or unconsciously. However, it is most commonly the motivation behind essays, advertisements, and political writing such equally speeches and propaganda.

How to Place: To identify when the writer's purpose is to persuade, students should ask themselves if they experience the writer is trying to go them to believe something or accept a specific action. They should learn to identify the diverse tactics and strategies used in persuasive writing such every bit repetition, various types of supporting evidence, hyperbole, attacking opposing viewpoints, forceful phrases, emotive imagery and photographs etc.

We have a complete guide to persuasive writing hither if you would like to larn more than.

THE Author'Due south PURPOSE 2: INFORM

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Definition: When an author's purpose is to inform, they unremarkably wish to enlighten their readership well-nigh a real-world topic. Often, they will do this by providing lots of facts. Advisory texts are geared toward imparting information to the reader with the purpose of educating them on a given topic.

Examples: Many types of school books are written with the limited purpose of informing the reader. Added to textbooks, we also take encyclopedias, recipe books, and newspapers.

How to Identify: In the procedure of informing the reader, the author will make apply of facts and this is one surefire way to spot the intent to inform.

However, when the author'due south purpose is persuasion they volition also be likely to provide the reader with some facts in an attempt to convince the reader of the merits of their item case. The master divergence between the two different ways facts are employed is that, when the intention is to inform, facts are presented simply to teach the reader. When the author'southward purpose is to persuade, they will commonly mask their opinions amongst the facts.

Students must get adept at recognizing 'hidden' opinions through practice. Teach your students to beware of persuasion masquerading every bit information!

IF yous would similar to learn more than near writing an information report be sure to read our complete guide here.

THE Author'S PURPOSE 3: ENTERTAIN

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Definition: When an writer'due south chief purpose is to entertain the reader they will endeavour to proceed things as interesting as possible. Things happen in books that are written to entertain, whether in the course of an activity-packed plot, inventive characterizations, or sharp dialogue.

Examples: Not surprisingly, a great bargain of fiction is written with the aim of entertaining, especially genre fiction. For example, we detect entertaining examples in science fiction, romance, and fantasy – to proper name but a few.

How to Place: When a writer is attempting to entertain or amuse the reader they will use a diversity of techniques to engage their attention. They may utilise cliffhangers at the end of a affiliate, for example. They may weave humor into their story, or even have characters tell jokes. In the example of a thriller, an action-packed scene may follow an activeness-packed scene equally the drama builds to a crescendo. Remember of the melodrama of a soap opera here, rather than the subtle touch of an art house masterpiece.

THE Writer'S PURPOSE 4: Explain

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Definition: When writers write to explain, they want to tell the reader how to do something or reveal to them how something works. This type of writing is near communicating a method or a process.

Examples: Writing with the purpose of explaining tin be institute in instructions, step-past-pace guides, procedural outlines, and recipes.

How to Identify:   Often you will find this blazon of writing organized into bulleted or numbered points. As information technology focuses on telling the reader how to do something, often lots of imperatives volition be used within the writing. Diagrams and illustrations are frequently used to reinforce the text explanations likewise.

Read our complete guide to explanatory texts hither.

THE AUTHOR'S PURPOSE 5: Draw

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Definition: Often writers will utilize words to describe something in more than item than be conveyed in a photograph lone. After all, they say 'a film paints a thousand words and text tin help get us across the one-dimensional appearance of things.

Examples: We can find lots of descriptive writing in obvious places like brusk stories, novels and other forms of fiction where the writer wishes to paint a picture show in the reader's imagination. We can also observe lots of writing with the purpose of clarification in nonfiction too – in product descriptions or descriptive essays, for example.

How to Identify: In the case of fiction writing which describes, the reader volition notice the author using lots of sensory details in the text. Our senses are how we perceive the earth and, to depict their imaginary world, writers will depict heavily on language that appeals to these senses. In both fiction and nonfiction, readers volition discover the writer will rely heavily on adjectives in their writing.

FREE AUTHOR'S PURPOSE Anchor CHARTS & POSTERS

THE Author'Southward PURPOSE TEACHING ACTIVITIES

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THE Author'Southward PURPOSE PIE CHART IS A Usually USED TEACHING RESOURCE

The Writer'south Purpose Task i. The Author's Purpose Anchor Chart

Whether introducing the general idea of the writer'south purpose or working on identifying the specifics of a single purpose, an anchor chart can be a slap-up resource for students when working independently. Compiling the anchor chart collaboratively with the students can exist an effective way for them to reconstruct and reinforce their learning.

The Author'south Purpose Task two. Gather Real Life Examples

Challenging students to identify and collect together real-life examples of the various types of writing as homework can be a great mode for them to get some hands-on practice. Encourage your students to gather diverse forms of text together indiscriminately. They then sift through them to categorize them appropriately according to their purpose. The students will soon begin to see that all writing has a purpose. You may besides like to make a classroom brandish of the gathered texts to serve every bit examples.

The Author's Purpose Task 3. DIY

One of the virtually effective ways for students to recognize the authorial intent behind a piece of writing is to gain some feel in producing writing for various purposes themselves. Design writing tasks with this in mind. For instance, if you are focused on writing to persuade, you could claiming the students to produce a script for a radio advertisement. If the focus is to entertain, you could ask the students to write a funny story etc.

The Writer'due south Purpose Task four. Classroom Word

Organize the students into small discussion groups of, say, 4 to v. Provide each group with copies of sample texts written for various purposes. Students should have some time to read through the texts by themselves. They then work to identify the writer's purpose, making notes as they get. Students can discuss their findings as a group.

Remember: the various purposes are non mutually exclusive, sometimes a text will have more than a unmarried purpose. It is possible to be both entertaining and informative, for case. Information technology is important students recognize this fact. Careful selection of texts can ensure the students go an opportunity to find this for themselves.

In Summary

 Students demand to empathise that regardless of the text they are engaged with, every piece of writing has some purpose behind it. It'due south important that they work towards recognizing the various features of dissimilar types of writing that reveal to the reader simply what that purpose is.

Initially, the process of learning to place the unlike types of writing and their purposes will require conscious focus on the part of the student. There should exist plenty of opportunities created to allow for this necessary practice in the classroom.

This practice doesn't have to exist exclusively in the form of discrete lessons on the author'due south purpose, however. Simply asking students what they recall the author'due south purpose is when reading any text in any context, can be a great mode to get the 'reps' in quickly and frequently.

Eventually, students will begin to recognize the author's purpose quickly and unconsciously in the writing of others.

Ultimately, this improved comprehension of writing, in general, volition benefit students in their own contained writing.

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THE Writer'Southward PURPOSE DEFINITION AND TUTORIAL VIDEO

This video is an excellent introductory guide to present to students looking for a unproblematic visual breakup of what the writer's purpose is, and how it can affect their approach to writing and assessment

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Content for this folio has been written by Shane Mac Donnchaidh.  A onetime principal of an international school and university English lecturer with xv years of teaching and administration experience. Shane'due south latest Volume the Complete Guide to Nonfiction Writing can be constitute here.  Editing and support for this article have been provided past the literacyideas team.