Author’s Purpose Dowloaded from TeachersPayTeachers.com and adapted by Kimberly Cauble, Griggs Road Elementary School

Everyone has a purpose for doing something. You drink because you are thirsty. You sleep because you are tired.

When an author writes a story they write it for a reason.

Your job is figure out that reason.

Remember the 3 types of WRITING? Well, they correspond with the author’s purpose! P = to persuade (persuasive writing!) I = to inform (expository writing!) E = to entertain (narrative writing!)

If you can remember the acronym PIE, you can determine what the author’s purpose is! P = to persuade I = to inform E = to entertain

To figure out an author’s purpose you have to look at the facts and opinions they express. “Cake is delicious.” “George Washington was the first president.” “What do you get when you cross an elephant with Darth Vader?”

Read the story below and try to figure out the author’s purpose for writing it. It was a dark and stormy night. I was alone in the house. My parents were out for the night and left me for the first time to take care of myself. I had convinced them that I was old enough, but now I was not so sure. Every sound became a murder in the dark. Every lightening strike shook me to the bone.

Read the story below and try to figure out the author’s purpose for writing it. Elementary students have way too much homework. I mean, when are they going to have time to play their video games? What about eating? 20 minutes of reading a night is ridiculous! Students should be able to live out their childhoods, not worry about getting an education!

Read the story below and try to figure out the author’s purpose for writing it. A strike happens when workers who are members of a labor union decide that they will quit working until their employer makes a change. Workers could go on strike demanding higher pay, more benefits, longer or shorter work hours, or better working conditions.