Identify the purpose of a text
key notes:
Authors write texts for different purposes, or reasons. Common purposes for writing are to persuade, to inform, or to entertain readers.
Authors persuade by convincing readers to believe or do something.
- An advertisement tries to convince readers to buy a product.
- A political poster tries to convince readers to vote for someone.
Authors inform by telling readers about a topic or process.
- A news article explains something that happened.
- A recipe describes how to cook a dish.
Authors entertain by giving readers something to enjoy.
- A joke tries to make readers laugh.
- A poem tries to please readers.
Learn with an example
😆Read the text below.
Boil the potatoes for about twenty minutes. When the potatoes are soft, drain and rinse them with cold water. Then return them to the pot and mix in three tablespoons of butter.
😆What is the text’s most likely purpose?
- to persuade
- to inform
- to entertain
The text is a recipe. Its purpose is to inform.
😆Read the text below.
To start your garden, dig a small hole with your hands. Put one seed in the hole, and then cover it with dirt. Repeat for the rest of your seeds, and then water the area around them.
😆What is the text’s most likely purpose?
- to persuade
- to inform
- to entertain
The text is a set of instructions. Its purpose is to inform.
😆Read the text below.
Stack the blocks into a tower. Then take turns pulling blocks out of the tower. If you cause the tower to fall, you lose!
😆What is the text’s most likely purpose?
- to persuade
- to inform
- to entertain
The text is a set of rules to a game. Its purpose is to inform.
let’s practice!
