Author's Purpose
What Is the Author's Purpose?
Every piece of writing has a reason behind it — a goal the author wants to achieve. When you identify the author's purpose, you read more critically and understand texts more deeply. You stop asking "what does this say?" and start asking "why was this written?"
Key Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Author's purpose | The main reason a text was written |
| PIE | A helpful acronym: Persuade, Inform, Entertain |
| Tone | The author's attitude toward the subject |
| Bias | A one-sided or slanted view in a text |
| Audience | The intended readers of a text |
The Main Purposes: PIE
Persuade
The author wants to change the reader's opinion or convince them to take action.
Clues:
- Strong opinions and emotional language
- One-sided arguments or exaggeration
- Calls to action ("You must act now!")
- Rhetorical questions
Examples: opinion articles, advertisements, political speeches, editorials, charity appeals
Inform
The author wants to share facts and knowledge with the reader.
Clues:
- Neutral, objective tone
- Facts, statistics, dates, and names
- No strong personal opinion
- Third-person language
Examples: news reports, encyclopaedia entries, biographies, textbooks, documentaries
Entertain
The author wants to engage the reader's imagination or emotions and provide enjoyment.
Clues:
- Characters, plot, and setting
- Descriptive language, dialogue, and imagery
- May include humour, suspense, or emotion
- Creative or imaginative content
Examples: novels, short stories, poems, plays, comics
A Fourth Purpose: Explain / Instruct
Many texts also aim to explain (break down how something works) or instruct (tell the reader how to do something step by step).
Explain clues: cause and effect language, diagrams, "because", "therefore", "as a result"
Instruct clues: numbered steps, imperative verbs ("Stir the mixture"), second-person language
Examples: instruction manuals, recipes, how-to guides, science textbooks
Worked Examples
Text 1: "Global temperatures have risen by 1.1°C since pre-industrial times. Sea levels are increasing by 3.3 mm per year."
- Purpose: Inform — objective, uses statistics, no emotional appeal.
Text 2: "We cannot stand by and watch our planet die. Join the march this Saturday and demand change!"
- Purpose: Persuade — emotional language, call to action, urgent tone.
Text 3: "Once upon a time, a curious fox discovered a door in the forest that led to another world..."
- Purpose: Entertain — narrative, imaginative, story elements.
Text 4: "To make pasta: 1. Boil water. 2. Add salt. 3. Cook pasta for 10 minutes. 4. Drain and serve."
- Purpose: Instruct — numbered steps, imperative verbs, second person.
How to Identify Purpose in an Exam
- Read the title and introduction — they often signal the purpose.
- Look at the language — emotional vs neutral vs imaginative.
- Consider the text type — where would you find this text?
- Think about the audience — who is this written for and why?
- Check the tone — passionate? objective? humorous?
Common Mistakes
- Confusing inform and explain — informing gives facts; explaining shows how or why.
- Missing dual purpose — many texts have more than one purpose (e.g. a speech can inform and persuade).
- Thinking entertaining means funny — entertaining includes any text that engages readers imaginatively, including sad or scary stories.
- Not using evidence from the text when identifying purpose in an exam.
Tips and Tricks
- Remember PIE — Persuade, Inform, Entertain — as your starting framework.
- Ask: "What does the author want me to think, feel, or do after reading this?"
- The text type is a strong clue: recipe = instruct, editorial = persuade, biography = inform.
- Always support your answer with a quote or example from the text.
- Authors sometimes hide their purpose — a seemingly informative article may actually be persuasive if it only presents one side.