Author's Purpose — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. "The rain forest is home to millions of species..." This passage was written to inform the reader.
Factual statements about the rainforest indicate an informational purpose.
2. "Buy our new sunscreen — your family deserves the best!" The phrase "deserves the best" is used to persuade the reader.
Emotional appeals ('deserves the best') are persuasive techniques.
3. When an author includes facts, statistics, and definitions, the purpose is most likely to inform.
Facts, statistics, and definitions are markers of informational writing.
4. "Max giggled as the puppy licked his nose..." The word "giggled" is a clue that the purpose is to entertain.
Playful, lighthearted word choices like 'giggled' indicate an entertainment purpose.
5. A newspaper editorial that argues schools should have longer recess is written to persuade.
An editorial argues for a position — its purpose is to persuade readers to agree.
6. Evidence from the text that supports your answer about purpose is called text evidence.
Text evidence is the specific words or phrases from the text that support your conclusion about purpose.
7. "She crept down the dark hallway, heart pounding..." The author builds suspense to keep readers engaged.
Building suspense through vivid details is a technique used to entertain readers.
8. An author who wants to persuade often includes reasons and evidence to support their argument.
Persuasive texts use reasons and evidence to convince readers of the author's position.
9. A cookbook that explains how to bake bread step by step has the purpose of informing the reader.
Step-by-step instructions provide factual, procedural information — the purpose is to inform.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
"You MUST recycle. Our planet is dying."
→ Persuade — uses urgent language to convince
Entertain — uses humor and playful imagery
"The solar system contains eight planets..."
→ Inform — states scientific facts clearly
Persuade — uses urgent language to convince
"Max giggled as the puppy licked his nose..."
→ Entertain — uses humor and playful imagery
Persuade — uses excitement to attract visitors
"Visit our water park today! Fun for the whole family!"
→ Persuade — uses excitement to attract visitors
Inform — states scientific facts clearly
First = persuade (urgent); second = inform (scientific fact); third = entertain (playful); fourth = persuade (excitement to attract visitors).