Author's Purpose — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. "Dolphins use echolocation to find food underwater." The author's neutral, factual tone tells you the purpose is to inform.
The sentence presents a scientific fact about dolphins in a neutral tone with no opinions or persuasive language, which is a clear sign the purpose is to inform.
2. "You won't believe how delicious our pizza is — order yours now!" The excited tone is a clue that the purpose is to persuade.
The excited language ("You won't believe") and the direct command ("order yours now!") are meant to convince readers to buy the pizza, revealing a persuasive purpose.
3. An author who uses a lighthearted, playful tone with jokes and silly situations most likely wants to entertain the reader.
Lighthearted, playful writing filled with jokes and silly situations is crafted to amuse readers, so the author's goal is to entertain.
4. The feeling or attitude an author communicates through word choice is called the author's tone.
Tone is the feeling or attitude behind an author's words — for example, choosing words like "devastating" instead of "bad" creates a more serious, emotional tone.
5. "Act now before it's too late!" creates a sense of urgency to push the reader toward action.
The phrase "Act now before it's too late!" pressures the reader to respond immediately by creating a sense of urgency, a common persuasive technique.
6. A news report uses an objective, balanced tone because the reporter's purpose is to inform.
News reporters present facts without taking sides, using an objective and balanced tone because their job is to inform the public about events.
7. "The clumsy knight tripped over his own sword and landed face-first in the cake." The author uses humor to entertain.
The image of a clumsy knight tripping over his sword and face-planting in a cake is funny and ridiculous, showing the author uses humor to entertain.
8. Loaded words like "incredible," "terrible," and "must-have" are often used when the purpose is to persuade.
Loaded words like "incredible," "terrible," and "must-have" carry strong emotional weight designed to influence the reader's opinion, which is a hallmark of persuasive writing.
9. An author who carefully chooses descriptive language can create mood, build suspense, or convince the reader.
Descriptive language is the specific words and phrases an author selects to shape how readers feel, whether that means building a spooky mood, creating suspense, or making an argument convincing.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
"Spiders have eight legs and two body segments."
→ Inform — states a factual detail about animals
Persuade — uses superlatives and a call to action
"This is the BEST video game ever made — buy it today!"
→ Persuade — uses superlatives and a call to action
Inform — presents a scientific measurement as fact
"The dragon burped a cloud of glitter and giggled."
→ Entertain — uses silly imagery and humor
Entertain — uses silly imagery and humor
"Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level."
→ Inform — presents a scientific measurement as fact
Inform — states a factual detail about animals
Correct matches: "Spiders have eight legs and two body segments." → Inform — states a factual detail about animals; "This is the BEST video game ever made — buy it today!" → Persuade — uses superlatives and a call to action; "The dragon burped a cloud of glitter and giggled." → Entertain — uses silly imagery and humor; "Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level." → Inform — presents a scientific measurement as fact.