Author’s PURPOSE

Find an Author’s PURPOSE

An author's purpose is the reason an author decides to write about a specific topic; it’s the why behind why the author selected those words in the first place. The author must decide whether his purpose for writing is to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain his ideas to the reader.

The majority of author's purpose questions will come in multiple choice format. So you won't have to come up with the reason for an author's behaviour. You'll just need to select the best choice. 



If you're trying to determine the author's purpose on the exam, your question may look a little something like this:

1.    The author most likely mentions the Depression in lines 33 - 34 to:

A.   Identify the primary purpose for setting up US Social Security.

B.   Criticize President Roosevelt’s adoption of a program that would run out of money.

C.   Contrast the effectiveness of the Social Security Program with that of family care.

D.   List another factor that contributed to the need for the US Social Security Program.

Author's Purpose Key Words

There are a few key words associated with the author's purpose. Often times, you can narrow down what an author was trying to accomplish by looking at the language he or she used while writing.

Take a look at the words below. The bold word will be used in the answer choices. The phrase following the bold words is an explanation of what it really means when you see it. Compare: Author wanted to show similarities between ideas

Ø  Contrast: Author wanted to show differences between ideas

Ø  Criticize: Author wanted to give a negative opinion of an idea

Ø  Describe/Illustrate: Author wanted to paint a picture of an idea

Ø  Explain: Author wanted to break down an idea into simpler terms

Ø  Identify/List: Author wanted to tell the reader about an idea or series of ideas

Ø  Intensify: Author wanted to make an idea greater

Ø  Suggest: Author wanted to propose an idea

Look For Clue Words

Figuring out why an author wrote a particular passage can be as easy (or as difficult) as looking at clues inside the passage. I've mentioned in the "What is the Author's Purpose" article several different reasons an author would have to write a passage of text, and what those reasons mean. Below, you'll find those reasons, with the clue words associated with them.

Ø  Compare: Author wanted to show similarities between ideas
Clue Words: both, similarly, in the same way, like, just as

Ø  Contrast: Author wanted to show differences between ideas
Clue Words: however, but, dissimilarly, on the other hand

Ø  Criticize: Author wanted to give a negative opinion of an idea
Clue Words: Look for words that show the author's negative opinion. Judgment words like "bad", "wasteful", and "poor" all demonstrate negative opinions.

Ø  Describe/Illustrate: Author wanted to paint a picture of an idea
Clue Words: Look for words that provide descriptive detail. Adjectives like "red", "lusty", "morose", "striped", "sparkling", and "crestfallen" are all illustrative.

Ø  Explain: Author wanted to break down an idea into simpler terms
Clue Words: Look for words that turn a complicated process into simple language. A "descriptive" text will use more adjectives. An "explanatory" text will usually be used with a complicated idea.

Ø  Identify/List: Author wanted to tell the reader about an idea or series of ideas
Clue Words: Text that identifies or lists, will name an idea or series of ideas without providing much description or opinion.

Ø  Intensify: Author wanted to make an idea greater
Clue Words: Text that intensifies will add more specific details to the idea. Look for superlative adjectives and "bigger" concepts. A baby sadly crying is descriptive, but a baby mournfully howling red-cheeked for 30 minutes is more intense.

Ø  Suggest: Author wanted to propose an idea
Clue Words: "Suggest" answers are usually positive opinions and try to sway the reader to believe. The author will provide a point, then use details to prove it.
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