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Recognizing Author’s Purpose
Detecting Author’s Purpose| L-1
COMPREHENSION SKILLS PR
Level L-1
All
writing is done basically for the purpose of communicating. However, authors use different
types of writing to serve different purposes. For example:
Charles M. Schulz wrote the comic strip, Peanuts, to amuse readers.
Alice Walker wrote her book, The Color Purple, to inform readers about experiences of some African American women.
Irma Rombauer wrote her cookbook, The Joy of Cooking, to give directions to
readers on preparing various recipes.
George Orwell wrote Animal Farm to persuade readers of the evils of totalitarianism.
Gustave Flaubert wrote the novel, Madame Bovary, to point out that provincial life
in 19th-century France was stifling to the human spirit.
Every author has a definite purpose in mind when writing. Sometimes, the purpose is apparent
even before you read. This occurs when a title leaves no doubt as to the author’s goal. For example, titles such as Think Thin, Solar Energy for Heating and Cooling, and A Diplomatic History of
the Philippine Republic give accurate indications of the authors’ intentions.
Sometimes, however, analysis is required to bring the author’s purpose to light. When reading, it
is helpful to examine personal reactions to help determine the author’s goal. To do this, use the
following line of questioning:
Was I entertained? (to amuse)
Was I enlightened? (to inform)
Do I now know how to make or do something? (to give directions)
Have I been convinced of the validity of a particular point of view? (to persuade)
Has something cogent been pointed out to me? (to make a point)
Note that a “Yes” answer to one or more of these questions means that the author has accomplished the goal stated in parentheses.
The passage below is from an article on the metric system. Read it and then question yourself to
arrive at the dual purpose the author is trying to achieve.
If Congress had passed certain bills a few years ago, we might now jokingly refer
to ten-gallon hats as 38-liter hats. The old song lyrics “Five-foot-two, eyes of
blue” would have to be changed to “1.57 meters — eyes still blue!” We might even
be talking about 28.3 grams of prevention being worth 0.45 kilograms of cure.
We are talking, of course, about the switch to the metric system that was supposed to take place in the United States. We were supposed to get rid of our
miles, pounds, and gallons, replacing them with the more globally recognized kilometers, kilograms, and liters. Originally, U.S. legislation set a deadline for when
this conversion was to be completed, but there was weak political and popular
support for a comprehensive switch to the metric system.
Not everything would have changed under a conversion to the metric system.
Some vestiges would have remained. For example, cups, teaspoons, and tablespoons would have been the same. Pinches and dashes would still have been
left to the imagination. Seconds, minutes, and hours would also have remained
unchanged.
Were you amused? You should have been. The passage is intended to be humorous. You should
have been informed too.
Whenever you read, you should stop and think about the author’s purpose. This can give you a
better perspective on what the author has written.
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Inc.
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Detecting Author’s Purpose| L-1
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Taylor Associates
Level L-1
Recognizing Author’s Purpose
E
Student Name_______________________________________________________________
Read the paragraphs below and determine the author’s purpose in each. Then answer the questions below by filling
in the blanks with the correct letter.
a. Tea is brewed by pouring boiling water over one tea
bag or one teaspoon of loose tea per cup. For a
potent tea with very good flavor, the tea should be
left to steep for three to five minutes before being
served. People who prefer weak tea can steep the
tea for less than three minutes, or they can dilute
the brew with hot water.
b. Hindus do not eat beef because of a religious taboo.
They consider the cow sacred and revere it as a
symbol of man’s identity with all life. To them, killing
a cow is a serious transgression.
c. Today, large factories make soda with automatic
equipment that blends the secret recipes with carbonated water and then bottles the liquid at a rate
often higher than 1,000 cans a minute. Not many
people realize that a few inventive pharmacists and
more than a century of history have led to the “bubbling success” of the great American soft drink business.
d. If any unusual lump or swelling appears, a person
should see a doctor. Chances are it is just a simple,
benign growth, but it is wise to make sure. Sometimes a tumor may be an indication of serious illness.
e. Before more modern packaging was invented, a
satisfactory method for preparing food for freezing
was as follows:
1. Use enough paper so the edges may be folded
down at least three times.
2. Place the meat in the center of the paper.
3. Separate individual servings (such as steaks,
chops, or ground meat patties) with sheets of
freezer paper so they will come apart easily
before cooking.
4. Bring two edges of paper together above the
meat and fold in 1/2-inch to 1-inch folds until the
paper is tight against the meat.
5. Press the wrap closely to the meat to force out
air.
6. Seal edges carefully with freezer tape, or fold
over ends at least twice and tie securely.
f. Corcovado is a mountain peak that overlooks the
harbor of Rio de Janeiro. The peak is surmounted
by a 100-foot-high statue of Jesus Christ with arms
outstretched. From its mountain perch, this majestic
figure appears to be looking down and blessing the
city far below.
g. People who have a deficiency of vitamin C may
suffer from sore gums, bleeding under the skin, and
tiredness. To get enough vitamin C, you should eat
one or more of these foods daily: citrus fruits, tomatoes, raw cabbage, strawberries, or cantaloupe.
h. One of the people who was instrumental in bringing about the Civil War was neither a fiery military
leader nor an influential politician. She was a writer.
Her name was Harriet Beecher Stowe. Her book,
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, emphasized the cruelty of slavery and inflamed feelings in both the North and the
South, thus hastening the outbreak of war.
1. The author’s main purpose is to persuade in
and
2. The author’s main purpose is to give directions in
.
and
.
3. The author’s dual purpose is to inform and make a point about something that needs emphasizing in
and
.
4. The author’s purpose is solely to inform in
and
.
Continued
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Inc.
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Detecting Author’s Purpose| L-1
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Taylor Associates
Level L-1
Recognizing Author’s Purpose
E
Student Name_______________________________________________________________
Read the paragraphs below and then circle the answers to the questions that follow.
5. Getting some people to go to the dentist “is like pulling teeth.” Everybody knows that having a
tooth pulled is an unpleasant experience. Hardly anybody looks forward to it. But many people
start to shake at the very thought of going to the dentist, even for a checkup. They just seem
to link the dentist with pain and fear of pain. But, nowadays, changes for the better are in store
for the millions who are afraid of the dentist’s chair, or who just will not go to the dentist.
The author’s dual purpose is to arouse curiosity and to offer:
a. consolation.
b. advice.
c. sympathy.
d. hope.
6. Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., has helped thousands of disabled Americans become self-sufficient.
Thanks to him, prejudice is beginning to fade. There is now a greater understanding of the
situation of the disabled. Today, more than ever before, Americans who are disabled are playing
an increasingly important part in society. But more laws are needed to guarantee the disabled
their rights and give them the same opportunity that Dr. Viscardi made for himself.
The author writes with the dual purpose of:
a. pointing out and predicting.
b. praising and persuading.
c. informing and inspiring.
d. amusing and apologizing.
7. One of the most feared of the poisonous mushrooms is the “death cup.” Although it looks very
much like the common mushroom, it is lethal. Its poison acts very quickly and, unfortunately,
there is no known antidote. Every year people die after picking and eating “death cup”
The author seeks to:
a. amuse.
b. warn.
c. persuade.
d. emphasize the obvious.
8. Whatever the explanation, people have used the fascinating practice of dowsing, or water
divining, for centuries. Supernatural phenomenon, reflex action, or learned skill — dowsing
is here to stay. Water witches will probably work their “magic” as long as there is a need for
water.
The author’s purpose is to:
a. pass judgment.
b. state a fact.
c. make a prediction.
d. emphasize a point.
9. According to a famous music critic, Alberta Hunter, at 82, “was ten times the singer she ever
was.” Her velvety voice was as strong as ever. Whether in English or any of the other six
languages in which she sang, she still held her audiences spellbound. She made a dazzling
return to the singing career she had given up 20 years ago.
The author seeks to prove a point by:
a. making an analogy.
b. using figurative language.
Copyright © 2013 Taylor Associates/Communications,
Inc.
c. quoting an authority.
d. name dropping.