Main idea: An author's purpose is the reason he or she is writing. 1. List four author's purposes.
2. Match each description of a text to its most likely purpose.

Main idea: Look closely at the supporting details to determine the author's purpose.
3. List at least one example of the kinds of supporting details used in texts with each author's purpose.
To inform
To explain
To persuade
To entertain
4. Based on the supporting details, identify the author's purpose of each example — to inform, to explain, to persuade, or to entertain.
Playing the kazoo is not easy. Often, it's hard to tell the difference between someone playing the kazoo and a velociraptor with its claw stuck in a food processor.

Replacing a bathroom faucet is easy; first you need to determine which type of faucet you already have.

School districts should pay for school supplies; on average, teachers spend over $200 of their own money on basic supplies like pencils and paper.

With over 300 million cows, India currently has the highest cattle population on Earth.

Main idea: Two authors may write about the same topic but have different purposes.
5. Determine the author's purpose of each passage, all based on the same topic.
Topic: The Shetland pony

Shetland ponies are originally from the Shetland Islands, a small archipelago northeast of Scotland. The ponies range in height from 28 to 42 inches and weigh an average of 600 pounds. Shetland ponies are calm and have a sweet temperament. In fact, some people treat them as pets. You haven't lived until you've seen a tiny horse trying to squeeze through a doggie door!

A Shetland pony is not a pet and should not be marketed as such. Shetlands given as gifts often end up neglected within months. The Shetland Animal Rescue in Liverpool, England, is currently caring for 80 abandoned ponies and at times has as many as 100 Shetlands looking for rehoming. Shetland ponies can learn to sit, lie down, rear, and bow on command. To begin training a Shetland, it's important to make sure that all your commands are clear and concise and that you use the same command every time for each movement.
Key Terms
Use this table to write definitions for the key terms from this activity in your own words. If you're confident you know a term, put a check mark next to it and move on.

Key Term Definition
author's purpose

supporting details