This worksheet is best used as independent practice as part of your Author’s Purpose & Craft lesson.

Students will read 3 short passages and identify in each whether the author meant to inform, entertain, or persuade. They will also list the supporting evidence from the passages that helped them determine the author’s purpose.

Scaffolding & Extension Tips: Free Author’s Purpose Worksheet  

In addition to individual student work time, use this worksheet as a:

• Post-lesson exit ticket 
• Homework assignment
• Whole-class review (via smartboard)

Got fast finishers? Students who need a challenge can write their own passages where the author’s purpose is to persuade.

To support struggling students, read the passage with them, and have students highlight or circle clues in the passage that support the author’s purpose.

A Variety of Ways to Prepare This Resource

Because this resource includes an answer sheet, we recommend you print one copy of the entire file. Then, make photocopies of the blank worksheet for students to complete.  

To save paper, we suggest double-sided printing: 

1. Click on the printer icon or select File from the navigation bar, and select Print from the dropdown menu
2. From the dialogue box that pops up, next to Pages, click on All and select Custom
3. Enter 1-3 to ensure the blank worksheet prints front to back
4. Click on More settings
5. Pages per sheet should be set to “1”
6. If it is not already selected, check the box for Print on both sides
7. If it is not already set to Flip on long edge, use the dropdown to make this selection
8. Click the Print button

You can also turn this teaching resource into a sustainable activity! Print a few copies on cardstock and slip them into dry-erase sleeves. Students can record their answers with a dry-erase marker, then erase and reuse. 

Additionally, project the worksheet onto a screen and work through it as a class by having students record their answers in their English notebooks.

Before You Download

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the PDF or Google Slides version of this resource. An answer key is also included with this download.

This resource was created by Allie Kleijnjans, a teacher in Pennsylvania and a Teach Starter Collaborator. 

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