Let’s work through each passage one by one to figure out the author’s purpose.
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Passage 1:
> A sea horse is an unusual fish with a horse like head. There are more than 20 species, or types, of sea horse. They live in warm and mild seas. Sea horses are small fish.
This passage gives us facts about sea horses — what they look like, how many kinds there are, where they live, and their size. It doesn’t try to convince us to do anything or tell a fun story. It’s just sharing information.
→ Purpose:
To inform
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Passage 2:
> Regular physical activity can help you keep your thinking and judge mental skills sharp. Research shows that doing aerobic exercises can give you great mental benefits. Some scientific evidence also has shown even if you were to do lower levels of exercise it still will be beneficial to you.
This passage is trying to get you to believe something — that exercise helps your brain. It uses words like “can help,” “research shows,” and “beneficial” to persuade you that exercising is good for your mind.
→ Purpose:
To persuade
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Passage 3:
> We all knew that was it when the referee blew his whistle, so we all trudged off the field. But, out of nowhere, he blew his whistle again and yelled, “Why are you leaving the field?! It’s a penalty!” Our jaws dropped in surprise and that feeling of hope was resurfacing within us. We all raced back onto the pitch, and together the team shrieked, “Let Charlie takes it!”
This reads like a short story — it has characters, emotions (surprise, hope), dialogue, and action. The goal here is to make the reader feel excited or entertained by the drama of the moment.
→ Purpose:
To entertain
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Final Answer:
1. To inform
2. To persuade
3. To entertain
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of author s purpose worksheet 5th grade.
