Identify the Authors Purpose | Worksheet - Free Printable

Here's the solution to the “Identify the Author’s Purpose” worksheet, with explanations for each passage:

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Passage 1:

> *One warm afternoon, while walking home from school, Rosie glanced at her neighbor’s house and noticed Mrs. Spencer’s fluffy kittens playing in the window box. They were written across the side of the box in large, black letters. Rosie squealed with excitement and ran home to tell her parents.*

✔ Author’s Purpose: Entertain

Explanation:
This passage tells a short, lighthearted story about Rosie seeing kittens and getting excited. It uses descriptive language (“fluffy kittens,” “squealed with excitement”) and focuses on a charming, everyday moment. The goal is to amuse or delight the reader — classic storytelling for entertainment.

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Passage 2:

> *Students should have at least 15 minutes of recess during the school day. All students should be expected to sit still for longer. Teachers don’t feel an eating and can focus more easily after they run around and play.*

✔ Author’s Purpose: Persuade

Explanation:
The author is trying to convince readers (likely educators or policymakers) that students need recess. Phrases like “should have” and “should be expected” show the writer is making recommendations. Even though the second sentence seems contradictory (“should be expected to sit still”), it likely intends to argue that recess helps students focus afterward — supporting a persuasive argument for recess time.

*(Note: There appears to be a typo in the original text — “Teachers don’t feel an eating and can focus...” — but context suggests it means “students can focus better after recess.”)*

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Passage 3:

> *There are 9 time zones on Earth. Coordinated Universal Time is the standard time for the entire world. Meeting every hour, you must know how to convert between time zones. Driving west, subtract one for each time zone.*

✔ Author’s Purpose: Inform

Explanation:
This passage presents factual information about time zones and how to calculate them. It doesn’t try to convince you of anything (persuade) or tell a story (entertain). Instead, it educates the reader — its purpose is purely to inform.

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Passage 4:

> *The development of a reliable steam engine in the early 1700s sparked the Industrial Revolution. Before the invention of the steam engine, machines were powered mostly by wind, water, horses, or humans.*

✔ Author’s Purpose: Inform

Explanation:
This passage gives historical facts about the steam engine and its impact. It explains cause-and-effect in history without trying to persuade or entertain. Its goal is to teach or share knowledge — therefore, the purpose is to inform.

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✔ Final Answers:

| Passage | Author’s Purpose |
|---------|------------------|
| 1 | Entertain |
| 2 | Persuade |
| 3 | Inform |
| 4 | Inform |

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