Choose the text that matches the writer’s purpose

Key Notes :

You can write for different purposes, or reasons.

For example, you might write to inform, or teach the reader something:

Elephants often cover themselves with sand so they don’t get sunburnt. This tells a fact about elephants. The purpose is to inform the reader about elephants.

You might write to persuade, or get the reader to do something:

Buy Shiny Teeth Toothpaste! It will give you the cleanest smile and the freshest breath. This tells why Shiny Teeth Toothpaste is good. The purpose is to persuade the reader to buy Shiny Teeth Toothpaste.

You might also write to entertain, or make something fun for the reader:

Where do cows go for fun? They go to the moo-vies! This tells a funny joke. The purpose is to entertain the reader.

Learn with an example

🎯 You want to inform someone about the way to plant a tree. Inform means teach.

What should you write?

  • Use a shovel to dig a hole in the ground. Put the tree in the hole. Then, cover the hole up with dirt.
  • Earth Day is 22 April. Don’t forget to plant a tree!

This is the best choice to inform someone about the way to plant a tree:

✔Use a shovel to dig a hole in the ground. Put the tree in the hole. Then, cover the hole up with dirt. It tells the steps to plant a tree.

This is not the best choice:

x Earth Day is 22 April. Don’t forget to plant a tree!
This is meant to persuade someone.

🎯 You want to inform someone about the kazoo and how to play it. Inform means teach.

What should you write?

  • The kazoo has been used to make music for almost two hundred years. Just put it to your lips and start humming.
  • I took my new kazoo and went to the zoo. I played ‘Skip to My Lou’ for the kangaroo!

This is the best choice to inform someone about the kazoo and how to play it:

✔The kazoo has been used to make music for almost two hundred years. Just put it to your lips and start humming . It tells how to play the kazoo.

This is not the best choice:

x I took my new kazoo and went to the zoo . I played ‘Skip to My Lou’ for the kangaroo! This is meant to entertain someone.

let’s practice!