Understanding Author Purpose

Curriculum Links

• National Curriculum English – Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9)
• Reading – Comprehension: Develop their understanding of texts by identifying and interpreting themes, purposes and viewpoints and by evaluating how authors achieve effects.
• Writing – Composition: Plan, draft and write by selecting appropriate grammar and vocabulary, organising paragraphs around a theme, and using a range of devices to structure text and guide the reader.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this 90-minute session, students will be able to:

1. Define the concept of “purpose” in writing.
2. Identify the three main types of author purpose: to persuade, inform, and entertain.
3. Analyse short texts to determine the author's main purpose using evidence from the text.
4. Write a clear statement of purpose for a given text using the sentence starter: “The author wrote this mostly to…”
5. Begin drafting a brief text (either persuasive, informative, or entertaining) with a clear, chosen purpose.

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Resources

• Printed copies of the Schumacher news article extract & Usain Bolt autobiography extract (dyslexia-friendly fonts: Arial, spacing 1.5, cream-coloured paper option available)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Projector for modelling examples
• Worksheets with guiding questions & sentence starters
• Highlighters for text marking
• Laptops or tablets (optional) for extension activities

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (10 minutes)

Goal: Activate prior knowledge & introduce the concept of purpose.

• Write on board: “Why do people write?”
• Class brainstorm (oral and quick flash to board): Collect reasons (e.g. to tell a story, to give information, to make people agree with them).
• Introduce the formal concept: Purpose is the reason behind writing; three main purposes are persuade, inform and entertain.
• Show the sentence starter: “The author wrote this mostly to…” and provide an example from everyday life or social media post.

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2. Direct Teaching & Modelling (20 minutes)

Goal: Clarify different types of purpose with examples.

• Present the three main purposes one by one with simple definition and example.
• Display extract from The Guardian article about Michael Schumacher (inform). Read aloud together.
• Model thinking aloud: “The author wrote this mostly to inform because it provides facts about an accident.”
• Display extract from Usain Bolt’s autobiography (entertain).
• Highlight features that entertain: emotive language, sensory details, first-person narrative.
• Discuss briefly how a text to persuade might look (e.g. poster or speech sample).
• Q&A: Which purpose fits these examples? Why?

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3. Group Reading & Analysis (25 minutes)

Goal: Practice identifying author’s purpose using evidence.

• Divide class into pairs (mixed ability to scaffold support/differentiation).
• Each pair works on one extract (guardian or Bolt) plus a new persuasive excerpt provided by teacher (e.g. a short environmental campaign letter).
• Use worksheet to:
  • Highlight parts of the text that reveal purpose (e.g. facts for inform, emotive language for entertain, direct commands or opinions for persuade).
  • Complete sentence: “The author wrote this mostly to…” with evidence justification.
• Teacher circulates to support students who need help, focusing on language cues and vocabulary.
• Provide dyslexia-friendly reading options with clear spacing and font for students who need it.

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4. Class Discussion & Shared Reflection (10 minutes)

• Each pair briefly shares their purpose statement and justification.
• Class feedback on which purpose each belongs to, with teacher summarising key features of texts in that category.

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5. Independent Writing Task (20 minutes)

Goal: Compose a short text with a clear author purpose.

• Students select a writing purpose from persuade, inform, or entertain.
• Use planning template (with sentence starters and vocabulary suggestions) to draft 8-10 sentences focused on their chosen purpose.
• Remind students to consider tone, sentence structure, and vocabulary choices matching the purpose.
• Encourage use of personal imagination or real-world topics (e.g. persuade peers to recycle, inform about your favourite hobby, entertain with a funny short story).

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6. Peer Review and Feedback (5 minutes)

• In pairs, students read each other’s drafts and complete a quick checklist:
  • Is the purpose clear?
  • What words or sentences showed you that?
  • Suggest one improvement to make the purpose clearer.

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7. Plenary and Assessment (5 minutes)

• Recap learning objectives.
• Quick quiz/game: Teacher reads out short sentences, students hold up signs (persuade/inform/entertain) or point to colour-coded cards.
• Exit ticket: On a sticky note write “Today I learned that the author’s purpose is…” and one example of each purpose from the lesson.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For lower ability / SEN:
  • Pre-highlight key passages in reading extracts;
  • Provide word banks for sentence starters;
  • One-to-one or small group support during paired tasks;
  • Use audio recordings of extracts and/or access to speech-to-text for writing.
• For dyslexic learners:
  • Provide dyslexia-friendly versions of texts;
  • Allow use of coloured overlays;
  • Encourage oral responses before writing;
  • Use mind-mapping apps or graphic organisers for planning writing.
• For EAL learners:
  • Use visuals and definitions for challenging vocabulary;
  • Pair with bilingual peers or provide glossaries.

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Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

• Analyse a complex multi-purpose text (e.g. a charity advert that informs and persuades) and discuss how the author balances different purposes.
• Draft a multi-paragraph persuasive article with an emphasis on rhetorical devices (ethos, pathos, logos).
• Explore and compare authorial purpose across different media forms (e.g. compare a written article and a video transcript).

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Assessment

• Formative assessment via observation during paired discussion and reading tasks.
• Written statements of purpose and independent writing assessed against criteria for clarity of purpose and relevant use of language.
• Use plenary game and exit tickets to check for understanding and misconceptions.

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Teacher's Tip: Encourage students to always ask themselves “Why did the author write this?” when approaching any text. Making this a habit fosters deeper critical reading skills aligned with the National Curriculum’s aim for developing comprehension and analytical abilities in KS3 English.

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This lesson plan combines clear curriculum alignment, inclusive strategies and engaging text examples to ensure all year 8 students grasp the crucial skill of identifying and writing with purpose. It also offers space for creativity and higher-order thinking to inspire confident, thoughtful readers and writers.