Author's Purpose Worksheet
A free, printable author's purpose worksheet for 2nd to 4th grade. Your child reads three short texts and decides if each informs, persuades or entertains. Answer key included.
What's inside
- Page 1: three short texts about dogs, each with a purpose and a clue to write.
- Page 2: sort 9 kinds of texts by purpose and write a persuasive sentence.
- Page 3: answer key.
How to use it
- Teach or review the rule first with the author's purpose lesson. It takes about 10 minutes.
- Read the directions for each part out loud. Early readers can point while you read.
- Check Part A together before your child goes on, so any confusion gets fixed early.
- Use the answer key on the last page.
Prints on US Letter paper (8.5 × 11 in). No sign-up needed.
Tips for doing it together
- Keep it short. One page a day is plenty for most young children, and two short sessions beat one long one.
- Let your child read each sentence out loud before answering. Many mistakes get caught by ear.
- Mark a mistake with a small dot instead of an X, and let your child find and fix it. That's where the learning happens.
What your child is practicing
The author's purpose is why an author writes: to persuade, inform or entertain (PIE). Kids look for clues like facts, opinion words and story elements.
Practice online
After the worksheet, the 10-question author's purpose quiz gives instant feedback and reads each question aloud. For a game, try Word Slash.
More reading comprehension worksheets
- Fables and their lessons worksheet (2nd–3rd grade)
- Main idea worksheet (2nd–4th grade)
- Point of view worksheet (2nd–5th grade)
- Compare and contrast worksheet (2nd–5th grade)
Practice with a game
Free, no sign-up, and they work on phones, tablets and computers.
Author's Purpose PIE
Fact or Opinion?Last reviewed: November 11, 2026