By Fatskills Exam Guides Team — the exam nerds behind 28,500+ quizzes and 2.1M practice questions across 500+ global exams.
Author's Purpose and Point of View refers to the techniques used by authors to convey their intended message, attitude, or perspective in a text. It involves understanding the author's intentions, biases, and audience in relation to the subject matter.
This topic appears in exams to test your ability to analyze and interpret texts, identify the author's purpose, and recognize the impact of point of view on the reader's understanding.
Author's Purpose and Point of View are essential skills for exams like the SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT, which often feature reading comprehension passages. These skills can account for 20-30% of the total marks in these exams. The examiner wants to assess your ability to think critically, identify patterns, and make informed inferences about the author's intentions.
To master this topic, you must understand the following foundational ideas:
Before tackling this topic, you should already understand:
If you're missing these prerequisites, you may struggle to identify the author's purpose and point of view.
The primary rule is:
Sub-rules and exceptions include:
A simple visual pattern to remember is:
Frequency: 20-30% Difficulty Rating: Intermediate Question Type or Real-World Task Type: Reading comprehension, text analysis, and interpretation
Intermediate
The three most important rules for this topic are:
Question: What is the author's purpose in writing this passage? "The sun was shining brightly in the clear blue sky. The birds were singing their sweet melodies. It was a beautiful day."
Reasoning process:
Answer: The author's purpose is to create a peaceful and serene atmosphere.
Question: What is the point of view in this passage? "The detective was a brilliant and skilled investigator. He had solved many cases in his career. He was known for his sharp mind and keen instincts."
Answer: The point of view is third person.
Question: What is the author's purpose in writing this passage? "The city was a dark and foreboding place. The streets were narrow and winding, with tall buildings looming overhead. It was a place of mystery and intrigue."
Answer: The author's purpose is to create a sense of atmosphere and mood.
Use this mnemonic to remember the three key concepts: APP.
Analyze the tone and language used in the passage to eliminate incorrect options.
Identify the narrative voice and perspective used in the passage to determine the author's purpose.
Use this formula to determine the author's purpose.
The three distinct question formats this topic appears in are:
What is the author's purpose in writing this passage? "The city was a dark and foreboding place. The streets were narrow and winding, with tall buildings looming overhead. It was a place of mystery and intrigue."
A) To inform the reader about the city's history B) To create a sense of atmosphere and mood C) To persuade the reader to visit the city D) To entertain the reader with a story
Correct Answer: B) To create a sense of atmosphere and mood
Explanation: The author is using a third-person narrative voice to create a sense of atmosphere and mood.
Why the Distractors Are Tempting:
What is the point of view in this passage? "The detective was a brilliant and skilled investigator. He had solved many cases in his career. He was known for his sharp mind and keen instincts."
A) First person B) Third person C) Omniscient D) Objective
Correct Answer: B) Third person
Explanation: The author is using a third-person narrative voice to describe the detective.
What is the author's purpose in writing this passage? "The sun was shining brightly in the clear blue sky. The birds were singing their sweet melodies. It was a beautiful day."
A) To inform the reader about the weather B) To create a peaceful and serene atmosphere C) To persuade the reader to go outside D) To entertain the reader with a story
Correct Answer: B) To create a peaceful and serene atmosphere
Explanation: The author is using a third-person narrative voice to create a peaceful and serene atmosphere.
What is the point of view in this passage? "The city was a place of mystery and intrigue. The streets were narrow and winding, with tall buildings looming overhead."
Explanation: The author is using a third-person narrative voice to describe the city.
What is the author's purpose in writing this passage? "The detective was a brilliant and skilled investigator. He had solved many cases in his career. He was known for his sharp mind and keen instincts."
A) To inform the reader about the detective's skills B) To create a sense of atmosphere and mood C) To persuade the reader to become a detective D) To entertain the reader with a story
Correct Answer: A) To inform the reader about the detective's skills
Explanation: The author is using a third-person narrative voice to inform the reader about the detective's skills.
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