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The main purpose of a text will let the reader know why the author wrote the text. Most of the author's purposes are for entertainment, for information or for persuasion. Students should look for key details to let them know the author's purpose. The voice and tone of an author may also reveal his or her purpose.
Read the two different texts below and determine their main purpose by answering questions:
Story 1
A hamburger is a food. Many people eat hamburgers. People have been eating hamburgers for years. The hamburger was created in 1885. At a fair, a man made the first hamburger in Wisconsin. Charlie Nagreen took a meatball. Then he pressed it between his hands. He made the meatball very flat. Next, he put the flat meatball between two pieces of bread. Many people loved this hamburger. Charlie sold many hamburgers that year. He came back to the fair every year. He would make the hamburgers to sell. Story 2 - Buy this Hamburger! Buy this hamburger! It is really good. This hamburger cooked on a grill. The bun is fresh and toasted. The hamburger comes with lettuce, tomato and onions. It can also have mustard and ketchup. It tastes great. This hamburger only costs $2.00 for this whole hamburger. It will stop you from being hungry.
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