IXL | Identify the author's purpose | 7th grade language arts

Read the text.

The common loon is known for its mournful cry, often heard near lakes at night. North America's lakes and ponds are its natural habitat: loons are waterfowl, like ducks and geese.

In summer, the adult common loon has an iridescent black head, a black bill, and a white band around its neck. Its back is checkered with black and white feathers, while its belly is all white. In winter, the loon's bill fades to gray. Its winter plumage is gray on the back and head, while the breast, belly, and wings are white.

Which author's purpose is suggested by the text?

to persuade readers to go bird-watching

to describe the common loon

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Learn with an example

question

Read the text.

Each rock tells a story of its formation. To determine a rock type, look for clues about its story. Compared with igneous and metamorphic rocks, sedimentary rocks may be the easiest to read.

Sedimentary rocks were often formed when sediment—particles of dirt, sand, or other matter—piled up on sea beds and then hardened into rock over time. Therefore, the clue to identifying sedimentary rocks is the presence of tiny bits of different rocks pressed together, often in layers. Look for stripes, indicating layers of sediment. If there are no layers, check for particles or rock fragments. Sedimentary rocks sometimes also contain fossils or other petrified specimens.

Which author's purpose is suggested by the text?

to explain how to identify sedimentary rocks

to describe how different rock types look

key idea

An author's purpose is what he or she hopes to accomplish with a given text. You can determine an author's purpose by looking at the types of words, phrases, and sentences that an author chooses to include.

When authors write to

persuade,

or convince, they often state their arguments or positions directly and provide evidence to support those positions. They may state their positions with words like

should,

must,

best,

worst,

and they may include a call to action, such as Contact your local representative today!

When authors write to

inform,

they often provide facts, definitions, examples, and details about a topic.

When authors write to

explain,

they often break down a concept or process into smaller parts or steps.

When authors write to

describe,

they often use sensory details to tell what something looks like, sounds like, or feels like.

solution

The author's purpose is to explain how to identify sedimentary rocks.

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