Complete Author's Purpose & Audience Worksheet | Grade 6 ELA

This Grade 6 ELA worksheet develops students' ability to evaluate how an author's purpose, tone, and selection of detail shape a text for a specific audience. Working with two realistic school notices and three communication-goal briefs, students practice matching texts to intended purposes, analyzing diction and structure, and recommending revisions—all key skills aligned with standard RI.6.6.

At a Glance

• Grade: 6 · Subject: ELA
• Standard: RI.6.6 — Determine how an author's point of view or purpose is conveyed in a text
• Skill Focus: Matching notices to communication goals using text evidence
• Format: 5 pages · 10 problems · Answer key included · PDF
• Best For: Guided or independent practice on author's purpose
• Time: 25–40 minutes

What's Inside

Students read two authentic school notices—a formal curriculum night notice and a welcoming family orientation flyer—alongside three communication-goal briefs. The 5-page worksheet includes 10 tasks divided into three structured parts: matching with evidence-based justification (Part A), analyzing diction and structural choices (Part B), and guided sentence revision (Part C). An analytical criteria box defines tone, selection of detail, and structural emphasis so students have clear guidelines before starting. A complete 3-page answer key provides model responses for every question.

Skill Progression

• Guided practice (Part A, 3 tasks): Students match each notice to an audience brief and identify why one goal remains unmatched, establishing foundational understanding.
• Supported practice (Part B, 5 tasks): Students analyze specific word choices, organizational structures, and inclusion of details, supporting every conclusion with direct text evidence.
• Independent practice (Part C, 2 tasks): Students revise notice excerpts to address new audience goals, applying their analytical knowledge to independent writing.

How to Use It

Use this worksheet after introducing author's purpose and perspective. Assign Parts A and B for guided partner work during an informational reading workshop, then have students complete Part C independently as an exit ticket. The included criteria box provides useful scaffolding for English learners and striving readers, making this resource suitable for whole-class instruction or small-group intervention.

This printable worksheet aligns with standard RI.6.6, which requires Grade 6 students to determine an author's point of view or purpose and explain how it is conveyed through text. Across 10 structured tasks, learners evaluate authentic school notices, examine diction and organizational structure, and complete targeted sentence revisions for specific audience goals. Educational research by Fisher and Frey (2014) demonstrates that structured gradual release, moving from guided modeling to independent application, significantly boosts analytical reading comprehension and skill transfer. With explicit analytical criteria, realistic school texts, and a complete answer key featuring model responses, this resource offers educators an effective tool for daily practice and assessment. Teachers can readily incorporate this focused activity into informational text units to strengthen student understanding of how writers tailor details, tone, and organization to achieve specific communication purposes.