Greenmount -
a Pathway to Success
The Four Purposes
When teaching writing, we focus on four purposes for writing:
Reception to Year 6
- To entertain - achieved by texts such as descriptions, stories and poems
- To inform - achieved by texts such as labels, captions, non-chronological reports, instructions and recounts
Years 3 to 6
- To persuade - achieved by texts such as letters, adverts, brochures or posters
Years 5 and 6
- To discuss - achieved by texts such as balanced arguments
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
| Reception | Throughout the Reception year children will be given opportunities to entertain and to inform through writing: -words -rhyming strings -labels -captions -simple phrases -simple sentences that can be read by others | |||||
| Year 1 | Entertain - Character Description - Setting Description | Entertain - Story retell - Free verse poetry | Inform - Instructions - Recount | Entertain - Descriptions - Narrative - Performance Poetry | Inform - Recount (diary) - Non-Chronological report | Entertain - Narrative - Riddle Poetry |
| Year 2 | Entertain - Performance Poetry - Character Description | Entertain - Setting Description - Story retell | Inform - Instructions - Recount (letter) | Entertain - Story in role - Repeating Pattern Poetry | Inform - Recount -Instructions | Entertain - Story - Free Verse Poetry |
| Year 3 | Inform - Recount (diary) - Non-Chronological Report | Entertain - Character and Setting Descriptions - Question and Answer Poetry | Inform - Non-Chronological report - Instructions | Entertain - Narrative - Free Verse Poetry | Entertain - Narrative - Performance Poetry | Persuade - Poster - Advert |
| Year 4 | Entertain - Character Description - Narrative
| Persuade - Poster / brochure - Letter
Entertain - Performance Poetry | Entertain - Narrative - Character Description - Smile and Metaphor (Poetry) | Inform - Recount (diary) - Non-Chronological report | Inform - Recount (newspaper) -Non-Chronological report | Entertain - Free Verse Poetry - Narrative |
| Year 5 | Inform - Recount (diary) - Recount (newspaper) - Instructions
Entertain - Performance Poetry | Entertain -Figurative Poetry - Character Description -Twisted Tale | Inform - Non-Chronological Reports - Recount | Persuade - Advert - Letter | Entertain - Free Verse Poetry - Suspense Story | Discuss - Balanced argument |
| Year 6 | Inform - Recount (diary) Discuss - Balanced argument | Entertain - Suspense Story - Classic / Narrative Poetry | Persuade - Letter Inform - Recount (letter) Entertain - Narrative | Inform - Non-Chronological Report Entertain - Performance Poetry | Entertain - Short Story - Free Verse Poetry | Revision of all purposes |
These four purposes of writing - to entertain, inform, persuade, and discuss - are often referred to as the four core purposes. Most texts can fit into one of these four categories.
Some texts might even have more than one purpose. Some persuasive texts, such as a particularly engaging speech, could also be entertaining, and children might learn new information from a story book. In this case, the text might be described as having a primary and secondary purpose.
Writers will also show the purpose of their writing through their language choices. This includes things such as level of formality, genre conventions, and use of either first, second, or third person.
There are also lots of language devices that are specific to a certain purpose. Persuasive texts, for example, might include rhetorical questions, statistics, and repetition. On the other hand, entertaining texts might use features such as direct speech, similes and metaphors, and atmospheric language. Writers will use these conventions and common features to let their audience know their purpose.
| Purpose | Text types | Aim |
Reception to Year 6 | Stories Character description Setting descriptions Poetry | Aim is to interest and engage the reader. The use of description is particularly important when trying to paint a picture in the head of the reader. The main aim of any piece of entertaining writing is keeping the reader entertained and wanting to read on |
Reception to Year 6 | Labels Captions Instructions Non-Chronological Reports Recounts: diary entries Recounts: newspaper reports | Aim is to pass on information to the reader. The use of key facts and figures help to inform the reader. Pupils have to think carefully about how they present information to their readers. |
Years 3 to 6 | Poster / brochure Adverts Letters | The main aim of any piece of persuasive writing is to get the reader to share the writer's opinion or viewpoint. The children have to carefully consider their readers. |
Years 5 and 6 | Balanced arguments | The main aim is to provide the reader with points which clearly define the opinions that are being discussed |
