Primary Purpose

Primary purpose asks why the author wrote the passage. It describes the author’s job: to argue, to explain, to compare, to critique. Do not confuse it with the main idea, which is what the passage says rather than why it was written.

Example

"To challenge the standard account of the invention" describes purpose, not content.

See also

• Main Idea
• Author’s Attitude
• Passage Organization

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Last updated October 12, 2026