Purpose and Focus

Overview

When you know your purpose, you can choose the right tone, details, and structure for your audience. Staying focused means every sentence supports your main idea and avoids off-topic information. Together, purpose and focus keep your writing clear, organized, and effective.

Know your purpose

Purpose is the reason you are writing. Ask yourself: Am I trying to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain?

• Example:

  • Inform: “The school cafeteria will serve pizza every Friday.”

  • Persuade: “We should have pizza every day because it’s affordable and popular.”

Match your purpose to your audience

Think about who will read your work and what they need from it.

• Example:

  • Writing to your principal about a school rule change will sound different from writing to a friend.

  • Principal: “Allowing hats indoors would reduce hallway distractions.”

  • Friend: “It’d be awesome to wear hats in class!”

Stay focused on your main idea

Everything you write should connect back to your topic and purpose.

• Unfocused: “Our team won the game. I like ice cream. We should get more funding for sports.”

• Focused: “Our team’s victory shows why sports programs deserve more funding.”

Use supporting details

Give examples, facts, or stories that directly support your purpose.

• Example:

  • Main idea: Students need more library time.

  • Support: “Extra library hours would give us more time to finish research projects and explore books we enjoy.”

Avoid off-topic information

If it doesn’t help your purpose, leave it out.

• Off-topic: “Recess is fun, and the library should have more books.” (Mixes two unrelated topics.)

• On-topic: “The library should have more books, so students can find what they need for assignments.”

Check your work for purpose and focus

After writing, reread and ask:

• Does every sentence help achieve my goal?

• Is my message clear for the audience?

• Example: 

          If your purpose is to persuade the school to allow a new club, make sure all your points show why it’s a good idea.

Summary

Purpose tells your reader why you’re writing, and focus ensures that everything you say supports that goal. Together, they make your writing clear, organized, and effective. Whether you’re writing an essay, email, or article, always define your purpose early and stay focused throughout your draft.