Determine the main purpose of a passage or a portion of it.
Core Idea
The main purpose is the author's reason for writing the passage — to argue, explain, compare, challenge, or describe — not a summary of what the passage contains.
Understanding
"Main purpose" questions ask why the author wrote the passage, not what the passage is about. Two passages can cover the same topic but have completely different purposes: one might argue that a policy is effective, while another simply describes how the policy works.
A reliable approach: after reading, complete this sentence — "The author wrote this in order to _______." The blank should be a verb phrase like "challenge a common assumption," "explain a process," or "compare two approaches." If your answer is just a noun phrase ("deep-sea fish" or "economic policy"), you've identified the topic, not the purpose.
Watch for answers that are true but too narrow. If a passage argues that urban green spaces reduce stress, an answer saying the purpose is "to describe the physical features of urban parks" might be factually present in the text but misses the bigger argumentative goal.
Worked Example
In the 1920s, the Harlem Renaissance produced an extraordinary concentration of African American literary talent. Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Claude McKay each developed distinctive voices, yet all drew on shared experiences of migration, racial identity, and cultural reinvention. Their work collectively redefined what American literature could sound like.
Which choice best describes the main purpose of the text?
Select an answer to see the explanation