Author's Purpose Anchor Charts Free Printable PIE Set
Free author's purpose anchor charts — PIE definition, examples, how to identify purpose, signal words, and PIE’ED. Download or print; no sign-up.
Free Author's Purpose Anchor Charts
Every chart below is free to view and download — no sign-up.
Author's purpose set
What Is the Author's Purpose?
Classic PIE definition with three purpose cards.
PIE Examples
Concrete text-type examples under each PIE purpose.
How to Find the Author's Purpose
Five classroom steps from reading to evidence.
Author's Purpose Signal Words & Clues
Clues and features that point to each purpose.
PIE’ED — Expanded Author's Purpose
PIE plus Explain and Describe for upper elementary.
Test yourself: author's purpose
Quick check — answers reshuffle each time.
A product advertisement is usually meant to…
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What is an author's purpose anchor chart?
An author's purpose anchor chart helps students name why a writer created a text — usually persuade, inform, or entertain (PIE). These free posters cover the definition, examples, a finding process, signal words, and the expanded PIE’ED model. Download and print with no account.
How to use these charts
- Hang the PIE definition during mini-lessons, then use examples when students mix up text types.
- Practice “prove it” with the how-to chart: purpose claim + one piece of evidence.
- Upper grades can switch to PIE’ED when explain/describe show up in standards.
Author's purpose vs main idea
Purpose is why the author wrote. Main idea is what the text is mostly about. A text can inform you (purpose) about how volcanoes form (main idea). Pair with Main Idea Anchor Charts when you teach both.
Frequently Asked Questions
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