Year 10 Writing Worksheet
Understanding Purpose and AudienceLearning Intention:
We are learning to understand who we are writing for (audience) and why we are writing (purpose).
Part 1: What Do These Words Mean?
Audience = ____________________________________________
Purpose = ____________________________________________
Common purposes for writing:
☐ To inform
☐ To entertain
☐ To persuade
☐ To describe
Part 2: Compare the Texts
Text A
Hey! You won’t believe what happened at school today! It was so funny!
Text B
Dear Mr Thompson,
I am writing to inform you about my absence from school yesterday.
Questions:
Who is the audience for Text A?
Vocabulary: ____________________________________________
Tone (formal/informal): _________________________________
Sentence structure: ____________________________________
Part 3: Matching Activity
Match the purpose to the example:
To persuade → __________________________
To inform → __________________________
To entertain → __________________________
To describe → __________________________
A. A story about a haunted house
B. A poster telling students to recycle
C. A report about climate change
D. A paragraph about your favourite place
Part 4: Try It Yourself
Task:
Write about your weekend in two different ways.
Version 1:
Write to your best friend.
Version 2:
Write to your principal.
Reflection Questions
What changed between Version 1 and Version 2?
Vocabulary? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Tone? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Sentence length? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Why is it important to think about audience before writing?
✅ Answer Page
Year 10 Writing Worksheet – Understanding Purpose and Audience
Part 1: What Do These Words Mean?
Audience = The person or group of people who are reading the writing.
Purpose = The reason why the writing is created.
Common purposes for writing:
✔ To inform
✔ To entertain
✔ To persuade
✔ To describe
Part 2: Compare the Texts
Text A
“Hey! You won’t believe what happened at school today! It was so funny!”
Who is the audience for Text A?
A friend / someone the writer knows well.
What is the purpose of Text A?
To entertain / to share an experience.
Text B
“Dear Mr Thompson,
I am writing to inform you about my absence from school yesterday.”
Who is the audience for Text B?
Mr Thompson (a teacher).
What is the purpose of Text B?
To inform.
What differences do you notice?
Vocabulary:
Text A uses casual words (Hey, won’t believe, funny).
Text B uses formal words (Dear, I am writing to inform you, absence).
Tone (formal/informal):
Text A is informal.
Text B is formal.
Sentence structure:
Text A uses shorter, more conversational sentences with excitement.
Text B uses a more structured, polite, and formal sentence.
Part 3: Matching Activity
To persuade → B. A poster telling students to recycle
To inform → C. A report about climate change
To entertain → A. A story about a haunted house
To describe → D. A paragraph about your favourite place
Part 4: Try It Yourself
(Students’ answers will vary. Below are model examples.)
Version 1 – To a Best Friend (Informal Example)
Hey! My weekend was awesome! On Saturday I went to the mall with my cousins and we bought ice cream. Then we watched a movie at home and stayed up really late. It was so much fun!
Version 2 – To the Principal (Formal Example)
Dear Mrs Brown,
Over the weekend, I spent time with my family. On Saturday, we visited the local shopping centre and later watched a movie together at home. It was an enjoyable and relaxing weekend.
Reflection Questions
What changed between Version 1 and Version 2?
The language became more formal. The tone was more polite and structured. Vocabulary changed to suit the audience.
Did you change:
Vocabulary? ✔ Yes
Tone? ✔ Yes
Sentence length? ✔ Yes
Why is it important to think about audience before writing?
Because different audiences expect different language, tone, and structure. Thinking about audience helps the writer choose appropriate vocabulary and communicate clearly and effectively.