How to Answer Author's Voice & Method Questions on the ACT® & SAT®

Author’s voice and method questions appear on the ACT® & SAT® Reading sections. These question types require the reader to consider the author’s intent. Author’s voice and method questions focus on a small, specific part of the text rather than the entire passage as a whole (contrary to main idea questions). 

Author’s voice and method questions ask the reader to determine the purpose or function of a word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, or literary device in relation to the main idea of the passage or text at large. They, in essence, ask the reader, what is the author trying to accomplish, and what is it/why have they chosen this particular strategy?

Some Examples of Author’s Voice & Method Questions and Answers

Author’s voice and method questions use direct wording to steer test takers straight to the part of the text in question. This type of direct question enables students to easily identify which specific piece of the text is being assessed. 

Here are a few model author’s voice and method questions that students will likely encounter on the ACT® and SAT®:

• The author’s main purpose of including the information about ____ is to:

• The author refers to the work of _____ (line 13) in order to:

• In line 4, the author uses the word ubiquitous primarily to:

• The author mentions “unseen forces” in the concluding sentence in order to:

• In context, the author uses the phrase torch-bearer in line 10 primarily to:

• The main purpose of the underlined sentence is to:

• The second paragraph mainly serves to:

• The main purpose of lines 16-20 is to:

• The author most likely uses the example in line 7 (“Accordingly, … dinnertime.”) to highlight the: 

• In the final paragraph (lines 34-42), the author uses which of the following literary devices?

• Which of the following describes the way in which the second sentence (line 3) is used within the passage?

• In lines 51-55, the author of Passage 2 refers to the claim made in Passage 1 in order to:

Note that each of these examples guides the test taker to a specific part or place of the text (e.g., lines 34-42; underlined sentence, second paragraph, word/phrase), and asks the purpose or function of that specific part in relation to the entire text.

With that in mind, the test taker’s answers to author’s voice and method questions most often:

• Acknowledge a point or counterpoint

• Draw a distinction / Compare and contrast

• Provide an example

• Introduce a key term / Define a word or phrase

• Quote an expert

• Provide evidence / Cite a fact or statistic 

• Answer a critic or criticism

• Expand on an argument, point or counterpoint

How to Approach Author’s Voice & Method Questions:

Author’s voice and method questions are considered one of the three most common types of Local Questions. A Local Question is one that refers to a  specific piece of the passage, and requires a much narrower focus.

Here are some helpful strategies for dealing with these types of questions:

1. Highly recommended: read the entire text(s) before answering the questions. Yes, author’s voice and method questions are narrow in scope and, in some cases, can be answered without reading the entire text(s); however, in order for students to avoid trap answers, students do need to understand how the purpose of the part in question relates to the entire text(s). This is particularly crucial for paired passages.

For instance, if the question asks, “The main purpose of the second paragraph is to:,”  the test taker should have a basic understanding of the first and, if relative, third paragraphs of the text to truly understand the function of the second paragraph before answering the question. 

In another example, “In lines 51-55, the author of Passage 2 refers to the claim made in Passage 1 in order to:,” the question requires the reader to have read both texts in order to find the distinction between or compare and contrast the paired passages.

2. Carefully read the question. As we’ve said, author’s voice and method questions are very direct. These questions ask the reader about a very specific piece of the text. As long as the test taker reads the question carefully, they should know exactly where to look to find the answer.

3. Pay close attention to the lines surrounding the passage part in question. These lines often contain essential information to help students best answer the question. Those context clues are especially helpful in interpreting word and phrase questions.

4. Do not confuse Author’s voice and method with main idea questions. Author’s voice and method questions, at first glance, feel akin to main idea questions; however, it is important to remember that main idea questions ask what the author is trying to communicate, whereas author’s voice and method questions ask why/how the author is trying to communicate.

5. Consider the author’s main purpose of the text. Author’s voice and method questions ask for the reader to carefully consider the method/technique used or action taken by the author in respect to the main purpose of the text.

For example, in the question “The author most likely uses the example in line 7 (“Accordingly, … dinnertime.”) to highlight the:,” the test taker must think about why the author includes that example, and how that line supports the main objective of the text.

6. The best answer should always:

• Support the author’s main purpose/argument

7. Watch out for trick answers! Answers that refer to the text as a whole with a broad, general, wide scope are there to trick the test taker! The correct answers for author’s voice and method questions will only pertain to very specific parts of the text.

Once students are able to identify author’s voice and method questions, they’ll be able to immediately recognize the main objective of the question, they’ll understand what piece of the text is in question, and they’ll know where to look to find all of the information they’ll need to best answer the question. 

Help your students practice the difference between author’s voice and method questions by throwing in some main idea and summary questions—being able to practice identifying the difference between Local and Global, wide and narrow scope questions will make a huge difference when they are confronted by these types of questions on the ACT® and SAT®.

For more test-prep strategies and comprehensive practice ACT® & SAT® Reading passages and questions, be sure to schedule a free demo of our 100% white-label test-prep platform. See for yourself how Clear Choice Prep’s software, custom-branded workbooks, and personalized ACT® and SAT®-aligned tools can help your students take their tests with confidence!