Types of Writing

Types of Writing 

Imaginative / Personal
Genre	Purpose	Framework	Language Features
Recount ·         Personal retellings, Ex. Diary, autobiography, some letters. ·         Imaginative recounts.	To tell what happened, to retell events.	·         Orientation (Who, Where, When) ·         Series of events in time order ·         Personal comment	·         Use of nouns to identify people, animals and things ·         Linking words to do with time ex ‘later’, ‘after’, ‘before’ ·         Simple past tense ·         Action verbs
Descriptive ·         Description of a person, place or thing: character sketch, description of setting, object ·         Poem	To portray a person place, or thing in such a way that the reader can visualize the topic and enter into the writer’s experience.	·         Introduction ·         Supporting descriptive details ·         Summary	·         Elaborate use of sensory language ·         Rich, vivid, and lively detail ·         Figurative language such as simile, hyperbole, metaphor, symbolism and personification ·         Showing, rather than telling through the use of active verbs and precise modifiers ·         Adjectives and Stretched Sentences
Narrative ·         Ex. Fairytales, legends, plays, science fiction, myths, cartoons, adventure stories.	To entertain, create,   stimulate emotions, motivate, guide, teach	·         Orientation ( introduce main character in a setting of time and place) ·         Complications / problems (main characters find ways to solve the problem) ·         Resolution	·         Defined ·         Descriptive language ·         Dialogue ·         Usually past tense

Functional
Genre	Purpose	Framework	Language Features
Persuasive ·         Controversial topics	To choose a side of an argument and give reasons your choice is the correct one.	·         Open with a statement of the issue being addressed ·         State your position on the issue ·         Main body of text contains the arguments that are elaborated with reasons and evidence (facts). ·         End with a summary	·         Use mainly the present tense ·         Use logical and cause and effect connectives. ·         Use technical language ·         Dare the reader to disagree ·         Try to make opinions sounds like fact ·         Use powerful verbs and strong adj.
Expository ·         Low Research	To present, analyze, and interpret information.	·         This can be accomplished through: -          Compare – Contrast -          Problem – solution -          Cause –  effect

Argumentative ·         High level research

To investigate an idea, evaluate evidence, and give an argument concerning that idea in a clear and concise manner.

·         A statement of position at the beginning ·         A logical sequence ·         The argument is put forward in a series of points with back up evidence ·         A summing up or restating of position at the end

·         The argument is written in the present or it making predictions change to the future. ·         Strong effective adjectives are used ·         Use of emotive language ie. Words that will appeal to the reader’s feeling, Eg. Concern, unreasonable, should.

Note: Some confusion can occur between the argumentative paragraphs and expository paragraphs. These two genres are similar, but argumentative differs from expository in the amount of pre-writing and research involved. The argumentative essay is commonly assigned as a final project and involves lengthy, detailed research. Expository essays involve less research and are shorter in length. Expository essays involve less research and are shorter in length. Expository essays are often used for in-class writing exercises or tests.