Understanding different types of text.

A text can come in any form and be any kind of writing. Letters, adverts, user-guides,
emails, postcards, notes and magazine articles are all different types of text. When reading
something, it helps to know what type of text it is. It also helps to know why it has been
written. For example:
 An advert is written to persuade you to buy something.
 A user-guide is instructive and is written to tell you how to use something (such as a
video recorder or washing-machine).

Persuasive texts

A persuasive text tries to encourage you to do something. It may:

 Use capital letters, exclamation marks, questions and repeated words to catch your
attention.
 Use adjectives to make something sound attractive.
 Give only one side of an argument.
 Take the form of an advert; but it may also be a letter from a friend trying to persuade
you to go to a class.
For example, the following text is written to persuade the reader to take a holiday:

Enjoy an Enchanting Holiday in the Maldives.

Scattered across the Indian Ocean lie islands with the finest white sand beaches and
clearest crystal blue waters. These are the MALDIVES! Over 1,000 coral islands.
Temperatures here are always in the 80s.

What can our holiday offer you?

Luxurious accommodation aboard the fabulous Orient Explorer. Water sports for
the entire duration of your holiday.
Drinks and entertainment included at no extra charge.
Chauffeur-driven limousine to and from the airport.
Combine this with another seven-night holiday in our opulent apartments at the
Kelai Country Club.
Prices start from just £899 per person.

Understanding different types of text

It’s important to understand the difference between what is a fact and what is the writer’s
opinion. Try and work out what is fact and what is opinion in the text above.
Instructive texts

An instructive text tells you how to do something. It will often use commands and
pictures. It will be direct, without extra words, like adjectives.
For example: Cut the bread into small squares.
Arrange in layers and sprinkle with sugar and raisins.

Informative texts

An informative text should give facts, information or news in a clear, step-by-step way.
For example: Your course will start with an initial assessment in week 1, followed by a
guided tour of the building.

Descriptive texts

A descriptive text tells you what something is like. The writer is trying to help you
imagine or ‘see’ a person, place or thing. Describing words, such as adjectives and
adverbs are used, as well as descriptions of the five senses: look, sound, smell, touch,
taste.
For example:
He was a big man with short curly hair, brown teeth and a flat nose. A scar crossed his
right cheek from ear to chin.

Descriptive Paragraph

1. Describe: I am going to DESCRIBE a sunset!

Sunset is the time of day when our sky meets the outer space solar winds. There are blue,
pink, and purple swirls, spinning and twisting, like clouds of balloons caught in a blender.
The sun moves slowly to hide behind the line of horizon, while the moon races to take its
place in prominence atop the night sky. People slow to a crawl, entranced, fully forgetting
the deeds that still must be done. There is a coolness, a calmness, when the sun does set.

Informational Paragraph

2. Inform: I am going to INFORM you about the Apollo 11 space mission.

On July 16, 1969, the Apollo 11 spacecraft launched from the Kennedy Space Center in
Florida. Its mission was to go where no human being had gone before—the moon! The
crew consisted of Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin. The spacecraft
landed on the moon in the Sea of Tranquility, a basaltic flood plain, on July 20, 1969. The
moonwalk took place the following day. On July 21, 1969, at precisely 10:56 EDT,
Commander Neil Armstrong emerged from the Lunar Module and took his famous first
step onto the moon’s surface. He declared, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap
for mankind.” It was a monumental moment in human history!

Persuasive Paragraph

6. Persuade: I am going to PERSUADE my neighbors to buy tickets to the school

fair.
The school fair is right around the corner, and tickets have just gone on sale. We are
selling a limited number of tickets at a discount, so move fast and get yours while they
are still available. This is going to be an event you will not want to miss! First off, the
school fair is a great value when compared with other forms of entertainment. Also, your
ticket purchase will help our school, and when you help the school, it helps the entire
community. But that’s not all! Every ticket you purchase enters you in a drawing to win
fabulous prizes. And don’t forget, you will have mountains of fun because there are acres
and acres of great rides, fun games, and entertaining attractions! Spend time with your
family and friends at our school fair. Buy your tickets now!

A DESCRIPTIVE TEXT (Exercises)

Read the text carefully.

This is Mr. Hadi’s house. It has a living room, a dining room, two bedrooms, a bathroom,
a kitchen, and a garage. There are six chairs and a dining table in the dining room. The
dining room is between the living room and the kitchen. There are four armchairs, a
table, a room divider, a sofa and a TV set in the living room. In each bedroom you can
and a wardrobe and abed. There is a bucket in the bathroom. In the kitchen there are many
kitchen utensils. And Mr. Hadi’s car is in the garage.

Choose the correct answer based on the text.

 Let’s work together
Details make anything more interesting.
For example:
The man went for a walk.
We know the subject is a man and we know he went for a walk. Let’s add a few details
without changing the idea of the sentence.
The old man put on his heavy coat, leashed his black dog, grabbed a flashlight and a poop
bag, and went out into the cold for a walk. The main idea remains the same, but now we
know the age of the man, that his pet is a black dog, it’s cold and dark outside and he
thinks the dog has to go to the bathroom. WOW! It’s all in the DETAILS! We can now
visualize the man and his dog on a walk in the cold night.
Take the following sentences and make them DETAILED sentences.
1. Mary dressed carefully on the first day of school.
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2. The boy went to the ice cream shop.
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3. The twins live in the house.
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 ACTIVITY N2

The item in my bag is: (describe if it is soft, hard, squishy, etc.)

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I think the item in my bag is made out of: (describe the material, paper, plastic, glass,
metal, etc.)
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The item in my bag is: (pointy, smooth, scratchy, rough, round, etc.)
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I Think the item in my bag is usually found: (outside, inside)
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I think the item in my bag is for: (children, adults, dogs, birds, etc.)
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 INFORMATIVE TEXTS

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Parts of a Paragraph

A paragraph is a group of sentences about one topic. It contains a topic sentence,

supporting details and sometimes a concluding sentence. The sentences follow one another
from the beginning to the end of the paragraph. A paragraph is usually part of a longer piece of
writing, such as a letter or essay.

Read the paragraph and discuss the questions that follow.

Glenn Gould is widely regarded as Canada’s most famous and eccentric pianist. He is
renowned for his recordings of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. For example, Bach’s
Goldberg Variations, Gould’s first recording, was among the best-selling classical music albums
of its time. Gould is also famous for his unusual behaviour. He would only play concerts while
sitting on an old chair his father had made, and he usually hummed while he played. Contrary
to most pianists, he disliked playing in concert halls, and devoted most of his career to the
recording studio until his death in 1982. In brief, Glenn Gould was an unconventional pianist
who made a significant impact on the world of music.

1. What is this paragraph about?

2. What is the topic sentence? How is it different from your answer to question 1?

3. What are the details that support the topic sentence?

4. What transitions are used? What is the purpose of each transition?

5. What is the purpose of the concluding sentence?

Number the sentences below (from 1 to 5) to form a paragraph. On each line, write topic
sentence, supporting detail or concluding sentence to indicate the sentence’s purpose. Then
write the paragraph in order, adding appropriate transitions.

Hydroelectric power is a valuable source of renewable energy. ___________________

Nickel is another natural resource used in the making of stainless steel as well as coins. _____

These are just a few of the resources Canada offers. _______________________

Canada offers a variety of natural resources that are used for different purposes. _____

Timber is used for building materials and furniture.____________________