Text Types and Genres

What this page covers

This unit is about recognising and comparing kinds of writing. Most of the material is mind maps, with a few quizzes, flashcard decks and flowcharts alongside them. The maps look at expository, persuasive, discussion, informative, narrative and non-fiction texts, plus journalistic writing and news reports.

Where to start

Begin with the Text types mind map. It sets out personal writing such as a diary entry, journal entry, letter or e-mail, and blog. Next, open Types of Expository Texts. It splits expository writing into description, temporal sequence, explanation, problem/solution, definition and comparison/contrast.

Then move on to the persuasive material:

1. Persuasive Text, which covers structure and language features, from the opening statement to the supporting evidence.
2. Persuasion texts, which explains the purpose of arguing a case from one point of view.
3. Discussion texts, which looks at taking a position, supporting arguments and refuting counter-arguments.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a map first, then test yourself. The quiz Purposes of non-fiction writing asks what form, audience and purpose mean in a writing task. It works well after the maps on types of writing. The Play Scripts quiz and the quiz on description are useful for checking narrower topics.

The flashcard deck Informational Text Features covers items such as the table of contents, glossaries, index, diagrams, captions and sidebars. Use it to learn the vocabulary of presentation. The map Presentation Devices fits well with it.

Fiction and other forms

For stories, try the maps on Analysing Fiction, Legends and NARRATIVE. The map on Little Grey Rabbit's Pancake Day looks at the contexts of production for a single text. One listed resource mentions GCSE English, so some material will suit students working at that stage.

Where it fits

This unit sits in the Reading and Text Analysis strand of Spanish language as a school subject. Several maps and flowcharts repeat the same topic from different angles, so compare them and keep what helps.

Choose one text type today, open its map, then see how much you can recall without looking.