Text types

Text types

1. Brochure, leaflet, pamphlet

   • Register: semi-formal to formal ; Tone: simple and direct
   • Context: set out in the question ; Audience: retty clearly defined by how context and purpose are linked; Purpose: publicity
   • Conventions: engaging title; format techniques such as sub-headings, bullet points, numbering; practical aspects of the brochure; short introduction and a conclusion
   • Basic Format: Main heading; Use of multiple sections; Subheadings; Succinct explanation; Background information.

2. Blog

   • Context: set out in the question; Audience: people interested in the subject matter; Purpose: interest / entertain / amuse / be provocative & stimulating
   • Register: semi-formal to informal; Tone: personal - chatty, direct and unpretentious
   • Basic Format: Heading, Conclusion,Lucid paragraphing.
   • Conventions: first person, seek to engage the reader, use typical blog techniques, have an interesting, catchy title
   • Approach: address, register,

3. Article (newspaper, magazine)

   • context: will usually be set out briefly in the question ; Audience: indicated by where the article will be published; Purpose inform or to report
   • Register: semi-formal to formal; Tone: appropriate to task
   • Basic Format: Headline, Sub-Headline, Byline, Short paragraphs, Short paragraphs ,

4. Diary / journal entry

   • Journal entry/ Diary entry
   • Context: the writer's own life; Audience: a diary is assumed to be essentially private, a journal may be written for possibly public reading; Purpose: 'record' some experiences of personal significance
   • Register: informal; Tone: personal, frank and open
   • Conventions: first person narration, closing statement to round off the entry, self-evident explanatory phrases or sentences, include the date and/or day
   • Basic Format: Heading, Conclusion, Lucid paragraphing.

5. E-mail / letter

   • Email:
     • Context: the question will usually describe a background situation; Audience: a specified friend / acquaintance ; Purpose: express and explore personal attitudes and experience.
     • Register: consistently informal ; Tone: lively, engaging
     • Conventions: maintain clear sense of address to a specific person, appropriate opening salutation, appropriate closing salutation.
     • Basic Format: standard heading ,informal opening and closing salutations.
   • Letter
     • Context: question will usually provide the context ; Audience:question will usually provide the context ; Purpose: present an argument or state a position.
     • Register: consistently formal; Tone: suitably serious and respectful.
     • Conventions: clear sense of address to a specific person, opening salutation, closing salutation, identify the recipient, have a date.
     • Basic Format: sender's address, date, opening/closing salutations, register : nature of 'formal’ tone, recipient's address.

6. Interview

   • Context:involve who is to be interviewed; Audience: where the interview is to be published; Purpose: inform or report
   • Register: semi-formal to formal; Tone: express interest in the person interviewed, and probably respect, even fascination.
   • Conventions: relevant headline/title, style aimed at involving and interesting the reader, refer to the interview, introduction and a conclusion.
   • Basic format: Headline / title, Sub-headline, summarising, Byline, Short paragraphs, Sub-headings, Interview details + context of interview + background of interviewee.

7. News report

   • Context: the point of a news report, its main content; Audience: where the report is going to be published will define; Purpose: inform
   • Register: semi-formal to formal; Tone: impersonal
   • Conventions: have a title/headline, neutral/objective style, clearly structured layout.
   • Basic Format: Headline / title, Sub-headline, summarising, Byline, Short paragraphs, Sub-headings.

8. Opinion column / letter to the editor

   • Opinion column
     • Context: the question will generally provide it; Audience: defined by the publication context ; Purpose: discuss
     • Register: semi-formal to formal; Tone: appropriate to task
     • Conventions: relevant headline/title, introduction intended to catch the readers’ attention, techniques that engage and interest readers, first-person statement.
   • Letter to the Editor
     • Context: the question will generally provide it; Audience: the Editor; Purpose: present the writer's particular, personal point of view.
     • Register: semi-formal to formal; Tone: appropriately serious
     • Conventions: refer to the original article/issue raised, give interesting opinions, appropriate opening and closing salutations
     • Basic Format: sender's address, date, opening/closing salutations, register, recipient's address.
   • Letter to the Editor
     • Basic Format: sender's address, date, opening/closing salutations, register, recipient's address.
     • Conventions: refer to the original article/issue raised, give interesting opinions, appropriate opening and closing salutations
     • Register: semi-formal to formal; Tone: appropriately serious
     • Context: the question will generally provide it; Audience: the Editor; Purpose: present the writer's particular, personal point of view.
   • Opinion column
     • Conventions: relevant headline/title, introduction intended to catch the readers’ attention, techniques that engage and interest readers, first-person statement.
     • Register: semi-formal to formal; Tone: appropriate to task
     • Context: the question will generally provide it; Audience: defined by the publication context ; Purpose: discuss

9. Personal statement / cover letter

   • Personal statement
     • Context: will be given in the task; Audience: educated and informed people; Purpose: display clear thinking and effective argument,
     • Register: semi-formal to formal; Tone: appropriately serious
     • Conventions: relevant title, style that arouses interest in the reader, clear and interesting introduction and conclusion.
   • Cover letter
     • Context: the question / task will explain; Audience: will be identified, but may well not be known personally; Purpose: introduce other enclosed or attached materials.
     • Register: consistently formal; Tone: suitably serious and respectful.
     • Conventions: clear sense of address to a specific person, appropriate opening salutation, appropriate closing salutation.
   • Cover letter
     • Conventions: clear sense of address to a specific person, appropriate opening salutation, appropriate closing salutation.
     • Register: consistently formal; Tone: suitably serious and respectful.
     • Context: the question / task will explain; Audience: will be identified, but may well not be known personally; Purpose: introduce other enclosed or attached materials.
   • Personal statement
     • Conventions: relevant title, style that arouses interest in the reader, clear and interesting introduction and conclusion.
     • Register: semi-formal to formal; Tone: appropriately serious
     • Context: will be given in the task; Audience: educated and informed people; Purpose: display clear thinking and effective argument

10. Proposal

    • Basic Format: overall subject title, main headings, sub-headings, bullet points, numbered sections, explicit clear organization
    • Conventions: style aimed to persuade a specified audience, title which summarises the overall subject, set out the text clearly, have an introduction and a conclusion.
    • Register: Formal; Tone: aims to be objectively authoritative
    • Context: the question will generally provide it; Audience: will be specified in the question; Purpose: defined by the context.

11. Report (official)

    • Basic Format: overall subject title, main headings, sub-headings, bullet points, numbered sections, explicit clear organization
    • Conventions: have a title, use a neutral/objective style, clearly structured layout , have a conclusion.
    • Register: formal; Tone: impersonally authoritative
    • Context: will be explained in the question; Audience: will be specified in the question; Purpose: provide an objective, reliable account of some situation or event.

12. Review

    • Basic format: Headline / title, Sub-headline, summarising, Byline, Short paragraphs, Sub-headings
    • Conventions: name of the reviewer, attractive, catchy title, attract and interest the reader.
    • Register: semi-formal; Tone: intended to engage the reader
    • Context: the question is likely to propose a general context; Audience: decided by where the article will be published; Purpose: stimulate interest.

13. Set of instructions, guidelines

    • Context: the question will set up a context; Audience: specified in the task; Purpose: analyze behavior in a given situation.
    • Register: semi-formal; Tone: direct, clear and supportive.
    • Conventions: clear and focused heading / title, short introduction and conclusion. set out the guidelines clearly, directly address the intended audience.
    • Basic Format: main heading / title, secondary headings, numbered sections, short paragraphs.

14. Social media posting / online forums

    • Context: the question will set up a context; Audience: specified by the kind of media/forum; Purpose: to make a public, online statement about one's personal stance / attitude / knowledge AND/OR to respond to / comment on other people's postings.
    • Register: informal to semi-formal; Tone: lively and personal.
    • Conventions: first person statement, engage the reader, typical forum techniques.

15. Speech, presentation, debate

    • Context: describe a situation in which a particular type of message is to be communicated orally; Audience:assumed to be reasonably educated and informed; Purpose: inform and persuade
    • Register: semi-formal to informal; Tone: appropriately serious
    • Conventions: address the audience and keep contact with them throughout, set out to catch the audience’s attention at the beginning and leave a clear impression at the end, include elements of speech rhetoric .
    • Basic format: 'address’ established, 'address' maintained , clear opening / introduction, appropriate closing / conclusion.