Characteristics of Major Text Types
Text Types
Expository Text
Provides objective information on a particular topic in a clear and orderly manner. It uses the representational function of language with a precise, clear, and objective style. The text is often accompanied by pictures, illustrations, or graphics.
Features
- Precise and specific vocabulary (denotative, avoiding metaphors).
- Use of verbs in the 3rd person singular, indicative mood.
- Simple syntactic constructions and short sentences for clarity.
- Use of examples and restatements to facilitate understanding of ideas.
Structure
- Introduction: Introduces the topic and the approach.
- Development: Explains all the ideas or the main points.
- Conclusion: Synthesizes the main points and presents results or summaries.
Argumentative Text
Aims to convince by argument, defending an opinion, fact, idea, or value with reasons or evidence to support a thesis.
Structure
- Thesis: The idea to be proven or defended. It can appear at the beginning or end of the text.
- Argumentation: The body of the argument, containing data sets, evidence, examples, or logical reasons used by the author to defend the thesis.
- Conclusion: A final summary that reinforces the advocated idea.
Grammatical Features
- Use of connectors for the logical progression of arguments.
- Declarative mood for displaying data.
- Technical vocabulary, referring to the issue discussed.
- Complex syntax and long sentences; concessive clauses are common.
Six Types of Arguments
- Authority: Defense and expression of ideas based on expert sources.
- Analogy: Comparing two events or situations and, by example, arguing for the thesis.
- Historical and Scientific Data: The use of objective data produced by science or history.
- Common Wisdom: Using proverbs and sayings that express a truth commonly accepted by society.
- Proven Personal Experience: Citing experiences that the author has undergone and can verify.
- Ad Hominem (Against the Person): Attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself.
Descriptive Text
Details the qualities of a person, animal, place, or thing.
Descriptive Techniques
- Adjectives: Features many nouns and adjectives due to the lack of action focus. Adjectives are very common in such texts.
- Literary Devices: Use of tools such as metaphor, hyperbole, and comparison to highlight the qualities of the subject.
- Language: Can be informative or use standard language.
Other Descriptive Forms
- Caricature: Exaggerating the salient features of a person.
- Prosopography: Description of external features (physical appearance).
- Ethopoeia: Description of internal features (character, morals).
- Portrait: Literary description covering both physical and internal aspects.
- Topography: Description of landscapes or places.
Narrative Text
Relates events (real or fictional) that happened to characters. The most important element is the action and the elements related to it (characters, structure, point of view, etc.). Action is linked to the concept of time and space; therefore, verbs are frequently used.
Characters are divided into primary or secondary (depending on participation) and into flat or round (according to their evolution or complexity).
Structure
- Introduction/Exposition: Presents the setting, characters, and initial conflict.
- Development/Rising Action/Climax (Node): Events unfold as characters act according to their objectives, leading to a peak.
- Resolution/Denouement: Resolves the conflict introduced in the introduction.
Point of View
The perspective from which the action is told:
- Omniscient Narrator: Views the facts from the outside and has all the information.
- Protagonist Narrator: Directly involved in the story and tells it in the 1st person.
- Witness Narrator: Tells the story of another character and is not directly involved in the main plot.