Text Types: Instructional, Predictive, Descriptive, Expository, and Argumentative
Text Types
Instructional Text
Instructional texts aim to teach the recipient how to regulate their behavior in the future. In other words, they help the receiver by directing, teaching, or advising on certain actions.
Structure:
- Goal: The purpose of the text is stated clearly. It can be brief and summarized in the title.
- Instructions: Following a logical (cause-effect) or chronological order, the instructions present the steps, whether these are orders, advice, or actions.
- Paragraphs: Ideas are usually distributed in several paragraphs, each focusing on a single topic or subtopic.
- Sections: Instructions may be grouped into sections or subsections.
Linguistic Form:
- Frequent use of conative or persuasive verbal forms (to do, have to do…).
- Use of the second person, as the text is addressed explicitly to a receiver.
- The lexicon is often denoted and accurate, as they are utilitarian texts: abundant technicalities of the field to which the text belongs (legal, technical, computer, cooking…).
- The syntax is usually simple, with short and concise sentences.
- Typographical resources, such as spatial arrangement, headings, subheadings, indents, and underscores, are characteristic and facilitate reading.
- Instructional texts often include iconic codes, such as graphics and illustrations.
Predictive Text
Predictive text aims to inform about future events or states; it announces that something will take place (e.g., horoscopes, prophecies, manifestos).
Structure:
- Information is sorted by topic.
Linguistic Forms:
- The most characteristic is the use of the future tense, although other tenses or paraphrasing may be used.
- Common use of adverbs of time, temporary connectors, conditional sentences, and paraphrasing.
Examples:
- Obligation: Have to / Must / Have to / Have it.
- Assumption of Chance: Come to / Duty.
- Possibility: Can.
- Aspectual Periphrasis: Report on the development of the verbal action.
- Inchoative: Get to / Breaking into / Start / Lying to / Start to.
- Frequent: Use to.
- Repeated: Back to.
- Duration: Be / Walk / Come / Go / Continue.
- Completed: Stop, finish, finish / get / stop.
- Perfective or Results: Bring / Leave / Stay / Be / Have / Take / See / Feel.
Descriptive Text
Descriptive text depicts a reality, whether concrete or abstract, in words. It reports on objects, places, environments, people, etc. Descriptions are typically static; elements are arranged in space, and time seems to stand still, unlike narratives, which are dynamic and unfold over time. In descriptions, actions or processes are depicted as if frozen in a moment. The representative or referential function predominates, introducing aspects or details of people, objects, processes, or environments. Descriptions are often interspersed with other text types to provide context for a narrative, describe an object, or explain the operation of something.
Forms of Description:
- Spatial Markers: Allow elements to be presented in a linear perspective (front, behind, left, right) or from a horizontal perspective (proximity, distance).
- Enumeration: In some cases, enumeration is rapid, with no links, and sentences are juxtaposed. In other cases, conjunctions abound.
- Adjectives:
- Present and Imperfect Indicative:
Expository Text
Expository text seeks to inform and provide knowledge about a topic. Its didactic intention is to help the reader understand an idea or concept or expand their knowledge. Expository text must present information clearly, orderly, and objectively. The referential function generally dominates. Expository texts can be grouped into:
- Divulgative: Clearly and objectively report on a topic of general interest.
- Scientific: Report on the development of science. Textual choices make these reports a specialized subgenre.
Structure of Expository Text:
- Generally based on an idea or theme that is developed throughout the text.
- Elements are ordered according to the theme, following a logical, chronological, or hierarchical relationship.
Argumentative Text
Argumentative text seeks to express opinions or refute them to persuade a reader. In addition to the referential function, the persuasive function is also characteristic, appearing in the development of the arguments.
Structure of Argumentative Text:
- Similar to expository text, the content is often organized into three sections: introduction, where the main idea is presented, development of the arguments, and conclusion.
Techniques and Forms of Argumentation:
Argumentation requires strong arguments to persuade or convince the reader. Arguments should also be attractive and engaging, capturing the reader’s sympathy.