UNDERSTANDING TEXT TYPES

Task One
Task Two
Task Three
Task Four
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Introduction

When you read an advertisement, an email from a friend or a research article for your degree, for example, the kinds of words, phrases, grammatical patterns, writing styles and structures you encounter are very different in each case. In other words, different types of texts contain different features. Being able to recognise these various text types and their distinct features has a number of advantages. Some of these are listed below.
It helps you understand the purpose of the text. The purpose of an advertisement, for example, is to persuade the reader to buy or do something. The purpose of an email to a friend is often to inform. The purpose of a research article is to examine an issue fully, and to argue a particular point with the support of evidence. It helps you locate information you are searching for more easily, because you will be familiar with how different texts are structured. It helps you develop a shared understanding about how to communicate effectively in different situations. This means that you will be able to construct similar texts yourself using appropriate formality and structure.

Task One

Below are eight different text types and the purposes of those texts, but they are mixed up. Decide what the purpose of each text type is and drag it to the correct text type on the left.

Task Two

To help you better understand the concept of text types try to match the examples of particular texts on the right with the text types on the left by dragging them to the correct text type.

Task Three

Look at the sentences below, identify their text type and write these in the column on the right. Complete this column before checking your answers. Pay careful attention to the feedback given.

Explanation	Narrative	Discussion	Argumentative (Exposition)
Report	Procedure (Instruction)	Recount	Descriptive

	Text	Text type
1.	Advertising has a great impact on children and therefore advertisements should be designed carefully so that children do not adopt inappropriate values. Show feedback Hide feedback This sentence shows the writer’s opinion. ‘Should’ indicates the writer is putting forward an argument.	Correct! Sorry!Try again Argumentative (Exposition) Argumentative Check Show Answer and Feedback
2.	The nervous system works through a complex network of neurons. These are the basic functioning cells of the nervous system and conduct electrical impulses between the central and peripheral nervous system. Show feedback Hide feedback This sentence starts to explain to the reader how the body’s nervous system ‘works’. A common feature of this type of text is the use of the present simple form.	Correct! Sorry!Try again Explanation Check Show Answer and Feedback
3.	To produce "foie gras" (which literally means "fatty liver"), workers ram pipes down male ducks' or geese's throats two or three times daily and pump as much as 4 pounds of grain and fat into the animals' stomachs, causing their livers to bloat to up to 10 times their normal size. Many birds have difficulty standing because of their engorged livers, and they may tear out their own feathers and cannibalize each other out of stress. (Source: www.peta.org) Show feedback Hide feedback The highlighted language is particularly descriptive.	Correct! Sorry!Try again Descriptive Check Show Answer and Feedback
4.	So he sat down, opened a drawer, took out of it a woman's photograph, gazed at it a few moments, and kissed it. Show feedback Hide feedback The past tense is often used to tell stories.	Correct! Sorry!Try again Narrative Check Show Answer and Feedback
5.	Swallowing air when eating is often done unconsciously and may cause frequent belching during or after meals. To avoid swallowing air, make sure you slow down when eating, try not to 'slurp' drinks, and avoid talking while chewing. Show feedback Hide feedback Note the use of the imperative form to instruct the reader to do something. The infinitive ‘to avoid’ is used to explain the purpose of these instructions.	Correct! Sorry!Try again Procedure (Instruction) Procedure Check Show Answer and Feedback
6.	Yesterday I fell over while walking in the hills and went to see the doctor, who bandaged my knee and gave me a tetanus injection. Show feedback Hide feedback A personal experience is recounted to the reader. Note the use of the past tense.	Correct! Sorry!Try again Recount Check Show Answer and Feedback
7.	There are various ways to overcome deteriorating eyesight. One possible avenue is to undergo eye surgery. However, before making this decision, patients should consider several factors such as the cost of the surgery, their state of health and the associated risks. Show feedback Hide feedback Unlike an argumentative text, the writer does not present one particular argument. Indeed, in this case the writer admits ‘there are various ways’ and presents two sides of one possible option.	Correct! Sorry!Try again Discussion Check Show Answer and Feedback
8.	Major programme requirements that were identified by the directors include the need for better tools to track and evaluate clients’ performance over time. Show feedback Hide feedback The phrase, ‘the need for,’ shows this is a recommendation and is likely to appear at the end of a report. Common features of certain types of reports include the use of the passive and noun phrases.	Correct! Sorry!Try again Report Check Show Answer and Feedback

Task Four

Let’s look now at some of the language features that are common to particular text types and which therefore discriminate one text type from another. There are rather a lot of different language features listed here, but don’t worry, you won’t need to learn all of these. Recognisng how different language features are used to fit the purposes of different texts will enhance both your ability to read and write.

Instructions

Look at the common language features on the left and see if you can guess which text type these features are often found in. Write the text type in the column on the right.
If you cannot guess the particular text type, click on Text to see the example text from Task Three.
Next, see whether you can spot any of these language features in the short text.
Check whether you are right by clicking on Show Answer and Explanation.

	Common Language Features	Text type
	Text 1 So he sat down, opened a drawer, took out of it a woman's photograph, gazed at it a few moments, and kissed it. Use of time connectives to sequence events in the story Verbs (actions, feelings, thoughts and speech) Generally written in the past tense Contains dialogue Written in the first or third person. Everyday language Use of emotive language to express feeling and attitudes Common use of conjunctions – and, then, but, because, after, when References to time and place – one day, in the afternoon	Narrative

	Common Language Features	Text type
	Text 2 There are various ways to overcome deteriorating eyesight. One possible avenue is to undergo eye surgery. However, before making this decision, patients should consider several factors such as the cost of the surgery, their state of health and the associated risks. Causal connectives for reasoning - therefore, so Connectives that sequence, contrast Different degrees of modality - perhaps, should, must Use of generalised nouns - many people Complex noun groups A variety of verbs (action, speech and mental – believe, decide) Timeless present tense Technical/Subject-specific terms Usually formal in style	Correct! Sorry!Try again Discussion Check Show Answer and Explanation

	Common Language Features	Text type
	Text 3 The nervous system works through a complex network of neurons. These are the basic functioning cells of the nervous system and conduct electrical impulses between the central and peripheral nervous system. Generalised non-human nouns Technical/Subject-specific terms Complex noun groups Timeless/general present tense unless referring to historical facts Action verbs Occasional use of the passive voice Connectives that sequence Connectives that indicate cause and effect Factual statements	Correct! Sorry!Try again Explanation Check Show Answer and Explanation

	Common Language Features	Text type
	Text 4 Advertising has a great impact on children and therefore advertisements should be designed carefully so that children do not adopt inappropriate values. Generalised nouns A variety of verbs (action, relational - be, become, seem - speech and mental) Timeless present tense is often used Nominalisation (actions are changed to things) Technical/Subject-specific terms Causal connectives for reasoning Frequent use of the passive voice High modality is used to emphasise the writer’s viewpoint - will, must, always Factual statements	Correct! Sorry!Try again Argumentative Check Show Answer and Explanation

	Common Language Features	Text type
	Text 5 Major programme requirements that were identified by the directors include the need for better tools to track and evaluate clients’ performance over time. Generalised nouns (The use of personal pronouns is limited) Action verbs The passive voice Relational (is, are, have) Timeless present tense Factual rather than imaginative descriptive language Technical/Subject-specific terms Paragraphs with topic information, headings, subheadings Formal language	Correct! Sorry!Try again Report Check Show Answer and Explanation

	Common Language Features	Text type
	Text 6 Swallowing air when eating is often done unconsciously and may cause frequent belching during or after meals. To avoid swallowing air, make sure you slow down when eating, try not to 'slurp' drinks, and avoid talking while chewing. Mainly action verbs Verbs in the imperative The reader is referred to in a general way (you) Everyday language Subject specific terms Words that refer to place, time and manner	Correct! Sorry!Try again Procedure Check Show Answer and Explanation

	Common Language Features	Text type
	Text 7 Yesterday I fell over while walking in the hills and went to see the doctor, who bandaged my knee and gave me a tetanus injection. First person pronouns Action verbs Usually written in past tense Time connectives to sequence events Words that refer to time and place Everyday language, which can sound like spoken language Emotive language for feelings and attitudes Linkers - and, but, so	Correct! Sorry!Try again Recount Check Show Answer and Explanation

	Common Language Features	Text type
	Text 8 To produce "foie gras" (which literally means "fatty liver"), workers ram pipes down male ducks' or geese's throats two or three times daily and pump as much as 4 pounds of grain and fat into the animals' stomachs, causing their livers to bloat to up to 10 times their normal size. Many birds have difficulty standing because of their engorged livers, and they may tear out their own feathers and cannibalize each other out of stress. Rich, vivid detail Figurative language – metaphor, personification, simile Sensory language (smells, sounds, feelings, etc.) Timeless present tense May include technical or specialized words depending on context	Correct! Sorry!Try again Descriptive Check Show Answer and Explanation