Hayley’s Text AnalysisHayley’s Text Analysis

Text TypesText Types

• Narrative• Report• Recount• Instructions• Explanations• Arguments

NarrativeNarrative

• The social purpose of a Narrative is to tell an imaginary series of events to entertain, amuse or instruct the listener or reader.

Structure of a NarrativeStructure of a Narrative

• Orientation: Reader is introduced to individual characters in a particular setting, engaged in certain actions.

• Complication: A problem or tension arises.

• Resolution: Problem is resolved, though not necessarily happy as in many fairy tales.

Grammatical Features of a Grammatical Features of a NarrativeNarrative

• Temporal sequence.• Action verbs.• Noun groups used

in describing characters and settings.

ExamplesExamples

• Fairy Tales.• Mysteries.• Science Fiction.• Romances.• Horror Stories.

ReportReport

• The social purpose of a report is to classify or describe. A report provides precise information about a particular object, creature or phenomenon.

Structure of a ReportStructure of a Report

• Classification: A particular creature, object is classified in either a commonsense way or in a technical way.

• Description: Described from a technical point of view rather than from a personal or imaginative view.

Grammatical Features of a Grammatical Features of a ReportReport

• Technical terms.• Nominal groups.• Action verbs.• Relational verbs.

• Nominalisation. • Personal pronouns.• Taxonomies.• Present tense.

ExamplesExamples

• Description of animals.

• Reports on countries.

• Factual reports.

RecountRecount

• The social purpose of a recount is to retell past events, achievements or experiences, usually to inform others, entertain, instruct and reconstruct.

Structure of a RecountStructure of a Recount

• Orientation: Who or what the recount is about, together with info about when and where events have occurred.

• Series of Events: Tells us what happened by spelling out the sequence of events that took place over time.

• Re-orientation: Re-orientates the reader, bringing the text back into the present.

Grammatical Features of a Grammatical Features of a RecountRecount

• Verbs in past tense.• Adverbial of time.• Noun group.• Technical language.

ExamplesExamples

• Personal diary.

• Factual report.

• Postcards, letters and e-mails.

InstructionsInstructions

• The social purpose of instructions is to provide clear and unambiguous directions that help the reader to perform a set of specific actions directed towards a specific outcome.

Structure of InstructionsStructure of Instructions

• Title: Informs the reader of the goal.• List of materials.• Steps: Outlines the procedure which helps to

accomplish a task.• Additional suggestions: Not always

provided.• Visual aids: Diagrams for eg provide reader

with a model of how the final product should look.

Grammatical Features of Grammatical Features of an Instructionan Instruction

• Imperatives.• Action verbs.• Range of adverbials.

ExamplesExamples

• Recipes.• Instructional

manuals.• Craft books.

ExplanationsExplanations

• The social purpose of an explanation is to describe processes whereby phenomena work or reasons why they occur.

Structure of an Structure of an ExplanationExplanation

• Classification Stage: Names and classifies the creature, object or phenomenon.

• Descriptive Stage: Provides a series of descriptions about the creature, object or phenomena being reported upon.

Grammatical Features of Grammatical Features of an Explanationan Explanation

• Relational verbs.• Action verbs.• Technical

terminology.• Taxonomies.• Nominalisation.• Adverbials of time.

ExamplesExamples

• Explaining - how.• Explaining - why.

ArgumentsArguments

• The social purpose of an argument involves the writer evaluating issues, making judgements and persuading readers to consider the writers point of view.

Structure of an ArgumentStructure of an Argument

• Thesis: What attitude is on the issue. Brings out the main point of the argument.

• Series of arguments: Arguments which support the main point through further evidence (point and elaboration).

• Re-iteration: Brings the argument to a close.

Grammatical Features of Grammatical Features of an Argumentan Argument

• Connectives.• Conjunctions.• Modals.

• Nominalisation.• Variety of verbs.• Present tense.

ExamplesExamples

• Editorials.• Debates.• Formal letters.• Lectures.• Expostions.• Advertisements.