Writing Genres Ms. Haynes February 5, 2013

Writing Genres Descriptive Expository Personal Persuasive Informal

Descriptive Essay Vividly describes a person, place, or thing Elaborate use of sensory details Details that go beyond the general Figurative language may be used Ie. Simile, hyperbole, metaphor, symbolism Showing, not telling Find a part of “Just Lather” that is written in a descriptive style

Expository Essay Demonstrates cause and effect relationships, explaining how something is done, good for writing compare and contrast Explains, informs, clarifies, defines, instructs States the main idea, supports using quotes and examples, has a conclusion You wrote one yesterday!

Personal Essay Also known as autobiographical essay Writing about you, or one of your personal experiences that is significant in some way When my Dad moved to Canada from Russia… When I broke up with my first boyfriend… When I wasn’t accepted into university…

Persuasive Essay Attempts to persuade the reader that this point of view is valid, or to take a particular action Similar to the Propaganda video we watched States a position Presents ideas logically, factually, clearly Supports using quotes, statistics, examples, facts Ends with a strong argument, summary, or call for action Ecocriticism – Global Warming

Informal Essay “For fun” essay – meant to entertain Allowed to speak directly to reader Relaxed tone Silly life lessons

Formal Essay - Introduction Meant to catch reader’s attention Give the reader a sense of what the composition will be about Introduce the topic, then get to the point quickly and state your thesis Does the introduction prepare and engage the reader?

Formal Essay - Body Start with a transition if necessary and write the topic sentence Provide the details which will develop the main idea Sum up the paragraph and refer to the topic sentence if necessary

Formal Essay - Body Ask yourself these questions: Are transitions used to provide coherence? Does each paragraph begin with a topic sentence? Is each paragraph unified – only one main idea? Does each supporting paragraph show how the main point and examples relate to the thesis? Has sufficient detail been provided? Is there a concluding sentence for each paragraph?

Formal Essay - Conclusion Sum up what has been said in the composition Does the conclusion sum up the main ideas? Is the conclusion interesting? Does the essay conclude in a memorable way, or does it seem to end abruptly?

Essay Revision Re-read for spelling, grammar, and syntax mistakes Are your paragraphs interesting to read? Are your points presented in a logical and useful way? Can connections between paragraphs be clarified?

Type of Arrangement Examples Chronological order (time) Physical order Order of importance Similar ideas Different ideas Co