Types of essays Essays are usually divided into the following categories which, at times, may overlap.

Essay categories Personal writing Narrative writing Descriptive writing Persuasive writing Discursive writing

Personal writing Personal writing Focus on one incident rather than many. It reflects reality and is written in the first person “I” Don’t: Preach, become sentimental or over dramatise. Personal writing It is a sharing of your thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences. In order to gain sincerity write from your own experience. It tells a story from the writers point of view. Direct speech must be used sparingly.

Narrative writing Narrative writing We usually narrate in past tense and in 1st or 3rd person. “I, he, she, they, them” It tells a story or gives account of events or incidents. The body leads to a climax or an anti-climax. Limit the number of characters so that you can thoughtfully describe them. Narrative writing It revolves around a plot or story-line and it may encompass a moral. It contains action and something must happen. The intro indicates time and a setting. It could also introduce main characters. Answer the questions: How? When? Where? Why? and Who?

Descriptive writing Descriptive writing It paints a picture with words. You may describe people, places, objects or scenes. Use long sentences to make time stand still and short jerky sentences to hurry it up. Have you covered all SIDES to the story? Strong verbs Imagery Detail Experience Suggestion It relies on detail and requires suitable vocabulary. You need to use figurative language, strong verbs and creativity. Descriptive writing Introduce the subject with an effective opening statement. What do your senses tell you? What do I see, hear, feel, taste and smell.

Persuasive writing Persuasive writing Support your argument with examples, illustrations, facts and statistics. Rhetorical questions and repetition can be used for emphasis. You need to argue a point of view and try to persuade and convince your audience to agree with you. Persuasive writing Show a balanced attitude by presenting both sides but always stick to your point of view. It has a more formal, structured and logical approach. Before you start, write down the pro’s and cons of the issue. You need a strong opening sentence. Use a question, a proposal or a ‘shocking statement’. Eg. ‘Money grows on trees!’

Discursive writing Discursive writing Use connecting words to show shifts in the discussion. Eg. Alternatively, similarly, in contrast, on the other hand, however and while. Separate issues into different paragraphs. It may be compared to a written debate. Both sides of an argument are presented. Discursive writing In conclusion you do not need to choose a side. It is simply to present information and opinions in an interesting way. It clarifies writers ideas and offers information. It is formal and follows a logical structure.