TYPES OF TEXT

Have you ever thought about why people read? While different people read for different
reasons, the basic purpose of reading and writing is to obtain and provide information.
Some types of writing are educational, others are informational, and others are
recreational. Regardless of the specific purpose of the writing, the basic purpose is the
same – providing information.

Information can be provided in a variety of writing formats, including

 nonfiction books and textbooks

 magazines, journals, and newspapers
 dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias
 government pamphlets and other public documents
 instructional materials

You may read nonfiction works recreationally, and you may also read fiction and poetry
for fun. The difference between these types of reading material is that, in writing, the
term nonfiction describes writing that is not fictional and is designed primarily to
explain, argue, or describe, rather than entertain. For the most part, the book is
considered to be factual, providing information that is widely acknowledged as true.
Nonfiction books include biographies, books about historical events, science books, and
books that are designed to explain something. Textbooks are a common form of
nonfiction books and are used in the classroom to teach students about math, language,
history, science and other subjects.

Fiction, on the other hand, is a story that is the product of imagination rather than a
documentation of fact. Characters and events in such narratives may be based on real life
but their content and design are a creation of the author.

TYPES OF NONFICTION

 biographies & autobiographies PSSA Coach, 2007

 textbooks
 “how to” books
 reference books
 manuals

TYPES OF FICTION

 stories
 novels
 fairy tales
 fables
 myths