TYPES OF WRITING I

SUMMARY
 Learning Outcomes
• Expected Outcomes: By the end of the
session, the students will:
• 1. understand summary and writing
techniques;
• 2. be will able to distinguish between
relevant and irrelevant facts in summary
writing.
• 3. be able to engage in different writing
types.
 SUMMARY
• A summary is a concise representation of
the essential content of a text.
• Every text has a central message that runs
through it.
• The central message is the essential
content that should be presented in a
summary.
 Understanding the Nature of
Paragraphs
• Summary writers should understand the
nature of paragraphs.
• Note the points of the passage in an
outline method.
• The major points should be separated with
the sub-points arranged under them.
 SUMMARY TYPES
• The requirements for summary writing are
varied.
• Stick to requirements of the summary
question. i.e. sentence or paraphrase.
• The writer should recapture the points in
his own words.
Conclusion
 ESSAYS
• An essay is a piece of writing which
requires the expressions of one’s ideas on
any given topic.

• A writer’s thoughts should be expressed

• simply
• vividly
• correctly
• convincingly
– Traditionally, there are four essay types.
– the narrative essay
– the descriptive essay
– the argumentative essay
– the expository essay
– However, there are different types of
writing.
 The Nature of a Narrative
• A narrative essay tells a story about what
has happened, when it happened and who
was involved.
• The events may be factual or imaginary.
• The events follow usually a chronological
order.
 The Purpose of a Narrative
Writing
• The basic purpose of narrative essays is to
entertain, to hold a reader’s interest.
• However, narratives can also be written to
teach, to inform or to entertain.
The Structure of a Narrative Essay
Narrative writings or stories are told in
chronological order.
A narrative essay should have
• An introduction
• A body/middle
• A conclusion
The language of a narrative essay
• The language of a narrative should deploy
past tense action verbs.
• It should be written in the first person (I,
we) or the third person (he, she, they).
• Use linking words to deal with time.
• Specific nouns should be used. E.g. Oak is
more specific than tree.
• Careful use of adjectives and adverbs:
• Use of sensory details.
The Descriptive Essay
Give this picture a title and write a
paragraph on what you can see.
 A Descriptive Essay
• This essay type presents a ‘pen picture’ of
what a place, a person, a thing, a place or
an abstract idea is like
• A descriptive essay should not tell, but
SHOW.
• It is of two types:
• 1. the objective description
• 2. the subjective or impressionistic
description
 The Objective Description
• The objective description is not influenced
by the writer’s
• feelings,
• prejudices,
• attitudes or
• impressions.
• It is the type used for scientific papers.
The Subjective Or Impressionistic
Description
• The subjective description is laced with the
writer’s feelings and attitudes.
• This is the type of description used in
describing an accident scene, a festival or
a pleasant/ an unpleasant character.
 Characteristics of a Descriptive
Essay
• It should capture readers' interest.
• A descriptive essay should make for
interesting reading.
• To make the essay appealing, the writer
needs to consider.
• i. audience preferences, and
• ii. use words and descriptions that pique
readers' interest.
 Features of a Good Descriptive
Writing
A good descriptive essay is made up of four
features:
• Sensory details
• Figurative language
• Precise language
• Careful organization
The Argumentative Essay
• An argumentative essay is also called a
persuasive essay.
• The aim is always to convince or to
persuade someone to accept a viewpoint.
• The essay focuses on the reader.
• A good argumentative essay should
appeal to the reader’s reason rather than
his/her emotions.
• Is its major focus the reader?
• Is its primary purpose to convince rather than
inform?
• Does it offer information or reasons to support
its point of view?
• Is its point of view based on sound reasoning
and logic?
• Are the points of its arguments arranged for
clarity?
• Does it motivate the reader to action or
otherwise evoke the intended response?
The Expository Essay
• An expository writing is also called
INFORMATIVE writing.
• It seeks to give information and,
frequently, to explain or expound it.
• Informative writing focuses on the subject
being discussed.
Checklist for informative writing
• Is its major focus the subject being
dicussed?
• Is its primary purpose to inform rather
than persuade?
• Is its information complete and accurate?
• Can its information be verified?
• Is its information arranged for clarity?
• Is its interesting to read?
29

Process Explanation Definition

of Expository writing Explains a concept or
Explains a process step concepts
by step

Classification
Cause and Effect
Kinds of Expository
Identifies the causes and
writing
effects of something
categorizes and
Comparison examines
Problems & Solutions
&Contrast Examines problems and
Explains similarities and proposes solutions
differences
LETTERS
 WHAT IS A LETTER?
• A letter is a form of non-fictional written,
typed or printed communication.
• The art of letter writing has been through
ages.
• It is considered to be the traditional way of
communicating one thoughts.
• There are many types of letters.
• These can largely be sorted into the two
categories, formal and informal.
 FEATURES OF A FORMAL LETTER
• Sender's address
• Date
• Name / Designation of Addressee
• Address of the Addressee.
• Salutation
• Subject
• Body – Introduction, Body, Conclusion.
• Complimentary Close
 Formal Letter Style
• There are three acceptable business
letter styles.
• These include
• the block,
• the modified block and
• the semi-block formats
 in- class exercise
• Write your address and today’s day.
• If you are to affix a postal stamp, indicate
the corner of your book where it would be.