LESSON 1: Text as Connected Discourse

1. SENTENCE
● Self-contained unit
● No grammar mistakes
2. DISCOURSE
● Connected stretches of language; the way language is used socially
● Can be spoken or written
3. TEXT
● Written language that is used in continuous sequence of sounds; a sequence of
sentences
● Strictly written only
● Source could be anonymous
● Grammar is important or else it will lead to misunderstanding

❖ Written text as connected discourse is formed from spontaneous discreteness that

predetermined its connectedness. A text has distinct features and purpose in which ideas
are coherently arranged.
❖ It can be any of a wide variety of genres of linguistic forms.

Each genre of written language has certain rules or conventions. Brown (1994) presented
the following list of written text:
A. Non-Fiction
➔ Reports
➔ Editorials
➔ Essays
➔ General references (dictionary, encyclopedia, etc.)
B. Fiction
➔ Novels
➔ Short stories
➔ Dramas
➔ Poetry
C. Letters
➔ Personal
➔ Business
D. Greeting cards, invites
E. Diaries, journals
F. Memos (ex. Interoffice memos)
G. Messages (ex. Chat)
H. Announcements
I. Academic writing
➔ Short answer test response (essays)
➔ Reports
➔ Papers
➔ Theses
➔ Books
J. Questionnaires, survey forms, application forms
K. Directions, manuals, labels
L. Recipes, menus
M. Bills (and other financial statements)
N. Advertisements
➔ Commercial
➔ Personal