DIFFERENT MODES OF WRITING

The modes describe the writer’s purpose for writing. Each mode has a number of forms of
writing—specific documents that accomplish the purpose.
There are four main types of writing: expository, descriptive, persuasive, and narrative.
Each of these writing styles is used for a specific purpose. A single text may include more
than one writing style.
1. Narrative writing
The narrative writing style is descriptive and tells a clear story with a beginning, interval and
end. Some writers in the narrative style use foreshadowing and flashbacks as tools to engage
with their audience, and they will also use characters and dialogue to tell a complete story.
Key Points
 In narrative writing, a person, being a narrative tells a story or an event
 Narrative writing has characters and dialogues in it.
 Narrative writing has definite and logical beginnings, intervals and endings
 Narrative writing often has situations like conflicts, action, motivational events,
problems and their solutions
Writers use the narrative style in:
 Novels
 Short stories
 Memoirs (It is a narrative, written from the perspective of the author, about an
important part of their life)
 Biographies
 Poems
 Screenplays
2. Descriptive writing
Descriptive writing is a style of writing which focuses on describing a character, an
event or a place in great details. It is some times poetic in nature in which the author is
specifying the details of the event rather than just the information of that event happened.
Describes a person, place or thing. An effective descriptive essay should form a clear
impression in the reader’s mind.
Example:
“ The vampire killed his lover”
Or
“The Red- eyed, bloody vampire , flushed his rusty teeth into the soft skin of his lover, and
ended her life”
Key points:
  It is often poetic in nature
 It describes places, people, events, situations or locations in a highly detailed manner
 The author visualizes the reader, what he sees, hears, tastes, smells and feels.
Here are some examples of descriptive writing:
 Poetry
 Personal journals
 Descriptive passages
 Diaries
3. Persuasive writing
Persuasive writing is a type of writing which contains justifications, and reasons to make
someone believe on the point the writer is talking about. Persuasive writing is for persuading
and convincing the readers to their views. It is often used in complain letters, when you
provide reasons and justification for your complaint, other copy writing texts, TV
commercials etc are all different types of persuasive writing , where author is persuading and
convincing you on something he wants you to do or believe.
 Persuasive writing is grounded in research and logical reasoning, so the writer tries
to convince the readers to agree to their views through justification and logical points.
 Attempts to convince or persuade the reader to adopt your point of view.
 Sufficient amount of solid evidence and realistic argument is needed to win over
the readers
Example:
“Cats are better than dogs”
Or
Cats are a more reasonable pet than dogs because they are more independent, and are not
as loud”
Key points:
 Persuasive writing is equipped with reasons, arguments and justifications.
 In persuasive writing , the author takes a stand and asks you to believe his point of
view.
 If often ask for a call or an action from the readers.
The persuasive writing style is used in:
 Company brochures
 Advertisements
 Business proposals
 Cover letters
 Recommendation letters
 Reviews
4. Expository writing
The expository writing style is one of the basic techniques of writing used to inform
the reader or describe something to them. This style of writing is based on facts and does not
account for a writer's personal opinions on the subject. Instead, expository writing answers
readers' questions with the figures and descriptions that support the topic. Expository writing
also usually follows a logical order, so it is easier for the reader to understand the content and
gather the information they need or want.
Explains, evaluate a particular topic, idea or view point. Sufficient amount of
evidence and details is needed to support the topic
Ex: The world is round because I said so.
Or
Through a combination of historical exploration, scientific equations and
astronomical observation, it has been proven that our planet is round.
Key points:
 Expository writings usually explain something in a process.
 Expository writing is often equipped with facts and figures.
 Expository writings are usually in a logical order and sequence.
Expository writing style used in:
 Textbooks and educational articles
 Newsletters
 Instruction manuals
 Business, technical and scientific writing
 Recipes
Important Qualities of Good Writing
Simplicity
Good writing usually aligns with the saying ‘the simple, the better’. Many people
think that good writing means using flowery language and uncommon words and
expressions; however, that is not true at all. A good composition will always express things
in the most direct and simple way. In case of languages like English, the same idea can be
expressed in multiple different ways.
Unity
If you’re writing about something, it is very likely you have much to say about it. For
your writing to be considered as good, you are required to state your ideas in a meaningful
and logical manner so that they seem connected. This trait is referred to as the unity or
flow of your text. The flow of a good piece of writing is a smooth sail, rather than a road full
of bumps.
Focus
Connecting to the previous trait, i.e. unity, another important quality for good writing
is focus. Not only is focus important for your overall writing, it is absolutely crucial to
maintain a sense of flow and unity in your writing.
A good piece of writing does not bombard its readers with unnecessary information and
ideas, and is entirely focused on the central idea/plot of the writing. It makes sure that the
readers follows along with ease; and does not have to reread a portion or get lost in the
details.

Authority
A good piece of writing always incorporates a sense of authority, ensuring the reader
the writer knows exactly what he’s talking about. A composition is good if the writer seems
to be well-informed and credible about the subject that he’s discussing. On the other hand,
presenting weak or wrong information can not only make your writing look bad, but can also
have adverse effects on your reputation as a writer.

Grammar
It is needless to say that you need good grammar skills in order to craft a good piece
of writing. As a writer, you are supposed to follow the grammatical rules of Standard
English precisely. Grammatical mistakes, spelling errors, and a weak proofreading are very
likely to have a negative impact on your readers. Pay due attention to the grammatical
correctness of your text.

Word Choice
As a writer, you are supposed to know your way with words. English happens to be
one of the languages where there are multiple words for the same idea. A good piece of
writing will always incorporate the most suitable and accurate words. Good word choice
greatly contributes to the clarity and readability of your text.

Conciseness
This is an important quality that distinguishes good writing from bad writing. To be
concise means to avoid unnecessary words and fillers because they distract your
readers. Sometimes people may deliberately use unnecessary words.
For example, a student may try to increase the word count on their assignment by using
unnecessarily long expressions, or someone may use them to seem more stylish with their
writing. This is a bad writing practice and should avoid. You should never write ‘due to the
fact that’ when you can simply write ‘because’.

Style
Your writing style is what makes your writing unique and sets it apart from all the
other writers out there. Your writing style plays a great role in determining whether your
writing is good or bad. Writing style basically means the way that you present your text to
the reader; your word choice, voice, and fluency all contribute to your writing style. There
are no precise rules to mark a writing style as good or bad; however, as a general guideline,
a good writing style is always in line with the writer’s opinion, the reader’s’ expectations,
and the topic’s context.

Writing Form
All writing is not the same and there are different forms of writing to which the
writer needs to adapt his style and content. A good academic writer is not necessarily a good
short story writer; similarly, someone great at blog writing might not do well with technical
writing.
All these different forms of writing have a varying scope and requirements. In order to
produce good writing, it is your job to understand these varying requirements and craft your
writing in accordance with the form you’re writing for.
Reader-Oriented
It is important to know your audience and their needs and expectations from your
writing. Whether your writing is to share an opinion, to educate your readers, or to provoke a
thought; understanding your audience can greatly aid you in crafting a good composition.