Reading and Thinking Strategies across

Text Types, Reading and Writing Skills

Patterns of Development: Narration,

Description, Definition*
Academic text types or writing genres
have certain conventions depending
on the discipline.
Sciences
The sciences deal with information that is based on verifiable data
gathered through research or experimentation. Scientific writing
requires precision in the use of terminology, simple and direct
language, objectivity, and clarity.
• Example:
Fill a beaker with 100 mL of tap water and another beaker with
seawater of the same amount. Then place them on a hot plate. After
two minutes, measure the temperature of the water in each beaker
using an alcohol thermometer.
Humanities
Humanities usually deals with analyses and interpretations of
works or texts. Writing in this discipline uses a subjective tone
which reveals the writer’s thoughts, opinions, attitudes, and
feelings on a topic.
• Example:
The Little Prince is truly a masterpiece! It centers around the
protagonist’s quest for the meaning of life.
Business
Writing in business aims a specific audience to
perform an action. It uses straightforward and
concise sentences that are structured or
formatted for optimal readability.

Example:
I am writing to request a four-day leave of
absence. I intend to go on vacation from
March 1 to March 4, 2016.
Learn about it!
There are different ways to develop your ideas in writing. This
lesson will focus on the following patterns of development:

•narration
•description
•definition
Narration
Narration tells a story. It relates
an incident or a series of events
that leads to a conclusion or
ending. It tells the readers when,
where, and what happened.
A narrative paragraph contains action verbs and transition words that indicate
time or sequence. The following are some transition words used to signal time
or sequence order:
• First, second, etc.
• After, next, then, eventually, soon
• Meanwhile, a short time later
• During, at the same time, simultaneously
• Suddenly, instantly, momentarily
• The next day, following, thereafter
• In the end, ultimately
• Narration is usually used in the humanities. In a writing class, for instance, you
can write about a particular event or situation.
Example:
Last night, I was walking on my way home when it suddenly rained. I forgot to bring my
umbrella, so I ran to avoid getting completely soaked in the rain. Not seeing where I was
going, I fell into a paddle of water. Then a guy helped me stand up. When I looked up, I
recognized him. Momentarily, I forgot that I was soaking wet and that I was very cold. He
offered to walk me home, and I just nodded. The next day, he and I saw each other at
school. At last, we talked like old friends.

Explanation:
The narrative paragraph tells a part of a story in the first person. It shows a
sequence of events connected by transition words
like then, suddenly, finally, momentarily, and the next day. Also, action
verbs like was walking, ran, and fell are used to indicate movement.
Description
Description gives information of what a person, an
object, a place, or a situation is like. It appeals to the
reader’s senses; it makes the reader see, hear, taste,
smell, or feel the subject.
• A descriptive paragraph has concrete and specific
details, which are carefully chosen by a writer to paint
a picture in the mind of the reader. Literary analyses,
descriptive essays, business plans, lab reports, and
research papers are some examples of writing genres
that use descriptive paragraphs.
Example:
The tarsier has soft, grayish fur. It has bat-like ears and a long, rat-like
tail. It only stands about 100 millimeters. It feeds on insects like crickets,
beetles, and termites; and on small animals, too, like lizards, frogs, and
small birds. Also, it is capable of turning its head 180 degrees and
jumping backward with accuracy.
• Explanation:
The descriptive paragraph tells the unique
features and characteristics of a tarsier. With
concrete and specific details, the description
creates a picture of what a tarsier looks like as
well as how it lives and moves.
Definition
Definition explains a concept, term, or subject. Its main purpose is to tell what something is. It
consists of three parts: (1) the term, concept, or subject to be defined; (2) the general class to which it
belongs, and (3) the characteristics that differentiate it from the other members of its class. This
pattern of development is commonly used in the sciences, humanities, and business.

• Example:
• The greenhouse effect is a natural process. As the sun shines, Earth
absorbs some of its energy. Then the greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere like water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide,
and the ozone absorb and emit that energy. This energy warms the
atmosphere as well as the Earth’s surface. As a result, the process
keeps Earth warm.
• Explanation:
• The term greenhouse effect is defined in the paragraph. It is clearly
explained through the details on how the process occurs.
• Tips
• You can develop your paragraphs in any pattern that suits
your writing purpose.
• Use narration to relate an incident or a series of events.
Remember to use transition words that indicate time and
sequence.
• Use description to tell what someone or something is like.
Remember to use concrete and specific details.
• Use definition to explain a concept, term, or subject.
Remember to give specific characteristics of what you are
defining.