Informative Writing

Tells about a person, place, thing, event, or idea

Each paragraph has a topic sentence, sentences that give facts, details, examples, or explanations

Narrative Writing

Tells a story, can be real or imaginary, and has characters, a setting, order such as beginning, middle, and and end. It also uses transitions.

Opinion Writing

Tells others what you think, or tries to convince others that you are right by giving reasons, examples, facts, or details to support your opinion.

Each paragraph has a topic sentence, detailed sentences, and a conclusion.

Persuade

The author wants you to do, buy, or believe something

advertisements, persuasive letters, opinions, campaign speeches

Inform

The author wants to give you information

textbooks, non-fiction books, expository essays, biographies, newspaper articles, directions

Entertain

The author wants to amuse you or for you to enjoy the writing

fiction stories, poems, songs, plays, jokes, narratives

Explain

The author wants to tell you how to do something or how something works

instructions, directions, steps, procedures, how-to, recipes

Describe

The author wants you to visualize or experience a person, place, or thing

product descriptions, descriptive essays, imagery