http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/reading/typesoftext/factsheet.shtml
1.What is text?
Text is any piece of writing.
This could be a letter, an email, a novel, a poem, a recipe, a note, instructions, an article in a newspaper or magazine, writing on a webpage or an advert.
When you are reading or writing any text think about the purpose of the text or why it has been written.
2. What might the purpose of a text be?
An advert might be trying to persuade you to buy something.
A letter from school might be to inform you about something.
A novel might describe somewhere or someone to you.
A car manual might instruct you how to do something to your car.
Depending on the purpose of the text, different methods will be used to get the message across to the reader.
Persuasive texts
A persuasive text is a text that really wants you to do something.
An advert might want you to buy something.
You might write a letter to persuade a friend to go on holiday with you, or to try and get off a parking ticket.
Persuasive texts might use:
•repeated words
•text in capital letters
•exclamation marks
•rhetorical questions (questions where no answer is needed)
•an emotional one-sided argument
•humour
Example:
SPECIAL OFFER! Buy today! Would you want to miss this SPECIAL offer? Phone NOW...
This is the Best Car you could ever ask for!
Informative Texts
An informative text is a text that wants to advise or tell you about something.
A newspaper article might give you information about a health issue like giving up smoking.
A website might give you information about a movie, band or something that you are interested in.
A handout from school might be advising you about what your child will be doing during the next term.
Informative texts usually:
•avoid repetition
•contain facts
•give information in a clear way - introducing the subject and then developing it
Example:
Autumn term: Your child will be covering simple fractions during weeks 1-6.
Instructive Texts
An instructive text is a text that instructs or tells you how to do something.
A recipe wants to instruct you how to cook something.
A leaflet with a piece of furniture wants to tell you how to put it together or take care of it.
Instructive texts:
•are written as though the reader is being spoken to -
(although the word 'you' is not usually used)
•language is direct and unnecessary words are left out
•often use 'must' and 'must not'
•sometimes use diagrams or pictures to help understanding
Example:
Put all ingredients into bowl together. Mix the salad and the oil.
Descriptive Texts
A descriptive text is a text that wants you to picture what they are describing.
A novel might want you to imagine the characters and see them in your mind.
A travel book will want you to see the country it is describing.
Descriptive texts usually:
•make use of adjectives and adverbs
•use comparisons to help picture it - something is like something
•employ your five senses - how it feels, smells, looks, sounds and tastes
Example:
The morning air was crisp and sharp as Sean walked down the road.
The pavement was slippery and cold beneath his feet like a slimy wet fish.
EXERCISES
Seleccione con una X la respuesta correcta de las opciones dadas.
1:What is the purpose of the following passage of text?
ACCIDENT:
Treatment aims
1.Control bleeding
2.Minimise shock for casualty
3.Prevent infection - for casualty and between yourself and the casualty
4.Arrange for casualty to go to the hospital if necessary
___ To inform the reader that bleeding needs to be controlled.
___ To describe the scene of an accident.
___ To persuade the reader to attend a First Aid course.
___ To instruct the reader on what to do if they come across an accident.
2:What is the purpose of the following passage of text?
Bert Baxter was lying in a filthy-looking bed smoking a cigarette, there was a horrible smell in the room, I think it came from Bert Baxter himself. The bed sheets looked as though they were covered in blood, but Bert said that was caused by the beetroot sandwiches he always eats last thing at night.
___ To inform the reader not to smoke in bed.
___ To persuade the reader to always clean their sheets.
___ To describe Bert Baxter and his room.
___ To instruct the reader how to eat beetroot sandwiches.
3:Why might a personal loan company include the following line in their advertisement?
For under £100 a month you could borrow £5 000 immediately with no questions asked.
___ To instruct you to quickly contact the company to arrange the loan.
___ To persuade you to take out a loan for £5 000.
___ To inform you that your loan application will be accepted.
___ To describe the range of services offered by the loan company.
4:Is the following passage an example of instructive text?
SPECIAL OFFER FOR SHELL REFRIGERATOR SHOPPERS!
2 Tickets for the price of 1 if you book before 16th September.
___ yes
___ no
5:The following passage is an example of informative text. Which of the following is the reader being informed about?
Introduction to Yoga.
FURBY COLLEGE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION
Description of Course:
This course is an introduction to the practice of yoga.
Aimed at beginners, yoga is great for men and women of any age or ability or fitness level.
___ That the course is suitable for complete beginners
___ That the course will lead you on to the Stage 2 course.
___ That yoga is particularly suitable for women.
___ That yoga is not suitable if you have a heart complaint.
6:Which of the following are not normally used in descriptive texts?
___ adjectives
___ adverbs
___ step by step action to be taken by the reader
___ comparisons to enable the reader to picture something
7:Instructive texts always use images to show what is to be done.
___ true
___ false
8:You should always consider the intended audience/reader when writing a document to be read by someone else.
___ true
___ false
9:Which of the following is not a piece of text?
___ an email
___ a newspaper article
___ a map
___ an advertisement
10:Which of the following is not an example of informative text?
___ a church newsletter
___ a recipe book
___ a doctors' surgery leaflet about services provided
___ an obituary in a local newspaper
Mire atentamente las siguientes imagenes tomadas de textos publicitarios y trate de leerlas (o interpretarlas):
Samsung “Express Yourself” Advertisement
Dettol Instant Hand Sanitizer Advertisement
“Reserved for Drunk Drivers” Advertisement
Stop’n Grow Bag Advertisement: German product that stops nail biting
3M Security Glass Advertisement: 3M was so sure their Security Glass was unbreakable, they put a large stack of cash behind it and shoved it in a bus stop
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