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LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET IN ENGLISH 8

Quarter 4, LAS 5
Learner’s Name: _____________________________________________________
Grade Level/Section: ___________________ Date:
_________________________

L I. LEARNING SKILLS

A. Most Essential Learning Competency

 Develop paragraphs that illustrate each text type (narrative in literature,
expository, explanatory)

B. Objectives
At the end of this learning activity, I would be able to:
 Differentiate narrative in literature, expository, and explanatory text
types in terms of structure and language features.
 Identify the text type of the given paragraph.
 Write an expository or explanatory paragraph based on the given info-
ad.

II. INTRODUCTORY CONCEPT

What are text types?

Texts are written for a variety of purposes, using different forms and
standards of composition. These forms of writing are known as text types. Broadly
speaking, there are two main text types; factual and literary. Within these are many
more narrowly defined text types. Factual text types include such types as factual
description, recount, or persuasive. They are meant to inform, instruct, or persuade
through the use of facts and information. On the other hand, literary text types such
as poetry, narrative or personal response seek to entertain, enlighten, or elicit
emotion through a creative use of language and structure. (Central Rivers Area
Education Agency)

The text types depend on their purpose, structure and language features.
Teaching text types is different from assigning texts. If you are to use text types to
write for different purposes and audience, you need to understand how each text
type works.

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NARRATIVE

This type of paragraph describes one primary topic and narrates or tells its
story. The topic usually involves one main event, adventure, scene, or happening.
This story is usually from your own personal experience, but it may also be an event
that happened to someone else or a historical event.
Because narrative paragraphs resemble fiction (an untrue story), you have a
little more freedom to write the story in the style you prefer. This is known as artistic
freedom or artistic license. In some cases, narrative can be referred to as ‘creative
writing’ or story writing. You can use the first person narrative style and include
words that clearly refer to you (I, me, my, mine, etc.), or you can try to tell the story
from a purely objective point of view that is not personal, but gives a straight-forward,
factual account of what happened. ([email protected])
Narratives usually have a beginning, middle, and an end, but the story does
not have to be told in chronological order. Your narrative should have a purpose for
being told, and the audience should gain some new insight or perspective after
reading it. When writing a narrative in response to a prompt, be sure that the
connection between the prompt and your narrative is clear. For example, if you are
asked to write a narrative that demonstrates your leadership experience, it should be
clear to the reader how the story you’re writing about demonstrates this experience.
Some narratives contain a coda in which the writer provides a final
commentary, going beyond the retelling of events.

EXAMPLE of NARRATIVE:

I never thought I could do it, but I finally conquered my fear of public

speaking.
My English teacher gave the assignment (to speak for three minutes in front
of my class) at the beginning of the semester, and I worried about it for two months. I
have always been afraid of making a speech in public. I wrote all of my ideas on
note cards.
I practiced my speech with my notes in front of a mirror, in front of my dog, and
in front of my husband. Would I be able to make my speech in front of my class?
When the day of my speech came, I was ready. As I reached the podium, I looked at
my audience and smiled. Then I looked down at my note cards. At that moment, I
realized that I had the wrong information. These were the notes for my biology test,
not the information about my speech! I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
Suddenly, I began the speech. To my surprise, the words flowed from my mouth.
Three minutes later, it was over. Everyone applauded my speech that day, and I left
the podium feeling like a winner. (Source: e-learnig.univ-saida.dz)

 The first sentence in the paragraph -the topic sentence- gives background
information about the story. The writer introduces the characters and
prepares readers for the action that will come.
 After the beginning part, you will find the middle part of the story. This is
where the main action or problem occurs.
 The end of the story gives the final action or result. If there is a problem or
conflict in the story, the solution is presented here.

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EXPOSITORY

This type of paragraph provides new information to the reader or explains/

gives information about a topic.
According to Fountas & Pinnell in their Genre study: Teaching with fiction and
nonfiction books, expository text is a type of informational text that provides factual
information about a topic using a clear, non-narrative organizational structure with a
major topic and supporting information.
 Expository texts can include topics such as historical, scientific or economic
information.
 Information is presented with a clear organizational text structure which
includes but is not limited to: description, chronology, comparison,
cause/effect, problem/solution.
 The language in expository text is precise, specific to the subject, and
includes domain specific vocabulary to explain concepts and information.
 Expository text often includes organizational tools such as table of contents,
headings, index, glossary, pronunciation guide, appendices.
 Includes text features that support or enhance the text such as photographs,
illustrations, captions, charts, diagrams, tables, graphs, and timelines.
 Examples of expository text may include: trade books, articles, reports,
textbooks, interviews, and essays.

EXAMPLE of EXPOSITORY:

Going to college can be expensive. First, college tuition and room and board
can cost anywhere from P20,000 to more than P100,000 per semester. Other
expenses make going to college even more expensive. For example, books typically
cost between P1,000 and P5,000 each term. Second, materials are also very
expensive. Paper, notebooks, writing utensils, and other supplies required often cost
more at the college bookstore than at any local discount department store. For
instance, a package of notepaper costing P50 at a discount store might cost P100 at
a college bookstore. Finally, there are all kinds of special fees added onto the bill at
registration time. A college student might have to pay a P500 insurance fee, a P200
activity fee, a P150 fee to the student government association and anywhere from
P200 to P500 for parking. There is another fee if a student decides to add or drop
classes after registration. The fees required to attend college never seem to end.

The topic sentence in the example lets the reader know that the paragraph
will talk about the expenses of going to college. Immediately following the topic
sentence is the first supporting sentence and two detail/example sentences. Finally,
the closing sentence neatly ties back to the topic sentence by rephrasing it.

Notice the use of transitional words to help the reader follow the ideas. Also,
notice the use of third person point of view in this paragraph. The third person point
of view (he, she, one) is most commonly used for expository writing, technical
writing, and any other sort of writing that has a business-minded or persuasive
intention or purpose.

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EXPLANATORY

This type of paragraph is required if you are asked to describe how something
works or is done.
According to Brook Williams in his article How to Do an Explanatory
Paragraph, explanatory paragraphs give an overall description of something that
may be difficult to understand. These paragraphs are comprised of information that
concisely and clearly explain a process or present other people's opinions or views in
detail without being overly analytical or critical, according to Word-Mart.com, an
online grammar and writing resource. Effective explanatory paragraphs are written
smoothly and have fluidity.

 Topic sentence identifies what is being explained.

 Support sentences give a sequenced explanation of how and why something
works or happens.
 Concluding sentence gives a brief summary of the process in conclusion
(optional).

Useful transitional words and phrases

 For beginning an explanation: at first, initially, to begin with, in the beginning,
first of all, the first step
 For continuing an explanation: while, as, at the same time, the next step,
after, next, then
 For ending an explanation: finally, eventually, at last, the final/last step

EXAMPLE of EXPLANATORY:

How is cheese made?

The general principles of making cheese from milk have changed little for nearly
3000 years. The aroma, texture, and taste of cheese depend on slight variations of
the process used to produce it, but all methods consist of two to four basic steps.
The first step consists of the coagulation of the protein ‘casein’ by adding acid or
enzyme to the milk. Next, the liquid, called whey, is drained, leaving a semi-solid
cheese, called curds, which may be eaten in this form or processed further. All soft
or cream cheeses are of this type. Hard cheese undergoes two additional steps in
the process. The semi-solid cheese is matured until it reaches the required level of
acidity, at which time it is salted and pressed into forms or moulds to give it the
distinctive shape and size of a particular cheese. The final step is the ageing
process during which the world’s most famous cheeses acquire their unique flavours
from the place and length of storage. (University of New England: https://aso-
resources.une.edu.au/academic-writing/paragraphs/for-an-explanation/ )

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 III. ACTIVITIES

PRACTICE
TASK
Practice Task 1
Directions: Compare and contrast narrative, expository, explanatory text
type in terms of structure and language features. Use a triple Venn Diagram or
any suitable graphic organizer that will illustrate your answers. You can search
for additional information from other sources.

Practice Task 2
Directions: Read the following texts and answer the questions below.

 Which of the text types does the given text belong to?
 What grammatical features are in the text that allow you to say it belongs to a
particular text type? Notice that there might be features which have not been
included in the discussion above.

A. It is not quite six in the morning, and I am squashed half asleep into a cube
van that in the US would seat maybe six people. Here in Ghana though, its insides
have been gutted and replaced with wooden benches that can accommodate twelve
of us. I use the term “accommodate” loosely; we are squeezed so tight in together
that sometimes my arm goes numb. There are no seat belts, no elements of comfort.
I do this every morning, Monday to Friday, for two hours and then back again in
order to get to the slum town school I teach in.
Midway through the journey, there is a stop at a depot where we switch buses. It
is here that you get the real sense of Ghana; the chaos of hundreds of these so-
called buses (or Tro-Tros), the merchants selling everything and anything. It is
absolute chaos, but finally weeks in to this daily journey I am learning how to
confidently navigate this market.
https://www.livingthedreamrtw.com/2017/04/my-volunteer-experience.html

B. Injera. A yeast risen flat bread made out of Teff flour, slightly sour, slightly
bitter, with a spongy texture, is the national dish of Ethiopia. It is usually topped with
meat of some nature. You tear off a piece of injera, grab a little meat with it, and eat
it with your hand. It is easier to manipulate than bread. It doesn’t fall apart like rice.
Of all the cultures with the tradition of eating with your hands, injera would win the
award for being the most practical.
There are a few variety of toppings, or centerpiece if you will, that comes with
injera. Wat is a stew of onions, spices and meat (beef, goat, chicken) and tibs is a
sauté of onions, meat and spices. Technically a wat is different from tibs; wat is more
stew like, while tibs is dryer. Yet on the palate, the difference is akin to a Snickers
Bar with peanuts versus almonds. Kitfo is an Ethiopian specialty, a raw or semi-raw
ground beef marinated in chili powder, served with injera. Tere Sega is cubes of raw

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beef with chili powder on the side for dipping. Injera is served and eaten morning,
noon and night. It is imperative you grow a taste for injera if you are to survive in
Ethiopia. I like injera just fine, but the lack of variety from the wat to tibs to kitfo to
tera sega is troubling; a bit of meat, cook, semi-cooked, uncooked, with chili powder.
(Charlie Grosso September 3, 2013 published at
http://spytravelogue.com/2013/09/east-africa-food-riddle/)

C. Africa is the second-largest continent in the world in both area and

population. It is an almost entirely isolated landmass with only a small land bridge in
the northeast, connecting the African Mainland with Western Asia. It covers six
percent of the world's total surface area, roughly 30,244,000 km² (11,700,000 mi²).
Including its adjacent islands, the continent occupies about 20 percent of Earth's
total land area. Africa's largest country is Algeria, followed by the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa), and Sudan. An estimated 1.34 billion people live
in the second-largest continent, representing about 14 percent of the world's
population (as of 2020). By far the most populous country in Africa is Nigeria, with a
population of more than 190 million. (Source: UN World Population Prospects)
https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/africa.htm

Practice Task 3
Directions: Choose any of the given topics below then write a
paragraph/essay, either narrative, expository, explanatory or a combination of
both. You can use the given rubric as a guide to give you an idea of the way
your essay may be graded.

 What are your thoughts about the recent pandemic that we are facing today?
Does it stress you? What are the changes brought by COVID-19 in yourself,
in your family, or way of living?
 What real-life situations would work out better for you if you were a different
gender? Why?
 If the internet were to crash forever, what would the benefits be for you? The
drawbacks?
 Write a scene that features a) a classmate/friend/enemy, b) P100 million, and
c) magical shoes/power.
 If you starred in a television show about your life, what would the show be
called? What genre would it be? Summarize the plot of an episode.

ASSESSMEN
T
Directions: Encircle the letter of the best answer.

1. Which of the following statements BEST describes expository writing?

a. Expository writing seeks to explain or inform the reader about a subject.
b. Expository writing is a form of writing that exposes the readers to different
types of literary genres.
c. Expository writing is mainly used in plays to expose the actors to the play and
the vision of the director.

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 d. Expository writing is a form of writing that exposes readers to the life of an
author.

2. When is a paragraph considered unified?

a. when all sentences are grammatically correct
b. when each sentence relates directly to the main idea of the paragraph
c. when each sentence has at least some common thread to the one next to it
d. when each sentence says essential the same thing, but rephrased in different
ways to address the needs of a diverse audience

3. Which of the following statements DOES NOT support the given topic for
expository paragraph?
Stress is defined as a state of extreme difficulty that causes mental or physical
tension.
a. In a recent study, teenagers were shown to experience stress as often as
adults.
b. When we feel emotional stress, it is also often experienced as physical pain.
c. These stressors can greatly change the way teens act in many
circumstances.
d. According to the study, the most common causes of stressors to teens include
divorce of parents, death of a loved one, loneliness, moving to a new
neighborhood, and having difficulty in a social environment.

4. The following are good examples of introductory statement for a narrative

paragraph EXCEPT one.
a. “I will always remember my first day of junior high school because of the
kindness a fellow student showed towards me.”
b. “One day a father and his rich family took his young son on a trip to the
country with the firm purpose to show him how poor people can be.”
c. Sunday is the most rewarding day for me because it is the only day when my
family and I can do what we like together.”
d. “I am sure that you know that smoking harms your body. Then why do you
continue smoking?”

5. Choose the best transition word to complete the sentence.

Natives in the Desert Southwest built pueblo and hogan shelters using adobe and
sod from the earth. ______ tribes in the Pacific Northwest relied on the dense
cedar forests to build plank houses out of wood.
a. Also, c. On the other hand,
b. Similarly, d. For instance,

Paragraph Writing (10 points)

Directions: Write an expository or explanatory paragraph based on the given
info-ad. Be guided with the rubric given below. (Note: The teacher may change
the info-ad to suit the needs of the students.)

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 IV. RUBRIC FOR SCORING

Rubric for a Well-Written Paragraph

Content 40%
Organization 30%
Mechanics 30%
TOTAL 100%

Comments and Suggestions: ______________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

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Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. (2012). Genre study: Teaching with fiction and
nonfiction books. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland Page 1 of 2 Curriculum 2.0 - 2012

http://mcnair5thgrade.yolasite.com/resources/Characteristics%20of%20Expository
%20Text

Iowa Core English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and
Technical Subjects. (2011). Des Moines, IA, Iowa Department of Education.

https://aso-resources.une.edu.au/academic-writing/paragraphs/for-an-explanation/

c2020 Leaf Group Ltd./ Leaf Group Media

www.classroom.synonym.com/expnatory-paragraph

www.centralriversaea.org/curriculum/literacy/writing/text-types-purposes
Centrals Rivers Area Education Agency

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