Genre / Text Type Conventions summary

Autobiography Diary Blog Interview

First person, about own life Date/heading for each entry Informal, spoken language features Range of questions and answers
Biography Chronological Direct address to audience Variety of question types:
Writing about someone’s life. Past tense Short paragraphs Rhetorical, open, extended
Looking back, re-evaluation Sense of movement Repetition, interruptions, pauses
Retrospective Personal Series of entries like a diary Formality depends on level in society
Past tense Narrative The posts might be linked to each linked statements,
Refer to context: historical, social other thematically adjacency pairs, varying register,
Biography: writing about someone’s Self-referential nature (‘In my last intro+ conclusion,
life. blog…’) and use of personal spontaneity
Purpose: to inform and to entertain. pronouns (I, me).
(mix of factual information and Social media slang, abbreviations
creative writing) and acronyms - sense of spontaneity
Specific audience
Review Travelogue Reportage Article
Titles, headings, subheadings Narrative, descriptive, First person, we Context. Where? Newspaper,
Quotation linear structure, paragraphs Headlines, other headings, magazine, online
Clear structure: introduction, Reflect on/discuss travel as a subheadings Form: Headings, subheadings
development and summary concept: cultures, places Summary of a story How viewed by public?
intertextual references, Foreign names and places Facts, statistics, figures, timeline Rhetorical devices to persuade,
biographical info, mixed registers, Reported speech in other language register changes, inform + convince, to prompt
commentary on work, commentary on travel, comparative varied sentence length, agreement, emphasis
engaging language features, language, evocative language. figurative language, Quotations + other points of view
clear paragraphing Simile, metaphor used
Opinion about: films, book, music, Present tense with pauses for Short summary
TV programmes, theatre reflection to give a sense of ‘as it News: names, facts, formal, neutral
performances and computer games. happens’. tone.
Kinds:
Critics are knowledgeable, we trust Semantic fields of travel – including Opinion (serious or non-serious
their judgement and may decide to the use of foreign names and places, approach)
read a book because they persuade reported speech given in other Feature articles about unique events
us to do so. languages. or a unique subject.
Opinionated, less formal, personal
Purposes to inform (lively tone) Comparative language setting more Regular articles (analysis of a
to analyse and advise - good or not, familiar places against less familiar theme)
giving opinions backed up with ones Topical or reflective
reasons and evidence Editorial inform, entertain, individual
Audience: specific or general, local Humour, rhetorical style
or international. devices and direct address.
 Digital texts Speech Podcast Advertisement
What, where + whom? Rhetorical devices, figurative Spontaneous speech, Tone: persuasive, positive language
Awareness of audience language, informal register, that will appeal to the customer
Emission of syllables “gonna” Intro-development-conclusion, rhetorical devices, “healthy, life changing”.
Lower formality repetition, tripling, dialogue exchange, Appeal to emotion: positive or
pronouns suggesting unity negative, fear or guilt
Always know the tone. Then your Catchy slogan - remember it
lines will come out automatically. Alliteration, humour, rhyming
If the speaker is inspiring, try to Hyperbole - exaggerate the positive
mimic that. “the world’s greatest!”
Add some Rhetorical questions - no obvious
quotes you’ve read or make it feel answers - think they need the
good! product. “have you ever needed…”
Purpose - Increase sales
Who is the target audience?
Logic: an appeal to logic, evidence
and statistics. “smoking kills”
Ethos: credibility/character
Celebrity endorsements / expert
opinions.
Brochure Leaflets Essays Narrative language
Longer descriptions than adverts Clear headings: imperative language Experts in a particular Fictional, descriptive, expressive
Detailed information Direct command “Get Baking!” Form of literary non-fiction in which a Personal Narrative a true story about
Purpose - persuading, informing, Topic sentence What is leaflet writer expresses an opinion on an event that happened in your life.
entertaining about? something, or makes an argument, Structure
Text/language - Concise and Different sentence structures and in a creative form. Introduction: characters, setting and
accurate, key information, short tones Clear structure that introduces their mood.
sentences with positive language Bullet points and slogans idea, develops their viewpoint using Middle: plot moves forward, details
and active voice. Sub-headings guide the reader different points to support them, and End: A consequence and outcome
Add a call to action at the end of through each section concludes with a summary of the Narrators
your brochure. Tone reassuring arguments First Person: Character is narrator.
Catchy title, grab reader’s attention Personal pronoun “you” direct and Can have a formal tone and serious “I” and “we”. Show emotions of
Subheadings inviting. purpose character - one point of view.
Enthusiastic language - highlights Second Person: The reader
the benefits of product becomes the narrator (often in
Assertive language like “nothing advertisements).
beats the taste” Third Person see a story from many
Adjectives “crusty, hot and delicious” different points of views.
– appeal to the senses. Linguistic Features
Fun tone: alliteration “crazy for cake” Dialogue, correct punctuation
A new line for each new speaker
 Descriptive writing Letter
Word choice: the first words that Formal and informal letters
occur are not always the most
interesting that could be used,
Variety makes writing interesting but
remember adjectives are only one
way of improving descriptions.
Careful choice of verbs can help too.