Genre/Text Types Review for AICE Lang

What is the purpose for writing autobiographies?

To explore questions about the self and allow writers to share what they’ve learned.

What are some questions you can ask yourself for autobiographies?

Who am I and where do I come from? What is my family like or what were my ancestors like? How did I get to be the way that I am or where I am today?

Characteristics of autobiographies

Using first person, pronouns, using facts and details, explaining or using age and specific events or circumstances, using at least one anecdote, mentioning at least one important place and one important person who influenced or shaped your understanding, or thinking, telling the story in past tense, but sometimes shifting to the present tense to reflect on what it means.

The structure for autobiographies

The first paragraph introduces a topic and circumstances, paragraph two is to introduce the person event or place, paragraph three tells the anecdote about what happened, paragraph for reflects on its meaning and paragraph five presents and reflects on another anecdote that illustrates your point if you wish.

What is the purpose for writing the descriptive writing?

Often used in the opening of novels, builds setting and characters, and to convey what it feels like to visit a place and can also be located in autobiographical anecdotes. They do not tell a story.

What is the gist of descriptive writing?

It is vivid and designed to make the reader feel as if they are present in the setting described. It basically vividly expresses a person, place, or experience.

What are the most common characteristics in descriptive writing?

Using an imagery to make the reader experience what’s being described, and zooming in and out on objects being described to help give the reader detailed views and the general picture in one piece.

What are some common patterns in descriptive texts?

There is chronological, where the text will describe something from beginning to end such as the time of day the clock passing of time and time indicated such as first next and then.

There is also a spatial structure where the text will start far away from what it’s describing and then approach it, interact with it, and then leave it.

What are some language characteristics featured in descriptive writing?

There can be figurative language, such as metaphors, similes and personification. The point of view can vary with it sometimes being first person if it’s a personal experience and also being third person at times for a novel opening. Syntax will sometimes include long sentences for descriptive phrases to convey an experience. Diction would include many adjectives to describe nouns and adverbs to describe the way things move and happen.

What are some characteristics of travel writing?

Using same tools as descriptive writing, using vivid imagery to describe a location. Zoom in in and out on travel, location and experience, and can give a thoughtful travel piece, focusing on meaning inspired by the place they visited, or could give a practical text, offer an insight into the travel location.

What is a travel writing?

It’s a piece that reviews a place that was traveled to. It could be in an autobiographical piece about a meaningful personal experience or it could be a review of a trip or an experience.

What’s an advertisement?

Something that is unbalanced in topic, and directly appeals to the audience, being highly charged in wording and language, and using vivid imagery to appeal to readers and listeners. Sentence structure can vary, using shorter sentences to command or appeal, and longer sentence to describe. Rhetorical devices, headings, slogans, captions, and logos can be used frequently. It can use quantitative data. Uses customer reviews, expert advice, and uses a call to action or imperative such as act now, by now, or don’t wait.

What are the characteristics for a brochure/leaflet?

They are usually informative or persuasive, and can be a combination of both. They can have titles and subtitles. And they can have pictures and highlighted information.

What is the structure of a leaflet/brochure?

They can be structured as campaign ads, travel, brochures, product or company, brochures, college or event brochures, and can be structured by section titles and subtitles and short paragraphs or organizing information digestible chunks on related topics. So they can be separated or structured categorically. Varied centered structure may be used such as fragments questions and commands to get audiences attention or instruct audience. Catchy subtitles and random capitalization helps emphasize important ideas or make them exciting and inviting. The tone will vary, depending on the brochure’s purpose and audience.

What is the gist of an article or a news story?

They can contain headlines/subheadings and short sentences in paragraphs. They can contain quotations and fax and evidence. They may include anecdotes.

What are some language characteristics for an article/news story?

Written in third person, not using personal pronouns, such as I. An objective and balanced voice, presenting information without any opinion. Anecdotes to illustrate ideas.

What is the overall structure of an article/news story?

First is the overview which covers who what when and where; then the background of an issue; key points with facts; Quotation and discussion; future and consequences. They usually don’t have a proper conclusion and can end immediately.

what can you not do when writing a brochure or leaflet?

When writing them on a test, you cannot add pictures, and can only use section breaks and subtitles on the form.

What is the general gist of a review?

Write an argument with your opinion as a claim and offering multiple reasons as to why you support it.

What are some structural characteristics of a review?

It can Include descriptive details of the material/experience of the review Subject. Ethos: this can be used to make the speaker seem knowledgeable and well informed on the subject They are speaking about. Positive and negative adjectives help support the authors view on the review, subject. Vivid imagery appeals to the senses and describes the object that’s being reviewed. Vibrant and suggestive diction is used as much as figurative language to make comparisons and imply ideas and thoughts.

When writing a narrative, it is basically the same as doing what?

Writing a story.

What are some structural characteristics in a narrative?

Dialogue and a story is present.

What are some characteristics of narrative writing?

Characters are established that have motivation and are interesting to the reader. Setting is present, and develop an environment that has a straw atmosphere and suits the action of the story. Plot, such as the witch hat diagram, is used to perform a story in a structured way.

What are some language characteristics with a narrative writing?

Imagery and figurative language is used to create vivid description to developed characters settings and actions. Basically a descriptive writing with a story.

What is the structure of a narrative writing?

There is the exposition which is the introduction of the story. There is Rising action, where an event occurs to start the plot. There is the climax where the action comes to a crisis. There is the following action where something happens in the story as a result of the climax. And there is the resolution, which is the conclusion where the character resolves the issue or another character resolves it for them.

What are the main characteristics for diary writing?

The author has their thoughts and feelings contained within the text, creating a mood and tone. Motives and reasons are listed. Has a past style of tone, such as recounting of recent events or written in the present tense going back to the past tense to reflect on previous events. First person point of view is used, also being biased. Sentence fragments and informal language is used. Continuous prose that follows the writers thoughts is used, such as a stream of consciousness.

What is the structure of a letter?

There is a greeting/closing such as dear unknown, and sincerely unknown. There is a direct address to the audience. There is reasoning for sending the letter. There is the writer’s perspective. And lastly, there is first and second person point of view.

What is a blog?

Self published entries on web format, and has various genres, represented typically narrative, informative, or persuasive in nature. They can be reviews, advertisements, and even stories.

What is the purpose of a blog?

They are meant to convey information, are you a topic, advertise a product or even present an opinion.

What is the structure of a blog?

Organization is easy to follow often engage in listening, or subheadings. Post, or the entries in all, are typically short, 2 to 4 paragraphs in length.

What is the form of a blog?

Chatty or conversational voice/informal register. Using interactive features such as hyperlinks, and will use specialized language for a subject area, known as jargon.

What is the language of a blog?

Rhetorical questioning to gauge readers, first person point of view to create a personal anecdotal environment and second person to often speak directly to audience. Allusions to pop culture, history, or news are used to provide credibility. Imagery addresses, spatial subjects such as travel, blogs, or decorating.

What is the structure for scripted speech?

There is a strong viewpoint that explores obstacles and challenges if argumentative. If discursive, it has a viewpoint that explores both sides of an issue. Usually spoken in a neutral tone and is factual/unbiased. Uses vivid imagery anecdotes, for example, examples to engage in a reader and provide background. Uses varied sentence structure To develop logical and engaging arguments. This is discourse markers/transitions. Uses data and statistics to and uses expert evidence to support ideas and point of view.

What is the gist of an editorial?

Address is current news or topical events. Persuade in an exploratory manner, and demonstrates authority on a subject. Provide provides explanatory background material to inform general reader. Jumps between present tense and past tense to discuss and provide background on information and context. Britain in first person, but has an objective/authoritative voice.

What is the gist of a podcast?

Written in a natural speaking voice, and create a vivid descriptions of a key topic to help the readers visualize. It’s good to write concisely so that you can improvise.

What are some structural suggestions to use when writing a podcast?

When writing this, it would be a transcript.

Introducing the topic or theme of a podcast would help, and using a topic in details such as point data and quotations can help develop an idea. There can be a music break. Then continue to describe a topic and details and repeat. There can be a call to action for the audience, but it is not needed. Summarize and comment on themes and topics in conclusion.