Topic 35: Expository text: characteristics and structure

(introduction) The main aim of this topic is

to provide a comprehensive analysis of expository texts, also called explanatory and explicative, focusing on their structure and main features.

(introduction) Our aim is to offer an in-depth understanding of the nature and purpose of expository texts

in both linguistic and pragmatic terms.

(introduction) That is, how language and textual features are used

to achieve the purpose of explaining a topic to an addressee in a clear and organised way.

(introduction) Expository style is not just a linguistic matter to be developed in the classroom setting; on the contrary, it equips individuals with

essential real-world skills, such as expounding an issue to an addressee in a detailed and ordered manner. In this sense, expository writing is highly competence-based

(introduction) Written patterns play a crucial role in language learning, facilitating the acquisition of vocabulary, syntactic patterns, and phonology, but also

discourse competence, sociolinguistic competence, and interactional competence.

Traditionally, expository writing has been

one major style of writing, it is mostly related to academic writing.

Exposition literally means

'outline and detail factual information'.

Expository texts can be divided into three parts:

1. Introduction or Abstract: where the content setting is established.

2. Body: where the expository content is developed.

3. Results and conclusions: where a summary with the results and/or conclusions is presented.

(expository texts parts) (1) Introduction or Abstract

where the content setting is established.

(expository texts parts) (2) body

where the expository content is developed.

(expository texts parts) (3) Results and Conclusions

where a summary with the results and/or conclusions is presented.

Expository texts have some distinctive features concerning:

1. Paragraph organisation

2. Syntax

3. Lexicon

4. Rhetorical organisation

(main features) Paragraph organisation typically begins with

a topic sentence which contains the main idea. This is followed by supporting information and details which constitute secondary ideas.

(Paragraph organisation) These supporting sentences (which constitute secondary ideas) may include:

• Definitions

• Explanations

• Cause/effect relationship

• and Comparisons or contrasts

Syntax

• Passive voice

• The present simple tense

• Past tense and Present PErfect tense

• The main modal verbs

• Formal relative pronouns

• Prepositions

• Impersonal style

(Syntax) Passive voice is used

to depersonalise texts and to emphasize the grammatical subject.

(Syntax) The present simple tense is used

to describe sequences, procedures and to state general truths

(Syntax) Past tense and present perfect tense are used

to refer to previous research.

(Syntax) The main modal verbs used are:

• can expressing ability and possibility

• shall/will to make predictions

(Syntax) Also, formal relative pronouns such as

who, whom and which are employed.

(Syntax) Prepositions, when applicable, are often place

in initial position like in

the crosshead to which the rod is connected.

(Syntax) Expository texts adopt an

impersonal style, avoiding first and second person pronouns.

(Lexicon) Expository writing is characterised by

the use of specific technical vocabulary, as well as the inclusion of numbers and measurement nouns.

(Lexicon) Expository writing frequently employs words

formed with Latin and Greek affixes such as “admission” and words of French, Greek or Latin origin.

(Rhetorical organisation) Meyer (1985) classified expository text structures as follows:

1. Description

2. Sequence

3. Compare/contrast

4. Cause/effect

5. Problem/solution

(Rhetorical organisation: Meyer, 1985) Description

the author describes a topic

(Rhetorical organisation: Meyer, 1985) Sequence

The author uses numerical or chronological order to list items or events

(Rhetorical organisation: Meyer, 1985) Compare/contrast

the author compares and contrasts two or more similar events, topics or objects.

(Rhetorical organisation: Meyer, 1985) Cause/effect

the author delineates one or more causes and then describes the ensuing effects.

(Rhetorical organisation: Meyer, 1985) Problem/solution

The author poses a question and then gives the answer.

Expository writing is often combined with other academic writing styles, including :

narration, description, exposition and argumentation

(Combination of styles) Firstly, fiction is

mainly narrative, but it often contains expositions (dialogues).

(Combination of styles) Similarly, tourist information is

mainly descriptive, but it also contains narrations and expositions.

(Combination of styles) Finally, journalist texts contain all styles

• Narrative for reporting facts

• Descriptive to describe people, objects and places

• Argumentative in letters to the editor

• Exposition in articles on scientific matters

(Combination of styles: Journalist texts) Narrative

for reporting facts

(Combination of styles: Journalist texts) Descriptive

to describe people, objects and places

(Combination of styles: Journalist texts) Argumentative

in letters to the editor

(Combination of styles: Journalist texts) Exposition

in articles on scientific matters

The structure of expository texts

Expository texts consist of compulsory and optional elements, which combine to form a specific text structure.

While compulsory elements are always present,

optional elements may or may not appear.

(The structure of expository texts) Compulsory elements consist of:

• Introduction

• Main ideas and supporting ideas

• Cause and effect elements

(The structure of expository texts) Optional elements include:

• Definitions

• Process description

• Illustrations

As is the case with other types of text, in the Introduction the main concepts and all relevant information are briefly outlined:

goals, subjects, time and place, similar to the Abstract in narrative texts.

The introduction serves to summarise the main content of the text – so that readers can decide whether this content meets their expectations –

and it provides hints about the required prior knowledge, such as specific terminology or scientific references.

Main ideas and supporting ideas are

compulsory elements in expository texts.

The way these (main and supporting ideas) are organised into a coherent text

defines the author's writing style.

(Main and supporting ideas) Punctuation is important

to define main from secondary sentences and illustrations.

(Main and supporting ideas) The topic sentence of the first paragraph usually contains

the main idea of the whole text.

(Main and supporting ideas) Additional sentences contain

supporting ideas with additional information to the topic. These supporting ideas present evidence and facts as well as cause and effect.

(Main and supporting ideas) These supporting ideas

present evidence and facts as well as cause and effect.

Cause and effect can be presented in several ways:

1. Simple cause

2. Complex cause

3. Complex effect

4. Chain of cause/effect

5. Evidence and conclusions

(Cause and effect) Simple cause

there is only one explanation

(Cause and effect) Complex cause

multiple causes contribute to an effect

(Cause and effect) Complex effect

one cause may be related to several effects

(Cause and effect) Chain of cause/effect

each cause produces one effect that, in turn, causes new effects.

(Cause and effect) Evidence and conclusions

the process of deduction, i.e. from evidence to conclusion and the process of induction, i.e. from conclusion to evidence are introduced here.

(evidence and conclusions) The process of deduction

From evidence to conclusion

(evidence and conclusions) The process of induction

From conclusion to evidence

(Cause and effect) Most common language used to indicate cause-and-effect relationships includes:

• To express cause, terms such as because, since, on account of

• to denote effect, words like consequently, in consequence and due to.

• Other language devices used are: rhetorical questions, comparisons and list of items.

Most common language to express cause

• because

• since

• on account of

Most common language to denote effect

• consequently

• in consequence

• due to

(cause and effect) Other language devices used are

• rhetorical questions

• comparisons

• list of items

The concepts of implication and inference are typical of expository texts:

e.g. This statement implies that… and readers should infer from this statement that…

(Definitions) This section of expository texts is

directly related to descriptive texts.

(Definitions) Descriptions may focus on:

• Use or quality

• Category which can be broad or specific

• Examples

• Negative description, used less frequently

Descriptions may focus on use

or quality

Descriptions may focus on category

which can be broad or specific

Descriptions may focus on

examples

Descriptions may focus on negative description,

used less frequently

(process description) The main aim of process texts is to show

‘how to achieve a goal through a process of ordered steps.’

(process description) A process consists of the following elements:

Input-Process-Output.

Process texts usually have three parts:

• Elements are presented (input)

• Phases and element functions are explained (process)

• Expected outcome and results are advanced (output)

From recipes to giving directions, process texts include

a wide rank of texts

From recipes to giving directions, process texts include a wide rank of texts,

e.g. explanations, instructions, advice giving...

Also, texts related to transactions

can be classified as process texts.

Some examples of this genre (process texts) include:

safety notices and highway code.

The most common syntax in process descriptions entails the use of:

• imperatives

• passive voice

• no tense marking

• conditions

• and purpose clauses.

Illustrations

exemplify and support the main and secondary ideas in the text by adding specific information.

There are several types of illustration:

1. Exemplification

   • A concrete example to illustrate an abstract notion

   • Several examples to support an argument

2. Visual aids

   • pictures, diagrams, charts and graphs

3. Analogies

   • analogies and comparisons are also used to make things clearer within a text by comparing and contrasting facts and ideas.

(Illustrations) Exemplification, it can include:

• A concrete example to illustrate an abstract notion

• Several examples to support an argument

(Illustrations) Common language used in exemplification includes

• For example…

• A case in point…

• By the same token…

• Such as…

(Illustrations) Visual aids such as

Pictures, diagrams, charts and graphs are also used to support text information, e.g. in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks for Primary students the whole context is built upon visual aids.

(Visual aids) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks for Primary students

the whole context is built upon visual aids.

Visual aids are very useful

to synthetise the information contained in a text; for instance, by representing key concepts.

Analogies and comparisons are also

used to make things clearer within a text by comparing and contrasting facts or ideas.

Analogies can be very useful to illustrate a main or supporting idea

but cannot be used as evidence in argumentation.

(Didactic implications) But how do expository texts tie in with the new curriculum?

One of the most important points of teaching the written language is to provide good models of almost any kind of writing.

(Didactic implications) Following van Ek & Trim (2001), learners should be able to perform writing task that are typically expected of adult citizens

in their private or public roles, including those that involve dealing with explanations drawn from their personal opinion.

(Didactic implications) Moreover, nowadays new technologies may provide a new direction to language teaching

as they set more appropriate context for students to experience the target culture.

(Didactic implications) Present-day approaches deal with a communicative competence model in which first, there is

an emphasis on meaning over form, and secondly, motivation is enhanced by means of new technologies.

(Didactic implications) Expository texts prove frequent and relevant within the students’ environment

(i.e. installing a new computer program, instructions for a game, textbooks, news articles etc).

(Conclusion) In this topic expository texts have been approached in terms of elements, main textual features and structure.

in terms of elements, main textual features and structure.

(Conclusion) We may observe that dealing with expository style is not just a linguistic matter to be developed in the classroom setting; on the contrary,

being able to explain things in a clear manner enables us to carry out many everyday tasks which prove essential in our current society.

(Conclusion) From this point of view this topic is highly competence-based and

must be therefore worked on through all levels, and from as early an age as possible.

Coulthard, R. M. (1985). An introduction to discourse analysis _____________

(New ed., Chapters 3 and 4). Longman.

_________ An introduction to discourse analysis (New ed., Chapters 3 and 4). Longman.

Coulthard, R. M. (1985).

____________ Investigating English style. Longman.

Crystal, D., & Davy, D. (1977).

Crystal, D., & Davy, D. (1977). Investigating English style. ________

Longman.

___________ Cohesion in English. Longman.

Halliday, M. A. K., & Hasan, R. (1976).

Halliday, M. A. K., & Hasan, R. (1976). ________ Longman.

Cohesion in English.