SMA NEGERI 21 MEDAN

A narrative text entertains, instructs or informs readers by telling a story.

Narrative texts deal with imaginary or real world and can be fictional (fairy tales, novels, science fiction, horror or adventure stories, fables, myths, legends, etc.) and non-fictional (articles, newspaper reports, historical writings).

Argumentative texts aim is to change the readers’ beliefs. They often contain negative qualities or characteristics of something/someone, or try to persuade their readers that an object, product, idea is in some way better than others.

You should note that few texts are purely one type: expository or argumentative texts can contain narration or evaluative elements.

Remember that the text types refer to the meaning the writing, and they should not be confused with writing (or other materials) formats: book, article, letter, report, essay, etc.

An expository text is intended to identify and characterise experiences, facts, situations, and actions in either abstract or real elements. Expository texts are meant to explain, inform or describe and they are the most frequently use to write structures. Expository structures can be classified into five categories:

- description, where the author describes a topics characteristics, features, attributes, etc. and gives examples.
- procedure or sequence: the author lists different activities in their chronological order or enumerates items in a numerical order.
- comparison: the author explains how two or more objects, events, experiences, are alike and/or different.
- cause-effect explanation: the author presents ideas, events in time, or facts as causes and the resulting effect(s) in time.
- problem-solution presentation: the author describes a problem and gives one or more solutions to the problem.
In the expository category, the non-fictional texts have specific role to inform or to teach the readers. They can come in a various formats, depending of the area of use:

- business: reports, letters, executive summaries.
- journalism: essays, news reports, press releases, sports news.
- technical communication: user guides, technical reports or standards.
- academic and scientific communication: textbooks, student guides, scientific reports, scientific journals’ articles, encyclopedia articles.
- general reference works: encyclopedia articles, or on-line, multi-domain informative texts, as the Wikipedia articles.

SPOOF
Purpose:
To tell an event with a humorous twist and entertain the readers
Generic Structure:
1. Orientation
2. Event(s)
3. Twist
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Past Tense
2. Using action verb
3. Using adverb
4. Chronologically arranged

ANECDOTE
Purpose:
To share with others an account of an unusual or amusing incident
Generic Structure:
1. Abstract
2. Orientation
3. Crisis
4. Reaction
5. Coda.
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using exclamations, rhetorical question or intensifiers
2. Using material process
3. Using temporal conjunctions

REVIEW
Purpose:
To critique or evaluate an art work or event for a public audience
Dominant Generic Structure:
1. Orientation
2. Evaluation
3. Interpretative Recount
4. Evaluation
5. Evaluative Summation
Dominant Language Features:
1. Focus on specific participants
2. Using adjectives
3. Using long and complex clauses
4. Using metaphor

DISCUSSION
Purpose:
To present information and opinions about issues in more one side of an issue (‘For/Pros’ and ‘Against/Cons’)
Generic Structure:
1. Issue
2. Arguments for and against
3. Conclusion
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Use of relating verb/to be
3. Using thinking verb
4. Using general and abstract noun
5. Using conjunction/transition
6. Using modality
7. Using adverb of manner

PROCEDURE
Purpose:
To help readers how to do or make something completely
Generic Structure:
1. Goal/Aim
2. Materials/Equipments
3. Steps/Methods
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Using Imperatives sentence
3. Using adverb
4. Using technical terms

HORTATORY EXPOSITION
Purpose:
To persuade the readers that something should or should not be the case or be done
Generic Structure:
1. Thesis
2. Arguments
3. Recommendation
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Using modals
3. Using action verbs
4. Using thinking verbs
5. Using adverbs
6. Using adjective
7. Using technical terms
8. Using general and abstract noun
9. Using connectives/transition

Then what is the basic difference between analytical and hortatory exposition. In simple word. Analytical is the answer of “How is/will” while hortatory is the answer of “How should”. Analytical exposition will be best to describe “How will student do for his examination? The point is the important thing to do. But for the question” How should student do for his exam?” will be good to be answered with hortatory. It is to convince that the thing should be done

ANALYTICAL EXPOSITION
Purpose:
To reveal the readers that something is the important case
Generic Structure:
1. Thesis
2. Arguments
3. Reiteration/Conclusion
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using modals
2. Using action verbs
3. Using thinking verbs
4. Using adverbs
5. Using adjective
6. Using technical terms
7. Using general and abstract noun
8. Using connectives/transition

You can read more about explanation text on the following articles:

EXPLANATION
Purpose:
To explain the processes involved in the formation or working of natural or socio-cultural phenomena.
Generic Structure:
1. General statement
2. Explanation
3. Closing
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Using action verbs
3. Using passive voice
4. Using noun phrase
5. Using adverbial phrase
6. Using technical terms
7. Using general and abstract noun
8. Using conjunction of time and cause-effect

DESCRIPTIVE
Purpose:
To describe a particular person, place or thing in detail.
Dominant Generic Structure:
1. Identification
2. Description
Language Features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Using action verb
3. Using adverb
4. Using special technical terms

For more explanation on descriptive text, you can read: