Writing with Style Writing and Style Manual Poway Unified School District

Writing with Style Writing and Style Manual
Poway Unified School District

General Writing Modes

Expository | Descriptive | Narrative | Persuasive

Expository Writing

Expository writing presents factual information about a subject. Its main purpose is to inform. Because expository writing is concerned with presenting facts to the audience, it should be objective and unbiased. Expository writing is often used in the sciences, and it is the primary mode used by journalists. Within academic essays, we use expository writing when we present factual information, such as background or research findings.

We use expository writing in many different writing tasks:

to report facts
to summarize ideas
to define terms
to explain a process
to give instructions

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Descriptive Writing

Descriptive writing paints a picture of a subject through the use of vivid imagery and specific detail. Descriptive writing tries to convey a particular impression of a person, place, or thing, using strong “word pictures.” It is a great way to convey emotion and attitude and may stand alone or be incorporated in other forms of writing. Vivid descriptions can be great tools for persuasion and often add interest to introductions or conclusions.

We use descriptive writing in many different writing tasks:

Narratives or stories

Reports

Personal experiences

Character sketches

Advertising

Poetry

Telling vs. Showing

Telling refers to writing in the expository mode, whereas showing refers to writing in the descriptive mode. Good writing often incorporates both.

Telling: A snake escaped in our biology class.
Showing: Slithering along the cracked tile floor, the rosy boa slipped into Jennifer's backpack and curled up in the pencil pocket.

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Narrative Writing

Narrative writing is used to tell a story. Narration presents a series of events in order to inform or entertain the audience. Narrative writing can be both fiction and nonfiction. The primary goal of narration is to relate a series of events that occurred to real or fictional people. However, narrative writing will often incorporate the descriptive mode (when describing setting and characters) as well as the expository mode (when stating background or other information directly to the reader). Within academic essays, narrative writing can be used to relate an anecdote, particularly in an introduction or as part of an example.

We use narrative writing in many different writing tasks:

anecdotes and illustrative examples
personal writing
creative writing
fiction

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Persuasive Writing

Persuasive writing is used to convince the audience to believe or agree with the writer’s argument or interpretation. Most advanced academic writing is done in the persuasive mode. Persuasive writing relies primarily on logic and specific supporting examples, but it often incorporates expository, descriptive, and occasionally narrative modes as well.

We use narrative writing in many different writing tasks:

literary analysis
historical analysis
debates
research papers
advertising

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