Types of texts: the 5 text types (with examples)

You types of texts are classified according to their structure, purpose and purpose.

According to the textual typology, they are classified into 5 types: narrative text, descriptive text, essay text, expository text and injunctive text.

1. Narrative text

The fundamental mark of the narrative text is the existence of a plot, in which the characters' actions, marked by time and space, are developed.

Thus, the narration encompasses what we call the 5 elements of the narrative:

1. Plot: designates the story of the narrative. Depending on how the plot is told, it is classified into two types: linear plot (chronological sequence) and non-linear plot (does not have a chronological sequence).
2. Storyteller: also called narrative focus, represents the "voice of the text", that is, it determines who is telling the story. The types of narrator are: observer narrator (not part of the story, being just an observer), character narrator (is part of the story) and omniscient narrator (knows all the details of the narration).
3. Characters: are those that are part of the story and can be: main characters (protagonist and antagonist) or secondary characters (adjutant or supporting).
4. Time: marks the moment when the plot is being developed. It is divided into two types: chronological time and psychological time.
5. Space: represents the place (or places) where the story is developed and which can be: physical, psychological or social.

Structure of narrative texts

Narrative texts have a basic structure: presentation, development, climax and outcome.

• Presentation: this is the introduction of the text, where some of its main characteristics are presented, such as time, space and the characters that are part of the plot.
• Development: designates most of the text, where the characters' actions in a sequence of events are developed.
• Climax: represents the most exciting, surprising and tense part of the narrative.
• Outcome: is the final part of the plot, determined by the end of the entire story. In it, the fate of the characters is revealed.

Some examples of narrative texts

• Tale
• Fable
• Romance
• Novel
• Chronicle

Narrative text example

To better understand this type of text, below is an example of a fable by the Greek writer Aesop:

the frog and the ox

A frog was in the meadow looking at an ox and felt such envy of its size that it started to inflate to get bigger.

Then another frog arrived and asked if the ox was the bigger of the two.

The first one said no – and struggled to inflate more.

Then she repeated the question:

– Who's bigger now?

The other frog replied:

- The cow.

The frog was furious and tried to get bigger by inflating more and more, until it burst.

Moral of the story: Anyone who tries to look bigger than he is, will break.

Know everything about this type of text:

• Narration
• Narrative text
• narrative focus
• Narrative elements

2. Descriptive Text

Descriptive text is a type of text that presents a description of something, be it a person, an object, a place, etc. Thus, he exposes appreciations, impressions and observations of something indicating the aspects, characteristics, singular details and details.

Some relevant linguistic resources in the structuring of descriptive texts are: the use of adjectives, linking verbs, metaphors and comparisons.

Structure of descriptive texts

In general, descriptive texts follow the basic structure:

• Introduction: presentation about what (or who) will be described.
• development: realization of the description (objective or subjective) of something.
• conclusion: end of description.

Types of descriptive texts

The description is classified in 2 ways:

1. objective description: realistic or denotative description of something without any value judgment.
2. subjective description: description that involves the author's personal impressions and, therefore, presents the connotative sense of language.

Some examples of descriptive texts

• diary
• reports
• Biography
• News
• Menu

Descriptive text example

Pero Vaz de Caminha's Letter is a trip report, and is, therefore, an example of description:

"Also walking among them were four or five young women, naked like them, who didn't look bad. Between them walked one with a thigh, from the knee to the hip, and the buttock, all dyed in that black dye; and the rest, everything in your own color. Another had both knees, with the curves painted like that, and also the laps of the feet; and her shames so naked and so innocently uncovered that there was no shame in it. There was also another young woman there with a boy or girl in her arms, tied with a cloth (I don't know what) to her breasts, so that only her little legs showed. But the mother's legs and the rest had no cloth."

Understand everything about the characteristics of this text type:

• Description
• descriptive text
• objective and subjective description
• Description: what is it, features, types and how to do it
• How to make good descriptive text

3. Essay Text

The essay text seeks to defend an idea and, therefore, is based on argumentation and the development of a theme. Generally, the essay-argumentative texts, in addition to being opinionated, seek to persuade the reader.

Structure of essay texts

The structure of the dissertation texts is divided into three fundamental parts:

1. Introduction: also called a thesis, this is a small part of the text that presents the idea, theme or main subject that will be discussed.
2. Development: also called antithesis (or antithesis), is the largest part of the text in which the arguments for and against the topic are presented.
3. Conclusion: also called a new thesis, this part suggests a new idea, which can be a solution on the exposed theme.

Types of essay texts

Essay texts are classified in two ways:

1. Dissertation-Expository: focus on exposing some idea, fact, theme or subject. In this case, there is no intention to persuade the reader.
2. Essay-argumentative: persuasion is the main point of this category of essay texts. Thus, the use of arguments and counter arguments are fundamental.

Some examples of essay texts

• Review
• Article
• Rehearsal
• Monography
• Editorial

Sample essay text

The example below is an editorial from the Technology section of the Correio braziliense newspaper.

App created by "paid" advertiser for user to watch advertisements

In the Curió app, users watch advertising content voluntarily and earn points to exchange for gifts

For two years now, the Curió app has been serving advertising in a different and innovative way. The entrepreneur and creator of the app, Jean Silva, 33 years old, observed that the traditional means of advertising dissemination are not surprising. the desired effect, because the consumer started to ignore the advertisements broadcast in exaggerated amounts on the networks social.

"Our bet is to pay for the spectator's time. The user will voluntarily watch the advertisement and earn coins (curios) to exchange for prizes on the platform", explains Silva.

The name Curió was inspired both by the Brazilian bird and by the curiosity inherent in every human being. "What motivates us is being able to be part of the life of every "curious" who has already smiled and was moved at the end of that movie and felt valued for interacting with our advertisers."

Surveys and Gift Certificates

In addition to watching advertisements to win the curios, consumers also score when they respond to surveys and purchase a voucher through the app. According to Jean Silva, on digital platforms, the values ​​for running an advertisement were much lower, and the exposure time, greater. Therefore, when the user ignores, more advertisements are placed and, thus, a cycle is built without so much profitability.

In a survey carried out by the Curió developers, the result of the effectiveness of advertising pieces is 10 times greater in the app, compared to Instagram and YouTube.

(Ana Clara Avendaño, Correio Braziliense 05/26/2020)

Understand more about this type of text:

• essay text
• Dissertation-argumentative text
• How to write an essay
• How to make a good essay-argumentative text

4. Expository Text

The expository text intends to present a theme from resources such as conceptualization, definition, description, comparison, information and enumeration. Thus, the main objective of the issuer is to explain, discuss and explain about a certain subject.

Types of expository texts

Expository texts are classified into two types:

1. Informative-exhibition text: aims to transmit information, without any value judgment.
2. Expository-argumentative text: focuses on the exposition of a theme with the defense of opinion.

Some examples of expository texts

• Seminars
• interviews
• Speeches
• Encyclopedia
• dictionary entry

Expository text example

To better understand this type of text, check below the entry in the Portuguese online dictionary (Dicio) about the word disruptive.

Definition of Disruptive

adjective
Which causes or may cause disruption; which ends up interrupting the normal follow-up of a process; interruptive, suspensive.
That has the ability to break or change; that breaks.

[Electricity] Which causes the sudden restoration of an electrical current, causing sparks and wasting the energy that was accumulated.

[Hydraulics] Which causes a change around what obstructs the flow of fluids.

expression

Disruptive Technology. Designation attributed to a technological innovation (product or service) capable of overthrowing a technology already pre-established in the market.

Etymology (origin of the word disruptive). From the French distuptif.

Learn more about this topic:

• expository text
• Informative text
• textbook

5. Injunctive Text

The Injunctive or instructional text is based on the explanation and method for doing something.

Thus, one of the outstanding linguistic resources of this type of text is the use of verbs in the imperative, in order to indicate an "order".

Examples of injunctive texts

• regulation
• Advertising
• Cooking recipe
• medicine package
• Instruction manual

Example of injunctive text

Below is part of the instruction manual for the Game of Life, one of the Star Toys:

Judgment Day

Everyone is required to stop on Judgment Day to earn $48,000 for each child, pay all the promissory notes – if any – and decide whether to try to be:

1) Millionaire: whoever thinks they have enough money to win the game.

2) Tycoon: it's the choice for those who think they don't have enough money and decide to risk everything! The competitor declares his decision to everyone, chooses a number and spins the wheel. If the chosen number falls, he will be the winner. Otherwise, the banker collects his money and he goes bankrupt.

If no one becomes a tycoon, the round ends when the last player goes bankrupt or becomes a millionaire. So everyone must count their money. The player with the most money wins the Game of Life.

Understand everything about the injunctive text.

Textual types and textual genres

The types of texts gather 5 types (narrative, descriptive, dissertation, expository and injunctive) being characterized by containing an objective and a generally fixed structure.

Textual genres, on the other hand, are structures that arise from types of texts. They are classified according to their characteristics related to the language used as well as their content.

Thus, in addition to those mentioned above, there are many types of textual genres, for example:

• Narrative text genres: legends and fairy tales.
• Descriptive Textual Genres: resume and classified ad.
• Essay text genres: master's thesis and doctoral thesis.
• Expository textual genres: conferences and colloquia.
• Injunctive textual genres: open letter and prescriptive text.

Read too:

• Text
• Informative text
• textual typology
• Textual genres
• What is textual genre?
• text interpretation exercises
• Exercises on Textual Genres
• 10 classic fairy tales