Part 1 Genre Analysis

Task 1
What is genre?
1. A use of language which conforms to certain academic and textual ……………………..,

as agreed by a particular discourse ………………….. (Widdowson, 2011)
2. A communicative event which uses ………………….. in predictable ways to achieve
agreed …………………. Purposes. (Tribbe, 1996)
3. Any time of spoken or written ……………….. which is used and recognised by members
of a particular ………………. or sub-culture. As these become established, they acquire
a conventionalized structure and often a characteristic vocabulary and ……………..
Involves feature s at macro level (…………………) and ………………. Level (specific
grammatical and functional features).
Task 2
What are we looking for when analysing genres?

Match the features to the columns:
Purpose (Function), Content, Organisation, Style, Grammar, Lexis, Layout, Discourse, Register
Macro analysis Micro analysis
Purpose: what is the purpose of the test? Is it to advise? Persuade? Inform?

Content, organisation, discourse: How are the ideas organised? In what order? How are the
paragraphs divided? What kind of cohesive devices are used?
Style, register: Literary? Satire? What relations does the writer have with the audience? Is it
informal, neutral, formal?
Grammar: Are any particular tenses / structures used? (e.g. passives in a type of scientific
report)
Lexis: What kinds of words are used (e.g. emotive adjectives in an advert)? Are any words or
fixed lexical expressions common in this genre?
Layout: How does the text look on the page? Are there headings? Addresses? Is there a title?
Are points numbered? Are bullet points used?
Task 3
What genre is this text?
Comment on (5 altogether)
- Content and organisation
- Style and language
- Layout
Genre characteristics
Recount
- Personal retellings, e.g. diary, autobiography, some letters

- Factual retellings, e.g. newspaper report, science experiment
Purpose: to tell what happened, to retell events
Organisation:
- orientation: who, where, when, how, why

- series of events in chronological order
- final paragraph sums up
Language features:
- past tenses
- time connectives: next, meanwhile, finally etc.
- action verbs
- often written in 3d person (although 1st person is used for autobiographies and some
fiction)
Descriptive genre
- descriptions of a person, thing, place; character sketch; description of setting, object

- poem
Purpose: to portray a person, place or thing in such a way that the reader can visualise the topic
and enter into the writer’s experience
Organisation:
- introduction
- supportive descriptive details
- summary
Language features:
- elaborate use of sensory language

- rich, vivid and lively detail
- figurative language such as simile, hyperbole, metaphor, symbolism and
personification
- “showing” rather than “telling” through the use of action verbs and precise modifiers
Information report
- Leaflet
- Tourist guide book
- Encyclopaedia entry
- Magazine article
- Textbook
Purpose: to organise and present information about a class of things
Organisation:
- Open with general statement

- Information categorised
- Sub headings
- Non-chronological order
- Index, glossary, references
- Diagrams, illustrations, tables to break up texts
Language features:
- Clear, factual and impersonal language

- Technical terms
- Present tense
- Paragraphs with topic sentences
- Questions
Procedure / instructions
- Recipes
- Directions
- Game rules
- Instruction manual
Purpose: to tell how to do or make sth.
Organisation:
- Start with aim/goal

- List of what is needed
- Method
- Chronological order
- Bullet points (optional)
- Evaluation (optional)
Language features:
- Use of imperatives (turn, put)

- Clear, brief vocabulary
- Present tenses
- Linking words to do with time
Explanations
Explain how, why etc.
Purpose: to explore how things work or how sth. came to be
Organisation:
- A statement about what is to be explained

- Explanation sequence (several statements of reason explaining and elaborating on the
topic)
- Chronological order
- Concluding statement (optional)
- Explanations may include visual images such as flow charts or diagrams
Language features:
- Cause and events relation ships

- Present tense
- Passive voice
- Generalized participants (3d person)
- Complex sentences
- Technical language
- Connectives to do with time (initially, following), casual (because, although) and
comparative (unlike, equally)
Discussion
- Leaflet
- article giving balanced account
- non-fiction books
- business reports
- politician’s briefings
- documents
- news articles
Purpose: to present arguments and information from different viewpoints (non-biased), and then,
usually, to conclude in favour of one points of view
Organisation:
- statement of issue and a preview of the main arguments

- arguments for and supporting evidence
- arguments against and supporting evidence
(alternatively, argument/counter argument, one point at a time)
- recommendation – summary and conclusion
Language features:
- present tense
- use of logical connectives – formal ones (therefore, nevertheless, however)
Persuasive texts/arguments
- letter of protest / complaint

- advertisements
- magazine article
- leaflet
Purpose: to argue or persuade a case for or against a particular point of view or position
Organisation:
- Opening statement – state claim, eye catching phrase, slogan

- Set out argument in logical steps or description of what and where
- Evidence to support argument – examples/benefits
- Reiteration – restate the position in light of arguments presented
Language features:
- Present tense
- Generalized participants
- Linking words associated with reasoning – therefore
- Nominalisation (e.g. to pollute – pollution)
- Evaluative language (e.g. significant, valuable)
- Adjectives, adverbs, exaggeration, alliteration, word play
Newspaper articles – human interest
Organisation:
- Introduction, summarise main point, list events that led to / were caused by the event,
reference to now
- Maintaining protagonist as the focus /topic
- Reference to extreme and significant sources connected to the theme
- Use of short paragraphs often containing just one idea
Language features:
- Headline language
- Exaggerated, heightened, extreme lexis
- Use of direct speech
- Colloquial lexis
- Use of humour, irony
In more detail (Successful Writing Proficiency by V. Evans)
Describing places/building
Narratives
Discursive essay
Letters
Reports
Articles
Reviews

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Task 1

1. A use of language which conforms to certain academic and textual ……………………..,

What are we looking for when analysing genres?

Macro analysis Micro analysis

Purpose: what is the purpose of the test? Is it to advise? Persuade? Inform?

- Personal retellings, e.g. diary, autobiography, some letters

Purpose: to tell what happened, to retell events

- orientation: who, where, when, how, why

- descriptions of a person, thing, place; character sketch; description of setting, object

- elaborate use of sensory language

Purpose: to organise and present information about a class of things

- Open with general statement

- Clear, factual and impersonal language

Purpose: to tell how to do or make sth.

- Start with aim/goal

- Use of imperatives (turn, put)

Explain how, why etc.

Purpose: to explore how things work or how sth. came to be

- A statement about what is to be explained

- Cause and events relation ships

- statement of issue and a preview of the main arguments

- letter of protest / complaint

- Opening statement – state claim, eye catching phrase, slogan

Newspaper articles – human interest

In more detail (Successful Writing Proficiency by V. Evans)

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