METU/SFL Fall 2024

DBE
RHO4
201 GROUP
PURPOSE, TEXT TYPE & THE SIMPLE STRUCTURE OF A TEXT
(Student’s Copy)
Objectives: Students will have
-practiced identifying the purpose of a text or paragraph
-practiced identifying the text type comparing various text types (descriptive, narrative, and expository)
-gained awareness of the simple structure of a text

Introduction:

TASK 1. Read the paragraphs below. Where are they taken from (scientific journal, lab report etc.)?
Discuss with your instructor.

Text 1 ______________________

Reading literary works is very helpful for English learners. First, reading stories and novels can improve
vocabulary. Learners see the words in sentences and can understand them better. For example, if someone
reads The Little Prince, they find new words and phrases, and they can use them in real life.
Second, literary works help learners understand different cultures. When students read about characters
from different places, they learn about the lifestyle and viewpoints of people in other parts of the world.
In summary, reading literature is a great way to expand vocabulary and learn about different cultures.

Text 2 ______________________

Pedro and I chose a small room in the castle to sleep in. The room was in a tower, far from the other
rooms. It was a guest bedroom. The room was very pretty, with old but beautiful furniture. The walls had
nice, old carpets. There were also plates with pictures of important events from history and many colorful
paintings in gold frames. Many paintings were of people.

Text 3 ______________________

Edgar Allan Poe wrote about things like death, fear, and sadness. His stories often take place in dark places,
like an old house or on a stormy night. Poe used many details to help the reader feel the story. For
example, in “The Tell-Tale Heart”, he describes a heartbeat sound. It is very realistic. The reader can almost
hear it! Poe also showed his characters’ thoughts. In stories like The Raven, the characters feel afraid of
their own thoughts.

Text 4 ______________________

To make Moon Phase French Fries, heat your oven to 400°F. Cut potatoes into slices: keep
some whole, cut some in half, and make some into crescent shapes. Put the slices in a
bowl, add a little oil, and mix. Spread them on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
Add more oil and seasoning if you like, then bake a bit more if needed. Serve with
ketchup!

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PURPOSE

All texts are written for a reason – the writer will have an aim or purpose, for example to inform the
reader or to persuade the reader. Often, texts have more than one purpose. Identifying the purpose of a
text will help you to understand it better. Check Table 1 below.

Table 1. PURPOSE OF A TEXT

PURPOSE THIS TEXT EXAMPLES OF FORM / SOURCE
To persuade wants you to do or think Advertisements, junk mail
something / wants you to change
your mind
To inform tells you about something Newspaper article, government leaflet
To instruct tells you what to do Recipes, fire evacuation notices
To entertain makes you spend pleasant time, feel Short story, poem, joke
amused, relaxed, or absorbed*
*The purpose of literature is to entertain, but this does not mean that it aims to make the reader laugh. It
means it aims to have people enjoy their time reading and help them have a deeper understanding of life.

To understand the purpose of a text, you look at its:

 form and source
 content (sentence structure, style and vocabulary)
 format (the way a text is presented and structured).

Form and source

When you read a text, you first notice its form. For example, is it a book, a leaflet, a web page?
The source of a text (where it comes from) also gives you clues about its purpose. For example, the
purpose of a government leaflet is to inform, but a leaflet from your local supermarket tries to persuade
you to buy products.
To decide on the purpose of a text, think about what the writer is trying to do. What is the aim of the text?

TASK 2. Now go back to the texts in Task 1, and decide on their purposes.
1. Text 1: _______________
2. Text 2: _______________
3. Text 3: _______________
4. Text 4: _______________

Texts With More Than One Purpose

Often a text will have more than one purpose – to identify this you will need to read the text in detail.
Study Text 5.

Text 5
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am sending back my camera, as your store says I can. I bought the maxi-pixel camera (model 5679XC)
on May 4, 2011. I set it up, but it does not work well and loses charge after three or four photos. I bought
other products from you before, and they were always good. I believe you can solve this problem.
Please send me a new camera and return my £6.45 postage*.
Yours sincerely,
Roger Mark

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 *postage (n): money that you pay to send a letter

When you first read Text 5, you will probably decide that its main purpose is to inform. The text is part of a
formal letter for a returned item. The writer is informing an online camera store that he is returning a
faulty item.
However, when you read the text closely, you find that the writer is also using persuasion methods. By
expressing his overall positive opinion of the company instead of simply listing complaints, the writer
understands that he has a better chance of returning the faulty camera and getting a new one.
Notice also the style of the letter. The letter has a formal but friendly style. Although the author
compliments the company on their previous good service, he finishes the letter by making it clear that he
expects a replacement. The overall tone of the text is friendly but firm.

TABLE 2. TEXT TYPES

Text type Features Examples
Narrative Characters, setting, plot, conflict, resolution short stories, novels, plays, comic
The text tells a story or describe a sequence of books, biographies and memoirs
events.
Descriptive Vivid language (lots of adjective use), sensory details Poetry, travel guide, novel
The text focuses on giving details about a person,
place, object, or event using sensory language.
Expository Facts, definitions, processes Textbooks, news articles,
In an expository text, the writer introduces a topic illustrative informational books
and lays it out in a logical order without giving his or
her personal opinions.
Procedural Step-by-step instructions Recipes, user manuals, building kit
or The text often includes diagrams or illustrations to instructions, and DIY guides
Instructional help the reader follow the instructions or understand
a process.

TASK 3. Have a look at the texts in Task 1 again. Decide on their text types.
1. Text 1: _______________
2. Text 2: _______________
3. Text 3: _______________
4. Text 4: _______________

TASK 4. Have a look at Text 1 again. Analyze the structure of the text with your teacher. How many
sections do you see in the text? What is the function of each part?
Text 1

Reading literary works is very helpful for English learners.

First, reading stories and novels can improve vocabulary. Learners see
words in sentences and can understand them better. For example, if
someone reads a book like The Little Prince, they will find new English
words and phrases. They can use these in real life.

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Second, literary works help learners understand different cultures. When
students read about characters from different places, they learn about
the lifestyle and viewpoints of people in other parts of the world. This
can make learners feel more connected to the language.

In summary, reading literature is a great way to expand vocabulary and

learn about different cultures.
Optional Writing Task
In groups of three, choose one of the writing tasks below and write a short paragraph of about 5-6
sentences.
- How does reading improve vocabulary?
- What are the benefits of reading in English for English learners?
- What are the differences between reading a book and watching a movie adaptation?
- Why should people read more books?
- Write about a book that changed your perspective.
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References
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