5 Modes of Writing
Expository
Persuasive
Descriptive
Narrative
Reflective
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What is an expository essay? It …
…Gives facts.
 …Explains.
 …Gives steps in a process.
 …Presents ideas in logical
order or correct sequence.
 To guide readers into a clea
understanding of the subjec
 3rd person (do not use “I”)

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Strategies

Know your topic
– Find all appropriate facts about your topic
– Use only the best information
Organize points by order of importance
 Make sure facts clearly relate to the topic
 Be choosey/picky because you can’t tell
everything

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Strategies
For supporting details: Use statistics,
examples, and reasons
 Anticipate your readers’ questions and
address those questions before they are
asked.

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What are the key words that show it
is an expository prompt?
Most people enjoy some type of music. Think
about your favorite type of music and explain
why you like that particular type of music.
2.
Sometimes even the best drivers can get lost at
times. Explain how you would direct a lost man
to get back to the interstate highway from your
neighborhood.
Tell how to make a hamburger.
1.
YOU WILL FIND THESE WORDS IN THE PROMPT
EXPLAIN or TELL HOW.
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What is a descriptive essay?


Sensory images are
used to describe what
the writer sees, hears,
smells, touches, and
tastes.
It paints a clear
description of people,
places, objects, or
events.
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Strategies
Appeal to the reader’s senses
 Close your eyes and try to be there
 Look for the little things other people miss
 Practice observing people, situations, and
events
 Use words that double as images rather
than just descriptive words

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Strategies
Use vivid adjectives and adverbs
 It is all about word choice
 Compare and contrast things that are
similar and different

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What are the key words that show it is a
descriptive prompt?
1.
Describe your bedroom. Imagine telling someone who
has never visited you.
2.
There are many tourist spots to visit in Birmingham.
Describe your favorite place to take visitors. You may
want to tell what you will see, hear, smell and how you
feel when you are there.
Tell us what you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel on
Christmas morning.
YOU MUST
DESCRIBE
OR
TELL WHAT A PERSON CAN
SEE, HEAR, SMELL, TASTE OR FEEL.
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What is a persuasive essay?






You are asked to
prove something.
Give reasons why.
Present arguments
against your
reasons. Show them
to be false.
Take a stand
Ask or call for an
action.
Never use the word
“you”
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Strategies
Make sure you have all your facts first
 Make sure the your evidence does not lack
credibility
 Use only strong and convincing facts
 Consider all sides but argue in favor of
only one side
 Make your opinions strong by backing
them up with strong facts (impress readers
with your strong facts)

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What are the key words that show it’s a
persuasive prompt?
1.
2.
3.
Persuade a close friend to donate blood as part of a
blood drive that your school is sponsoring for the Red
Cross.
Some of your kid brothers friends have taken up
smoking and want him to start too. Write a convincing
letter to your kid brother to not take up this habit.
Write a letter to the editor of the newspaper telling why
citizens in Birmingham should support a tax increase
benefiting the local public schools.
YOU WILL NOTICE THE
WORDS PERSUADE, CONVINCE
OR TELL WHY SOMEONE
SHOULD DO SOMETHING.
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What is a
narrative?
A narrative…
• Tells a story.
• Has chronological order
and sequence of
events.
• Has action.
• Has conflicts or problems.
• Has dialogue.
• Has characters.
• Has a definite beginning,
middle and end.
• Using first person is okay (I,
me, my)
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Strategies
Plan your story with conflict and
resolution in mind.
 Think of the conflict as a problem or a
lesson to be learned
 Include all important elements: characters,
setting, events or plot, conflict, resolution.
 To show characterization use dialogue

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What are the key words that show
that these are narrative prompts?



You and your friend find a big box that is labeled
“Do Not Open.” Your friend wants to open the box.
Write a story about what happens next.
Tell about a time when you made a serious mistake.
Two little girls found a wallet on the sidewalk. Tell
what happened next.
NOTE THE WORDS: WRITE A STORY
TELL ABOUT A TIME,
or
or
TELL WHAT HAPPENED NEXT.
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Reflective Mode

The writer makes a connection between a
personal observation and a universal idea
– Love, courage, freedom, betrayal, etc.



A way of thinking to explore your learning
A way of making meaning out of what you
learned
Reflective writing is an activity that includes
description (what, when, who) and analysis
(how, why, what if).
– It is descriptive and expository put together.
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Strategies
Think of an interaction, event or episode
you experienced that can be connected to
the topic
 Describe what happened
 What was your role?
 What feelings and perceptions surrounded
the experience?

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Strategies
How would you explain the situation to
someone else?
 What might this experience mean in the
context of your course?
 What other perspectives, theories or
concepts could be applied to the situation?

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What are the key words that
show it’s a reflective prompt?
How can you take what you have learned
and apply it to your own life?
 If you could go back in time two or three
years, what advice would you give
yourself?
 Why is it important for students in a school
to have positive relationships with each
other?
NOTE the words: HOW, [what] IF, Why

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Ready to write? First determine what type
prompt you have. You should read your
prompt at least “three” times.





Expository--explain, tell how
Descriptive--describe
Persuasive---persuade or convince
Narrative-- tell about a time
when, tell a story
Reflective—a combination of
descriptive and expository
Use your scratch paper to brain storm and then
make an outline, or web, for a five paragraph essay.
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Think – Brainstorm-PACO
P-What is your purpose?
 A- Who is your audience?
 C- Content --What are

your ideas for
details, facts, or
reasons?

O- Organization --Think
how you want to
structure your paper.
Jot down these ideas.
NOW START YOUR OUTLINE, OR WEB!
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FIRST PAPAGRAPH
Introduce your topic
Give 3 details, reasons, facts or steps in a process
You will talk about in your paper.
KEY IDEA
D(details)
P (reasons)
E (facts/steps)
KEY IDEA
D(details)
P (reasons)
E (facts/steps)
KEY IDEA
D(details)
P (reasons)
E (facts/steps)
explanation
explanation
explanation
elaboration
elaboration
elaboration
examples
examples
examples
KEY IDEA
KEY IDEA
KEY IDEA
explanation
explanation
explanation
elaboration
elaboration
elaboration
examples
examples
examples
Conclusion
Summarize the points
you made in the essay
go back to the introduction
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Let’s prepare to write an essay!
Here’s the prompt.
There are many good and bad
things about being in the seventh
grade. Explain what these things
are.
What kind of prompt do we have?
Did you say expository? You’re
right!
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
What’s one thing you’d change about your
appearance if you could? What’s one
character trait you’d change?
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
Many people believe that television
violence has a negative effect on society
because it promotes violence. Do you
agree or disagree? Use specific reasons
and examples to support your response.
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
Some people feel that the public school
system does not adequately prepare
students for the real world. Identify one
improvement you think schools need to
make in order to better prepare students for
life after high school. Write a letter to the
school board in which you describe this
improvement and explain why it is needed.
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
Most people have a place where they feel
comfortable and relaxed. Think of a place
where you feel comfortable and relaxed.
Picture it in your mind. In a composition,
describe this place for your classmates so
that they can imagine what it is like and
how you feel there.
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
Think about an event in your life that
taught you an important lesson. Write a
narrative in which you tell what happened
and how you learned a lesson. Be sure to
include specific details so that a reader can
follow your story.
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Use your scratch paper
Jot down a few transitions.
 What are transitions?
 Words or phrases that connect ideas or
introduce the topic.
 Such as one, if, although, however,
finally, in conclusion, first, second, next,
additionally,consequently
Make an outline or web. Develop a
1-3-1 plan. One Paragraph for introThree paragraphs for the body –
One paragraph for the conclusion.
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This is an important step!
Don’t try to write your paper
without doing an outline first.
Why?!
•You will be graded on organization.
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Introductions for expository,
descriptive and persuasive
essays should….

Grab the reader’s attention.

Or -- Let the reader know what you’re going to talk about.

Or--Show a plan for what you’re going to be talking
about in the three body paragraphs.

Or --State what the audience will learn in this
essay.
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Sample Introduction
Although I have taken many wonderful
vacations, my trip with my two best friends to
New York City is one I’ll always remember.
This was a fantastic trip because of the sights
we saw, the people we met, the plays we
enjoyed, and the laughs we shared.
What’s the topic?
What’s the plan?
Each part of the plan
will be developed into
paragraphs.
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After you make your web or outline,
start writing your introduction.
Leave space at the top for two more
lines. ( It won’t count against you.)You
might come back later to insert a little
background information in the
introduction. Remember to grab
interest and show the plan of your
paper in the introduction.
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Summary

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Identify your prompt
Plan your work with an outline.
Give your work a title with an action word.
Grab interest in the beginning
Build your paragraph with explanations,
examples, & evidence following the topic
statement or key statement.
Use strong action words
Use vivid adjectives
Use metaphors
Finished? Reread & reread to improve and
clarify.
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Credits
Created by Chris Browning for Arrington Middle
School, Birmingham City Schools
Maureen Autum Step Up to Writing Program
Birmingham City Schools workshops presenters
Jerrie Foster, Gail Brown, Theresa Thomas,
Jacquelyn Washington, Janet McMiller
State of Alabama workshop presentations Rhonda
Silmon –Teaching clear thinking before writing.
Lecture Demonstration with Rick Shelton & Write
Where You Are!
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