Genre Convention Revision Chart
To supplement your own notes about genre, here is a table listing many typical techniques or conventions
of writing in various genres required in IGCSE. Note how the techniques support the purpose of the writing.
Genre
Purpose
Basic Conventions
Examples
Informative
Report
Recounts
factual
events.
(e.g. News)
Primarily
to inform.
May try to
subtly
persuade.
Some also
subtly
entertain.
Some contain
subtle bias.
(For news, focuses on 1st hooking readers with dramatic
headlines (+ sometimes highlighted phrases) in bold.
Other reports may go straight to an overview of the facts
and retell the events : who, what, when, where; then,
why and how follows.
Serious, large-page
newspapers or
‘broadsheets’,
e.g. Times of India
(tend to be more
sober in tone);
smaller-sized
weekend tabloids
‘info-tainment’ e.g.
The Sun;
TV news channels,
radio ;
political reports,
etc
Articles
voice & style
for specific
audiences ;
includes
regular
columns
Entertaining
unless
scholarly;
may advise,
inform,
persuade
Structure: clear & logical; catchy title (ambiguity, pun,
alliteration); hook intriguing & lively, possibly short
sentence, hyperbole or rhetorical qu. ; intro - most
important, dramatic info first ; body paragraphs - topic
sentences / subheadings /bullets, links; Language :
lively, conversational even in higher register; sincere,
‘wiser friend’ tone, builds reader trust; audience / topic
lexis.
Investigative
journalism,
e/magazines
Contains : personal
anecdotes, advice,
opinions & facts
balanced;
Discursive
Argument
(Balanced
arguments)
Give various
points of
view to aid
an informed
decision
Begins with some background information leading to the
issue, and usually a thesis proposal / hypothesis.
Develops arguments for and against, giving evidence
Conclusion evaluates both sides / may suggest 1 point of
view. Discourse markers aid cohesion. Tentative tone.
Essays, articles,
advice, letters,
some reviews.
Persuasive
Texts
(general
category)
Used to
influence or
persuade,e.g
advertising
Usually begins with firm thesis or opinion for a point of
view
Tries to convince others by building arguments, giving
reasons and evidence for them
Uses convincing language [‘will damage’ not ‘may
damage’]
Usually emotive, engaging in rhetoric.
Debates, brochures
Political Speech
Pamphlet /
Religious books
Some articles /
letters
Advice
Article
General tips
or
personalised
response
Subtle
approach to
persuasion
by offering
insight and
experience
Often in article form, with lively title and possible subheadings / bullets for easy reference.
Very audience specific & usually have specialised lexical
field / jargon.
Columns of Q/A
about specific
problems, or
general articles in
magazines and
websites
Next, expert and witness opinions / interesting
background. Lastly, useful information for public. May
form conclusions.
Formality / bias / emotive content depend on audience
and the editorial policies, but all claim to present ‘facts
first’.
May use columns to ensure readers don’t lose their
place. Often use short paragraphs, which are quick and
easy to read.
Complex sentences, dense with information.
Unless using an ‘expert’ approach for serious issues,
mostly light-hearted chatty, as if an empathetic &
experienced older friend.
Direct, 2nd person, command sentences.
Advertising
May be
Soft sell’
(subtly
enticing)
or
‘hard sell’
(directly
urging).
Aimed to
persuasively
market a
product or
service.
May require
several
subsidiary
purposes e.g.
create trust,
fan desire.
Form / Structure: recognisable logo/fonts, subheadings
& bullets for handy info,
Technical Data About Product Spec’s / Contents,
repetition of words or structures (e.g. triadic) for
emphasis / memory
Language: emotive language, rhetorical Q/A,
imperatives & exclamations for urgency, sensory
imagery, jargon to lend authority / identify with specific
audience, intense adjectives/ adverbs, atmospheric
imagery, hyperbole and euphemism, humour / puns,
sound effects, direct address 1st / second person,
inclusivity.
Brochures, posters,
radio and TV,
websites,
‘info-mercial
articles and
programmes,
on packaging,
magazines, etc
Content: directions, claims of quality/popularity,
slogans, recommendations, product specifications,
contact Info, special offers, associations of success,
appeal to ego
Scripted
Speech
Mixed
features of
spoken &
written
language
Persuade,
Congratulate
Inform,
inspire,
rally support
Rhetorical devices :
Structure: repetition for emphasis and cohesion;
balance/antithesis; doubles/triples ; many discourse
markers; rhetorical Q/A,
Diary /
Journal
Plan, record
events, vent,
reflect.
Some address diary itself as a confidante –otherwise 1st
person. Contain: private thoughts/ feelings; motives
for behaviour/emotions ; personal record of events,
plans; If written to publish (rare), may vindicate /
inspire, etc Colloquial language, elision due to
pragmatics/ audience.
Traveler / explorer
(Scott); projectrelated. For fiction,
give unique
viewpoint / voice.
Blog
Articles
Series of
online
journal
posts
Letters
May be
emails
(include
‘’To’ +
subject
line
Inform &
entertain
friends &
followers
-descriptive
Recent post first; opening ‘hook’; ending personal
message; interactive features; possible jargon for
audience; direct address; ‘chatty’ tone; generally polite
& respectful even when promoting favourite causes.
Updates on daily
news ,projects,
reviews of
purchases, advice,
opinions.
Informative;
(relationshipbuilding); may
be persuasive
Personally addresses audience;
Structure: possibly an intial ‘Re: subject’ line if business
letter; then, salutations to audience (by name / post),
intro self / purpose, present request / business logically,
remind of a specific expectation, possibly thanks, sign off
with ‘yours sincerely’ etc & full name. Informal letters
include well-wishing, ‘pet’ names, ‘newsy’ openings.
Formal business
transactions, e.g.
complaints, fundraising campaigns;
personal
communications; in
fiction
Language : inclusive pronouns, anecdotes, abstract
language expressed figuratively, religious imagery;
euphemism; hyperbole; pathos (pity-inducing language)
& bathos (anticlimactic list); oxymoron / paradox;
ethos (persuasion by morality), logos (logic); litotes
(defining by a negative)
Tend to be for
formal / mixed
occasions (e.g.
wedding speech).
Political rallies,
open ceremonies,
welcoming, fundraising appeals,
memorials.
Opinion
Article
persuasive
arguments
Informative
(expository);
persuasive;
possibly
entertaining
Analysis, reflections & possibly exposees on
controversies / issues. Opinions may be provocative and
subjective or more reserved & objective. Typical
persuasive language techniques, possibly emotive. See
persuasive essay for structure.
Editorial,
Letter to Editor,
News article, Blog,
‘expert’ or guest
column
Literary Texts
Narrative
story
Tells story
through
series of
events
and/or
illustrations
Entertain or
elicit an
emotional
response by
creating
fictional
scenarios. May
educate/
motivate if
author has a
message
Plot moves through exposition, complication, rising action,
climax, falling action and resolution – in various
sequences.
Develops plot using devices e.g. flashbacks / time lapses,
perspective shifts, foreshadowing.
May tell story though an invented persona in 1st person/
2nd person / 3rd person omniscient / limited viewpoint
Typically includes internal monologue, dialogue,
descriptions, and action passages.
Blends fictional & realistic detail to create ‘believable’
world for reader to experience.
Short stories,
novels, series,
cartoons, dramas.
Horror, romance,
adventure,
historical fiction,
sci-fi, fantasy,
self-discovery /
philosophy ,
mystery, thriller,
fable, comedy,
crime, etc.
Uses effective language to create mental images of vivid
characters, settings and activities.
May imitate reports, diaries, letters, etc for
realism/novelty
Description
Imaginative
original
portrayal
/sharing of
sense
experiences
Describes characteristic features of people / settings /
actions. Involves audience by sharing sensory impressions
of ‘scenes’ rather than narrative plot.
Figurative language, details, sound effects & ‘poetic’
diction create vivid imagery.
Structures may be cicular, contrasting, etc. Perspective
resembles cinema techniques: zooming in, panning,
shadowing POV.
Preposional phrases provide navigation; frequent
modifiers provide detail.
Monologue
Entertain:
Develop the
(sometimes viewpoint of
used in
distinctive
description fictional
with
persona, while
thoughts
story-telling or
and feelings, describing
or
for a story)
Opening scene
within a story /
travel writing /
memoir, guided
meditation script,
advertising,
documentary
voiceovers, etc
A script of ONE fictional persona’s voice (i.e. the narrator’s In narrative,
rather than the actual writer’s voice).
description, travel
articles,
The persona may speak to themselves, to God above, or
meditations,
directly to the reader / listener, as if they were face-tovoice-overs. May
face.
include critical
moments,
Alternatively, the voice may be speaking to an imagined
reflections on
companion whose replies, if any, we do not hear. Narrator past, advice,
directly or indirectly reveals, events and plans.
instructions,
story-telling