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Types of Writing Facts & Worksheets

Just as we communicate for different reasons, we also write for different purposes – hence there are four primary types of writing.

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Writing is a means of communication that involves using conventional written symbols like the alphabet. Just as we communicate for different reasons, we also write for different purposes – hence there are four primary types of writing.

See the fact file below for more information on Types of Writing or alternatively, you can download our 31-page Types of Writing worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

THE FOUR TYPES OF WRITING

  • The four types of writing are descriptive writing, expository writing, narrative writing, and persuasive writing. Further on in your studies, when you begin reading and composing different types of essays, you will encounter many other kinds of writing. However, all of these generally fall into these four main categories.
  • Each of these four types has its own characteristics and objectives. The method you employ depends on your goal. Therefore, it is essential that you are familiar with each to know the appropriate kind you need to choose.

DESCRIPTIVE WRITING

  • Descriptive writing is intended for describing one’s subject using vivid accounts to help readers clearly visualize or experience whatever it is being written about, be a person, thing, place, or anything else.
  • To remember its function, keep in mind that the root of the word descriptive is the verb ‘to describe’ – therefore, it is a writing that describes. Because of this, descriptive writing is also considered as creating pictures with words.
  • Given its aim to describe, descriptive writing involves detailed illustrations achieved by concrete words related to the five senses. It also usually uses writing devices like figurative language to evoke particular moods to enhance the reading experience of readers, making them feel as if what is being described is actually unfolding right where they are.
  • Because of what it can offer to a writer, descriptive writing is most often used in literature. In particular, it is found in poetry and fictional works such as stories and novels where imagery is important. It can be found in songwriting and other types of creative texts such as those used in advertising. You can also employ descriptive writing in personal works like entries in a journal or a diary.

Descriptive Writing Tips

  • When you need to describe something, provide its characteristics based on what you observe, usually from what you can see. However, there are things you can describe using sensory details from the rest of your five senses such as touch or hearing. If applicable, make sure to describe using your other senses for a richer description of your subject. 
  • It helps to know your subject by heart so you can give a detailed description of it. Thus, it can be useful to research your subject well when it is unfamiliar to you to be able to relate it accurately to your readers. 
  • Use strong descriptive words to make your writing livelier and more colorful. If you want to describe an elephant as big, try using the word massive. However, make sure to use these kinds of words only when it will give your readers a clearer image of
    your subject.

Descriptive Writing Example

  • She stretched herself up on tiptoe and peeped over the edge of the mushroom, and her eyes immediately met those of a large blue caterpillar, that was sitting on the top with its arms folded, quietly smoking a long hookah, and taking not the smallest notice of her or of anything else. (From Lewis Carroll’s Alice
    in Wonderland    )
  • In this example, notice how the writer used action words like stretched and peeped to accurately show Alice’s movements. The author also described the caterpillar vividly so that a clear image and impression of it could be formed in the reader’s mind.

EXPOSITORY WRITING

  • Expository writing is the type of writing that aims to inform readers about a particular subject by providing relevant facts and explanations in a clear and logical manner.
  • In order to remember the purpose of expository writing, think of the word expose, which occurs in this kind of writing: information and facts are exposed or laid out for the readers so that they may understand the subject. Hence, this writing is educational or informative in nature.
  • Considering its aim is to explain a subject to readers, expository writing must be factual and, most importantly, free of the writer’s subjective views. It must focus on making a subject clear using objective explanations and answering any questions that readers may have about the subject in a neutral way.
  • Expository writing might be the most common among the four types of writing because the world always deals with information and knowledge. You can find this in educational material like textbooks or worksheets, which teach students about various topics. It also prevalent in journalism, specifically in news writing. Researchers use expository writing for the scientific and research articles they write to share their discoveries. On the internet, content like FAQs and how-to blogs are also inherently expository.

Expository Writing Tip

  • Explaining a subject to readers requires knowledge of the topic to be written about. Make sure to study your subject well so that you can properly and accurately clarify it for your readers. 
  • Create an outline to keep your writing logical and clear, which is important to inform readers of your subject. 
  • Consider the level of familiarity of your target readers with your subject. Adapt your writing to what they already know and have yet to know about it. 
  • Refrain from expressing opinions on your subject. Remember that expository writing must be factual and objective.

Expository Writing Example

  • Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism’s activities. Some of this chemical energy is stored in carbohydrate molecules, such as sugars and starches, which are synthesized from carbon dioxide and water. (From Wikipedia)
  • This passage explains the process of photosynthesis in a factual and logical manner. It uses terms related to this subject, which must be expanded on later for the readers to follow. The formality of the tone of writing is also noticeable, which is common in expository writing.

NARRATIVE WRITING

  • Narrative writing is just another term for storytelling with its purpose to share with readers an event or a sequence of events in chronological order. For this reason, an organizational arrangement, known as a narrative structure, comprising a beginning, middle, and ending, is evident in narrative works. 
  • One can simply look at the name itself to remember that its function is to narrate an account of related events. Accordingly, the concept of a logical sequence is central to this kind of writing.
  • Essentially storytelling, narrative writing often employs elements such as a setting, characters, and a plot. Since narrative writing is not just a matter of simply recounting a series of events, one finds that it usually goes hand in hand with descriptive writing. Therefore, some written works, especially in literature, can be both narrative and descriptive.
  • Examples of narrative writing include short stories, novels, and other works of fiction. While they are given as examples for descriptive writing, these are taken as written narratives as a whole that use descriptive storytelling including scenes, for instance. Any writing that tells a story, in fact, can be considered narrative writing.

Narrative Writing Tips

  • Ensure that the events to be described flow smoothly and chronologically, as this is most important in narrative writing. 
  • Make the narration interesting by applying what you learned from descriptive writing; that is, use descriptive language in telling the story.

Narrative Writing Example

  • A Dog, to whom the butcher had thrown a bone, was hurrying home with his prize as fast as he could go. As he crossed a narrow footbridge, he happened to look down and saw himself reflected in the quiet water as if in a mirror. But the greedy Dog thought he saw a real Dog carrying a bone much bigger than his own. If he had stopped to think he would have known better. But instead of thinking, he dropped his bone and sprang at the Dog in the river, only to find himself swimming for dear life to reach the shore. At last he managed to scramble out, and as he stood sadly thinking about the good bone he had lost, he realized what a stupid Dog he had been. (From Aesop’s Fables, The Dog and Its Reflection) 
  • As a short story, this piece has a plot and consists of character- encountering conflict. It also has a clear beginning, middle, and ending with the way the events logically follow each other.

PERSUASIVE WRITING

  • Persuasive writing, also called argumentation, is aimed at convincing readers to adopt a position on a particular topic or to perform an action by using sound arguments or appealing to their emotions.
  • Persuasive means having the ability to persuade. This is helpful when remembering the function of persuasive writing.
  • If expository writing cannot contain any of the writer’s thoughts or opinions on a topic, these elements are central to persuasive writing. That said, this type of writing is incomplete without one’s arguments or reasoning, which are necessary to justify the position the writer is taking and consequently to persuade the readers to accept it or take action according to it.
  • There are many situations in which you might need to convince others of something and hence call for persuasive writing. One example is a cover letter used for job applications where the applicant needs to convince an employer to hire them. Other examples include critical reviews or critiques intended to share the writer’s views on something evaluated. Persuasive writing is widespread in advertising in the form of sales writing and advertisements.

Persuasive Writing Tips

  • Identify what you aim to convince your readers to do and focus on this objective throughout your writing process. 
  • Determine your position and develop arguments that are logical and relevant to the readers whose mind you want to change. 
  • Use supporting evidence to further drive your position. These may be related to hard figures (statistical), others’ experiences (testimonial), or even your personal experiences (anecdotal). Present this evidence in a coherent manner.

Persuasive Writing Example

  • Writing is not easy. That’s why Grammarly can help. This sentence is grammatically correct, but it’s wordy, and hard to read. It undermines the writer’s message and the word choice is bland. Grammarly’s cutting-edge technology helps you craft compelling, understandable writing that makes an impact on your reader. Much better. Are you ready to give it a try? Installation is simple and free. Visit Grammarly.com today! (From Grammarly) 
  • This passage is persuasive writing in the context of advertising. It begins with a problem experienced by the target audience of Grammarly and then proceeds with telling the benefits of their product that will help solve this problem. These help convince the audience to visit their website, which is an action the ad makes explicit at the end.

Types of Writing Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Types of Writing across 31 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the four primary Types of Writing which are identified based on their purpose in communication.

Complete list of included worksheets

  • Types of Writing Facts
  • Where Does It Belong?
  • Do or Don’t
  • You Need to Write This Way
  • Sorting Examples
  • Compare and Contrast
  • Recognizing the Writing
  • Describe the Photo
  • My Favorite Movie
  • My Favorite Character is…
  • Why You Should Watch It Too

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 4 types of writing?

The four types of writing are descriptive writing, expository writing, narrative writing, and persuasive writing.

What is descriptive writing?

Descriptive writing is intended for describing one’s subject using vivid accounts to help readers clearly visualize or experience whatever it is being written about, be it a person, thing, place, or anything else.

What is persuasive writing?

Persuasive writing, also called argumentation, is aimed at convincing readers to adopt a position on a particular topic or to perform an action by using sound arguments or appealing to their emotions.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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