1. What is a text type?
The phrase ‘text type’ is a way of classifying and defining different types of language interaction, both spoken and written.
It refers to the purpose of a text and the way it is written. 2

2. text type families
members
procedures
instructions; procedures; protocols
information texts
descriptions; explanations; reports;
directives; combination
story texts
recounts; narratives
persuasive texts
expositions; discussion; opinions

3. How does the syllabus classify text types?
Instructions
Explanations
Recounts
- personal
- factual
Information reports
Expositions
Narratives 3

4. What does ‘text form’ mean?
Texts can also be defined or classified according to their form: the overall shape and structure they take or the context in which they are found. 4

5. text type and text form t y p e narrative explanation instruction
recount
diary
short story
letter
recipe
play
essay f o r m

6. What are the key features of different kinds of texts?
When considering a text we need to think about its:
topic (what about?)
– purpose (why?)
– audience/writer-reader relationship (who?)
context
language
– text structure
– grammatical features
– vocabulary 1

7. features of a text type example Topic what the text is about Purpose
what text producer wants to achieve
Audience
who the consumer is
Relationship
between P&C
who producer and consumer are vis-à-vis one another
Singapore’s history
to give information
visitors to Singapore
producer & consumer unknown to one another.
What might be a form of the text type in the example?
What text type is the example?

8. language features example structure grammar vocabulary
pattern of organisation
tense, person, form of clauses etc etc
words used - depends on topic and audience
chronological
past tense; 3rd person; declarative clauses
conflict; resolution; government policies

9. summary of text types: purpose & typical grammatical features
Recount
personal
factual
narrative
explanat-ion
report
exposition
procedure
speaker
(1st person)
specific 3rd person or general class
specific 1st or 3rd person
general class
specific
3rd person or general class
addressee
(2nd person)
past
usually past
timeless
timeless,
obligation future
imperative
+ future
temporal
causal
various
temporal/
nouns / pronouns
tense / modality
conjunction
retell or record
entertain
reveal
describe
persuade
instruct

10. text structure the way the text is shaped e.g. text type: narrative
Orientation ^ Complication ^ Resolution

11. Buttons
In a small village called Columpton there was a boy called Harry. Harry was always fighting and during fights his buttons were ripped off. His mother always nagged him about sewing on his buttons but Harry never did.
Orientation
One day all his buttons had been ripped off so he had to hold his trousers up. The bell went to go home from school and Harry raced out of the classroom and his pants fell down. All the other children laughed.
Complication
Now Harry sews his buttons on all the time, without even being asked.
Resolution

12. Task c) personal recount factual recount exposition instruction
5, Stamford Estate
Dear Sir,
As I was going to work yesterday I noticed 3 youths walking to school after 8 a.m. They were talking and laughing and seemed to be in no hurry to get there. It was reported in yesterday’s Straits Times that today’s young people had never worked harder at school. This was certainly not borne out by my observations. I believe that punctuality is a crucial aspect of working life. All young people need to learn this before they leave school.
As parents, people must:
set a good example;
insist on punctuality;
support schools in their campaigns to promote punctuality.
Yours faithfully
personal
recount
factual
recount
exposition
instruction

13. Task e) Text B Topic text type setting up an amplifier text form
Purpose
Relationship
between P&C
Tone
Structure
Grammar
Vocabulary
setting up an amplifier
instruction (procedural)
Text B
non-fiction manual
tell how to set up amplifier
writer = expert
reader = novice
impersonal; neither the writer nor the reader is referred to
separate numbered paragraphs
imperatives, infinitives, future tense when referring to results of actions
subject-specific, technical, e.g., unmute

14. Text C Topic English in Singapore text type text form
Purpose
Relationship
between P&C
Tone
Structure
Grammar
Vocabulary
English in Singapore
Text C
information report
non-fiction information text
give factual information
writer = expert
reader = novice
impersonal; neither the writer nor the reader is referred to
non-chronological, general to specific
simple present tense, adjectives for classification,
topic-specific & technical, e.g., syntactic; formal language, e.g., proficient

15. Text F Topic ball-point pens text type explanation text form
non-fiction, general interest book
Purpose
to inform the reader
Relationship
between P&C
writer = expert; reader=novice
Tone
distant, impersonal
Structure
moving from the key element of the pen to those parts that connect to this element
Grammar
clear reference and cohesive links from one sentence to the next; passive voice; causal conjunctions
Vocabulary
technical, e.g., brass housing
Text F

16. Text G Topic a robbery text type factual recount text form
newspaper article
Purpose
to provide information/sell newspapers
Relationship
between P&C
writer and reader unknown to each other
Tone
brisk and clear, not formal.
Structure
summary followed by chronological report of the incident, paragraphs, columns, picture, caption
Grammar
Concise style, densely constructed sentences
Vocabulary
some colloquial phrases, e.g., made off, facts, figures, names, places
Text G