3.1 Introducing Nonfiction
Nonfiction Text Structures
As you could tell from the previous page, there are many kinds of nonfiction texts. Here are five categories:
Descriptive – Describe or tell about something (a ladybug, a country).
Instructional – Give instructions on how to do or make something. Usually in chronological order (ordered from first to last). May be numbered or use words like first, next, then, finally. Can have diagrams or pictures. Gives necessary detail and few extra details. Also known as procedural as step-by-step procedures are given.
Explanatory – Tell how or why something happens. Often uses cause and effect language – because, if, therefore. May have technical vocabulary. (how rainbows are formed, why leaves change colour, or why snakes shed their skins)
Persuasive – Try to convince you to do something, buy something, or go somewhere. Tell you what to do and try to convince you to do that. Might try to convince with words or pictures.
Biography – Tell the events of a real person (birth, family, childhood, adulthood, significant contribution to the world). May have quotations, may be lively in tone. Often in chronological (ordered from first to last)
