Three Styles of Writing

Three Different Types of

Writing Styles

with Othello

Informative/ Explanatory /

Expository Writing

• Informative/Explanatory/Expository writing is a

subject-oriented writing style, in which the
main focus of the author is to tell you about a
given topic or subject, and leaves out their
opinions.

• Gives Facts

• Explains

• Gives Steps in a Process

• Presents ideas in logical order or correct

sequence

Keywords in an informative/explanatory/

expository prompt

Explain

Inform

Respond

Analyze

Tell how

Compare

Contrast

Define

Discuss

1. Explain how the author

develops the theme in
the stories.

2. Compare your experience

as a 10th grader to
someone at Lowell High.

3. Define empathy and

discuss why all people
should be empathetic.

4. Analyze how Amir

changed over the course
of the novel.

Types of Informative/Explanatory/

Expository Writing

- Literary analysis essays
- Research essays
- Articles

Multiple Choice

An expository essay consists of:

• beginning, middle, and end
• rising action, climax, falling action
• introduction, body paragraph(s), conclusion.
• stanzas

Multiple Choice

What is the author's purpose in an expository text? 

• To explain 
• To entertain
• To describe
• To tell a story

Multiple Choice

Expository means what?

• telling how you feel 
• Informing
• sharing opinions
• researching

Multiple Choice

Which is an example of a possible expository prompt?

• Write about your best day ever!
• What do you think about Beliebers?
• Why are acts of kindness important to the world?
• Write a letter to The President

Persuasive/Argument Writing

● Persuasive writing, unlike

informative/explanatory/expository writing, contains
the opinions, biases and justification of the author.

● In persuasive writing, the author takes a stand and

asks you to believe their point of view.

● The persuasive purpose is used to convince, or

persuade, the reader that the opinion, or assertion,
or claim, of the writer is correct or valid.

● Argument attempts to arrive at a logical solution to an

issue.

Keywords that show it is a

Persuasive/Argument Prompt

Convince
Persuade
Defend
Justify

Take a Stand

Assert

Pros and Cons

Argue

Defe

1. Persuade a close friend to donate

blood as part of a blood drive that
your school is sponsoring for the
Red Cross.

2. Write a letter to the editor of the

newspaper that argues why
citizens should support a tax
increase benefiting the local public
schools.

3. Convince a person to watch your

favorite movie.

4. Who is responsible for Othello’s

downfall? Justify your answer.

Types of Persuasive/Argumentative

Writing

- Editorials
- Articles with a position
- News reports
- Election speeches
- Opinion pieces
- Argumentative essays

Multiple Choice

Which type of writing is used to convince readers to agree with you?

• Informative

• Persuasive

• Narrative

• Descriptive

Multiple Choice

People use persuasive language to ________.

• teach someone how to do something

• convince someone to act or agree

• encourage someone who's feeling down

• paint a picture with words

Multiple Choice

Which of the following would be the strongest argument to persuade you to buy a new video game:

• The video game is expensive.

• The video game is almost as fun as the ones you have.

• The video game has OK graphics.

• The video game won an award for Game of the Year.

Multiple Choice

The goal of an argument is to ________.

• entertain someone with a good story

• learn something

• get someone to see your point of view

• sound smart

Multiple Choice

What is an Argument? 

• Carefully stated claim supported by reasons and evidence.  
• A reason that proves the claim.
• An author's attitude on the issue.

Multiple Choice

Evidence for an argumentative essay can be

• how the author feels about a topic

• facts, statistics, or text evidence

• the author's opinions

Narrative/ Descriptive Writing

● Narrative writing is a type of writing in which the

author tells a detailed, descriptive, and developed
story.

● Narrative writing often has situations like disputes,

conflicts, action, motivational events, problems and
solutions.

● Has dialogue, characters, action, beginning,

middle, and end.

● This will use both figurative and descriptive

language as well as sensory detail to tell the story

Keywords that show it is a

narrative/descriptive prompt

Describe

Tell/ Write

a story

Show

Different POV
or Perspective

Reflect
Imagine

1.

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.

2.

Tell about a time when you made
a serious mistake.

3.

Describe a scene from the story
using a different character’s
point of view.

4.

Imagine you’re Hassan and
reflect on your experience
growing up with Amir.

Multiple Choice

Dialogue is 

• Action at the end of the story
• The conversation between characters
• Authors point of view
• Chronological order

Multiple Choice

The person telling the story.

• Narrator
• First Person Point of View
• Third Person Point of View
• Narrative Writing

Multiple Choice

A good setting helps create a ________________

• mood

• tone

• plot

Multiple Choice

LITERARY TERMS

What is point of view?

• A struggle or clash between two opposing characters, forces, or emotions.

• The vantage point from which a writer tells a story.

• The series of related events that make up a story, its underlying structure.

• One who tells, or narrates, a story.

Multiple Choice

LITERARY TERMS

What is conflict?

• A struggle or clash between two opposing characters, forces, or emotions.

• The vantage point from which a writer tells a story, such as first person, limited third person, omniscient third person, and second

• The series of related events that make up a story, its underlying structure.

• One who tells, or narrates, a story.

Multiple Choice

LITERARY TERMS

Which of the following literary techniques provides the time and place of the story?

• Dialogue

• Imagery

• Setting

• Character

Multiple Choice

WORD CHOICE

In writing what is "tone"?

• The attitude a writer takes toward the reader, a subject, or a character.

• The technical aspects of writing specific to the subject or topic.

• Your unique personality on paper.

• A clearly defined action assigned to or expected of a person.

Multiple Choice

Writer tells a story. (Hint: could be fiction or non-fiction).

• Expository

• Narrative

• Descriptive

• Persuasive

Multiple Select

Writing that uses the five senses to 'paint a picture' for the reader. (Hint: uses imagery).

• Descriptive

• Narrative

• Persuasive

• Expository

Multiple Choice

True or false: a narrative can be a story about someone else?

• True

• False

Multiple Select

Which of the five senses does this passage appeal to?

"The soft fur of the dog felt like silk against my skin and her black coloring glistened as it absorbed the sunlight, reflecting it back as a perfect, deep, dark mirror."

• Touch

• Smell

• Sight

• Sound

• Taste

Multiple Choice

Where might you find descriptive writing?

• In a newspaper editorial about political corruption

• In a novel set on a strange alien planet in outer space

• In the instruction manual for a new stationary bicycle

• In a telephone directory

Write Your Own
FOR EXTRA CREDIT

● Pick a prompt from the list on the

next slide

● Successfully identify the style and

correctly respond to the prompt
using the proper pronouns and voice.

Write Your Own

1. Explain which theme is the most important theme
   to Othello and why.

2. Write a letter to the English department head in order to convince her that Othello is a worthwhile read.

3.When Othello kills himself and Iago is sentenced to a life of torture, what happens next? Write the next Act of Othello.

4.Which character suffers a more prolific and meaningful downfall: Iago or Othello?

5. Analyze how Desdemona fits the role of the loyal, forgiving wife even in her death?

6. Iago is looking for love within the confines of his prison cell. Create a dating profile for this villain. Be descriptive.