When writing texts of different modalities are produced. The expository text is one of the possible options. It consists of a writing in which the primary purpose is to inform the reader or disseminate knowledge on a particular topic.
Types of expository texts
There are two variants: popular texts and specialized ones. The first are those in which the subject matter is aimed at the population as a whole, such as a history article in a school magazine, the contents of Wikipedia or the different articles that make up this web space, ABC Definition. Specialized texts are addressed to a type of reader who already has prior knowledge, for example a history article in a university publication, a doctoral thesis or an expert report.
In any case, all expository text has a series of common characteristics:
1) it starts from an objective approach, in such a way that the author does not express his personal opinions but limits himself to rigorously reporting on a matter,
2) in general, these texts are written in the present,
3) clear and precise terminology is used and avoiding ambiguities and
4) the most common structure of them consists of a presentation of the theme, followed by a development and, finally, a conclusion.
In short, an expository text is one that communicates information and, therefore, transmits knowledge objectively.
Other types of texts
In addition to expository texts, there are three other groups: narrative, descriptive and argumentative.
Narrative texts tell a story in a chained way. In them appear characters and a description of the space and time in which the narrated events take place. On the other hand, there is a type of narrator (usually in the first person or the omniscient narrator).
Descriptive texts have the primary function of detailing or describing something, such as a character or a situation. This type of text focuses on an idea: how something or someone is. Some of these texts tend towards objectivity, while others start from a more subjective description (in the latter case, it would be a literary text).
As its name indicates, argumentative texts are based on the defense of an argument or thesis. In short, these texts provide explanations and data to support the thesis defended. As is logical, its purpose is to convince the reader about a certain idea.
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