Writing for different purposes

Strategies used by the writer in the descriptive essay to communicate to his/her audience

Writing is a process in which the writer tries to communicate to another who responds in some way to the message being conveyed. In the writer's description of Lou's cafe the audience is hooked in the opening sentence. The writer uses the flashback technique as well as inner thoughts where she recounts her visit. She begins the piece by stating " It is at least twenty years later and I can still remember my visit to Lou's cafe." By using this sentence at the beginning of the piece the audience would want to read further to find out what made the visit to this particular cafe so memorable. By doing so the writer sets up expectations for the purpose, style and mood of the piece. Throughout the piece, the writer makes use of comparisons to help the audience imagine the picture that he wants to create. The readers therefore imagines themselves in the scene. For example in the piece the writer uses the line: " It seemed as if we had opened the door to the decades: a place where generations came and went, a place where time stood still and passed by at the same time." The writer uses vivid words that appeal to the readers five senses ( sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch) and they explain the general running or organisation of the restaurant that the readers can picture. A wide variety of adjectives are used and information is provided that appeals to sensory facilities and descriptive sequence.

Strategies used by the writer in the expository essay to communicate to his/her audience

In the expository piece entitled " The faceless Teacher" the writer seeks to explain the role that the internet plays in global culture. the writer does so by using deductive reasoning. The writer begins the piece by using a general statement about the internet. The purpose is to make the idea clear. The writer is also analyzing a situation in the piece. The piece explains how the internet works and the functions that in performs. The writer uses cause and effect as well as comparison and contrast to bring his point across to the readers. Information is conveyed to the reader so that a level of understanding is achieved. The writer is engaging and reflective of the writer's underlying commitment to the piece.

Strategies used by the writer in the narrative essay to communicate to his/her audience

In the piece entitled " Alina" the writer recounts a personal experience or tells a story. He describes his encounter with Alina- a character in the story. The writer seeks to present an event to the reader in a temporal sequence. The writer uses a variety of action or dynamic verbs. The voice is that of the first person narrator to convey a particular mood and to make incidents in the story come alive. The piece includes conventions such as plot, setting, characters, climax and resolution. In the piece, the writer recreates his experience with other characters in the story rather than simply telling the the reader about it. The events in the story are organized in a sequential manner.

The writer's purpose in the Expository Piece ( The Fearless Teacher) and how he accomplishes his

purpose

The writer's purpose in the piece is to inform the reader of the importance placed on the internet in today's society. The writer also explains the role that the internet ( computers) plays in the lives of many individuals. The writer seeks to explain the impacts that it has had on many aspects of society paying particular attention to its role in education. The writer accomplishes his purpose in a number of ways. Firstly, he begins the piece by making a general statement about the internet and then narrowing it down to specific examples that the reader can relate to. The writer's tone is persuasive to ensure that the reader understands the explanations given for his or her point of view.

The writer also uses compare and contrast. For example, he compares and contrasts the role of the computer and the teacher in the classroom ( education). Another technique that the writer uses in this piece is definition to develop his position on the role that the internet ( computers) plays in education. The writer also uses analogy as well as authentic examples to explain the role of the internet in education. To achieve his purpose the writer coveys information to the reader/ audience so that a level of understanding can be achieved.

Evaluation of expository piece

The piece will be evaluated using the the following attributes: Ideas/Content, Organisation, Voice, Word Choice/ Vocabulary, Sentence Fluency and Conventions/ Mechanics.

Ideas/Content

In the piece the writer developed his ideas clearly and fully. The main points were developed with interesting examples of ample detail. The ideas which the writer expressed were relevant to the topic.

Organisation

The writer showed a definite organizational pattern in the piece. Details in the piece are in proper sequence. The writer uses some signal words to indicate organisation. The piece has an adequate conclusion. However, it lacks natural flow.

Voice

The writing in the piece is distinctive and bears the writer's stamp. The reader is pulled into the piece.

Word Choice/ Vocabulary

The piece has the correct word forms. Word choice is appropriate and varied. The writer used vivid words and words were used effectively. Advanced vocabulary was used in the piece.

Sentence Fluency/ Language Use

The writer used varied sentence structure. The piece included complex and compound as well as simple sentences. Sentences in the piece were grammatically correct. The writer used correct verb tense, word order, agreement articles and negatives.

Conventions/Mechanics

The writer had very few errors in his use of basic mechanics: mastery of spelling, use of appropriate capiatl letters and punctuation.