Entry Task

What do all of
these images have in
common?
 Literary Non-Fiction Learning Outcome Journey:

Defining literary non-fiction

Date: 24 March 2024

Distinguish between types of

literary non-fiction texts.
• I can skim and scan a • I can refer to specific features
range of literary non- of the texts to support my
fiction texts and judgements.
determine their genre. • I can compare and contrast the
key features of the texts.
Skimming

• Skimming helps you find information in a text without

reading the whole thing. Readers usually skim when a text
is very long. Skimming will help you decide whether the
text is interesting or useful.
• Read only the subheadings or titles of the paragraphs
• Read the first sentence of each paragraph to find out
what it is about
• Look for dates, names or technical words that might help
you to find what you're looking for.
 Scanning

• Scanning helps you to find a very specific piece of information. For

example, a name in a phone book or a word in dictionary. Once
you've found the piece of information, skim the surrounding text
to make sure it's what you're looking for.
• Look for the first few letters of the word you're looking for
• Look for words in bold letters or italics for important pieces of
information
• Look for bullet points or numbered lists that might contain the
information you need
What do we mean
by Literary non-
fiction texts?
Where might you
find them?
 Non-fiction texts – possible
forms:
• Newspapers
• Film reviews
• Magazine articles
• Adverts
• Letters
• Information posters
• Websites
 Auto/Biographical: writing about the life of yourself/ someone else
 Travel writing
 Diary/ blog
 Letter
• Non-fiction texts can be Now you know this, make a list of at least
written for a variety of 5 different types of texts and the place
where you might find them.
purposes. For example, a text
might be written to: For example:

A leaflet on giving on smoking – this is

• provide instruction advising and you would find it at the
doctors surgery.
• promote awareness
• inform about the facts Text type Purpose Place

• report news
Leaflet Advise doctors

• Non-fiction texts are usually

written with a purpose to
persuade, inform, instruct,
entertain, explain or
describe.
Look at the examples below, using the same technique as
before I want you to analyse the non-fiction texts and apply
F.A.P. to them.
Format
Audience
Purpose
 L/O: to use techniques to write to explain.

When writing to Explain you should:

• Break down the topic
• Use facts
• Show a balanced view
• Use evidence to support your points
• Use connectives
• Write in third person

See if you can spot these techniques on the next slide…

 Writing to explain: example
Below is an account for a repair firm, explaining the nature of a fault and what needs to be done. Spot the
techniques which are specific to writing to explain.
Faulty oven
There appears to be a problem with the gas supply to the recently fitted
oven in the kitchen.
The gas hobs
These generally work okay when only one or two are used at once, however
if you use all four hobs, they tend to spit and crackle, creating a health
and safety risk. I have tried several different combinations in an effort
to get the cooker to work effectively but every time I try something I
end up getting burnt. This actually means that some food ends up being
eaten cold, as it is impossible to cook everything simultaneously.
The gas oven
Another problem is the oven itself. It seems as if there isn't enough gas
getting through the pipes. When it is first lit, the hissing sound of the gas
is quite loud, whereas when it has been on for 15 minutes or more the
hissing dies down and it sounds like it is about to go out. You can see the
obvious concerns with gas leaking if the flame goes out.
The solution
I would appreciate a written report of the problem and would either like
the oven fixed or a replacement oven brought in before the end of the
week.
You are about to read three different texts. They are:

A. some descriptive writing from a story

B. formal writing from a letter
C. informative writing from a report

You need to guess which one is which. It should be easy, shouldn’t it? You’ll spot the types
of writing straightaway. Or will you? Because the words have been reordered. Let’s take
a look.
Remember Skim and Scan!

11
TEXT 1
Although Can Despite It The The a a Which text is this?
a also also and berry branches break - letter?
breathes can do drink either
- report?
elephant elephant’s enough great
huge into is is is is it it it it it its its - story?
its its length mouth nose nose of
Are there any clues in the
pick really remarkable sensitive
language used?
single so squirting strong sucking
that these thing things through to to
trunk trunk trunk up up uses water
with you your

12
Text 2 Which text is this likely to be? Again
TFlames Nine Suddenly Tom’s Up look for clues in the types of words
across ahead and as backs boomed used.
bright cape churned clouds crashed
driving from ground handlebar he
him him his horns left more off-
white over past plaintively pulled
rain rose round round sheep sky
stood streak struggled the the the
their throwing thunder thunderous
tightly to to to tore tree with with

13
TEXT 3
Coal Dear It Mr Mrs Ms Nathan Our
Providence S Shed Street The We This is the final text. Look
Wetwang White White White a a above carefully at the words used
address aforementioned an and and as at and decide whether this is
attention been behalf brought ceased
clients clients clients detached dispute
story, formal letter or
disused domestic edifice for formerly informative report.
fossil fuel has have have hereinafter in in
information is now of of of of of on our
our our our outbuilding past premises And now for the answers…
recent referred reside residence said
sibling son storage subsequent taken that
that the the the the the to to to to to up
utilized very with with write you you you
youngest your
14
 An information text
Look at the connectives used
The elephant’s trunk is a
remarkable thing. Despite its great
‘it’ (the third person) is used a lot length, it is really a nose. The
elephant breathes through it. It
‘is’ is used a lot and indicates the
also uses its trunk to drink, sucking
present tense up water and squirting it into its
mouth. Although its trunk is strong
enough to break huge branches, it is
The words used are generally
straightforward and easily
also so sensitive that it can pick up
understood. a single berry. Can you do either of
This text should really look like this:
these things with your nose?

15
Courtesy of ‘NLS: Grammar for writing’ DfES
 A descriptive passage

Look at the connectives used –

‘suddenly’ Nine
Flamesoff-white sheep
Nine Suddenly Tom Tom’swith
Up a a handlebar
across ahead and
horns
and as asstood plaintively
backs boomed with
bright cape their
churned backs
clouds crashedto
There are clearly adjectives here: the driving
driving rain.
from ground Tomhepulled
handlebar him him his cape
his horns leftmore
more off-white over past plaintively pulled rain rose round
‘bright’, ‘off-white’, ‘thunderous’ tightly
round sheepround him
sky stood as struggled
streak he struggled
the the thepast.
their
Up ahead,
throwing thunderous
thunder clouds
thunderous tightly to to tochurned over
tore tree with
The use of powerful verbs is even more and
with round. Suddenly a bright streak tore
marked, e.g. ‘boomed’, ‘churned’ across the sky. Flames rose from a tree
to Tom’s left as thunder crashed and
There are effective adverbs too: boomed, throwing him to the ground.
‘plaintively’

The verbs ending in –ed indicate the

past tense
This text should really look like this:
Courtesy of ‘NLS: Grammar for writing’ DfES
16
 A formal letter

Note the formal sounding connectives which Dear

TEXT Ms3 White,
we do not generally use in speech, e.g. Coal DearWe write
It Mr MrstoMsyou on behalf
Nathan of our clients,
Our Providence S Shed
‘aforementioned’, ‘hereinafter’ Mr andTheMrs
Street WeSWetwang
White ofWhite
17, Providence
White WhiteStreet,
a a above
Wetwang.
address aforementioned an and and as at attention
been behalf
It hasbrought
beenceased
brought clients clients
to our clients that
attention
There are also formal ways of putting familiar detached
you have, dispute disused
in the very domestic
recent edifice
past, ceasedfor formerly
to reside
words: ‘residence’ instead of home, ‘sibling’ fossilour
with fuelclients
has haveathave
thehereinafter in in information
above address. Our is
instead of brother/sister now of of of of
information is of on our
that, our our ourtooutbuilding
subsequent a domestic past
premiseswith
dispute recent referred
your reside
sibling residence
Nathan White,saidthe
sibling
son storage
youngest sonsubsequent taken that that the
of our aforementioned the theyou
clients, the
the totaken
have to to to
uptoresidence
up utilizedinvery
an with with write
outbuilding ofyou
the
The word ‘you’ is used frequently you you
said youngest
premises, your
a detached edifice formerly
utilized for the storage of fossil fuel, now
disused, and hereinafter referred to as The Coal
There are formal titles used: ‘Mr’, ‘Mrs’. Shed.

This text should really look like this:

17
Courtesy of ‘NLS: Grammar for writing’ DfES
Language Techniques in non-fiction writing… Structural Techniques in non-fiction writing…

 Pronouns – are the personal (I), inclusive  Subheadings

(we), exclusive (you)  Title
 Direct mode of address  Links to phone numbers, social media etc
 Rhetorical questions  Endorsement stamps
 Emotive language  Logo
 Statistics  Overall structure of how information has
 Facts been arranged
 Anecdotes  Paragraphing
 Hyperbole  Punctuation
 Alliteration  Sentence types
 Similes  Opening and Ending
 Metaphors  Images and colours
 Zoomorphism
 Personification
 Plosives
 Sibilance
 Verbs
 Nouns
 Adjectives
 Adverbs
 Slogan
How do we structure analysis paragraphs?

Point

Evidence

Analysis

Close analysis

Effect on the audience