Report writing

Reports: Information Texts (Factual Descriptions)

(With thanks to Rosa who published this on her blog)

The purpose of a report or information text is to describe facts. You can describe people, animals, places, events and objects.

The person writing the report informs the readers about the characteristics of the person, animal, object, place or event being described.

The readers read reports to get more information about those people, animals, etc.

Because we are dealing with facts, things that are always true, the verbs are usually in the present simple.

Because we are describing, we often use the verbs to be and to have.

Because we are talking about those people, animals, etc in general-not in a particular point in time-the participants (the people, animals, etc described) are used in a general way. If we are talking about Kangaroos, for example, we say Kangaroos are marsupial..., we don't say that the kangaroo is a marsupial.

You always start a report by introducing the topic you are going to talk about and telling the readers what that is (classification). You don't have to say Today I'm going to talk about kangaroos. You can start like this: Kangaroos are Australian marsupials.....

After the introduction you can have one paragraph to describe each different aspect (part) of the thing you are describing. For example one paragraph to describe what kangaroos look like, one to describe their habitat (where they live), one to describe their eating, procreating habits or characteristics.

The most important things to remember are:

STRUCTURE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION:
A statement of fact . It will include the name, group, topic: A Healthy Lifestyle is ..

DESCRIPTION OF PART #

One paragraph for each different part.

Exercise, what it is and examples
Diet, what it is and examples
Mental wellbeing, what it is and examples

LANGUAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Simple present & relational verbs (be, have, includes, consists of,...)

Swimming is good for ....Joggers have ... There are many foods....

Generic nouns
People... Doctors.... Children... A healthy diet...

Noun groups (article+adjectives+noun)
The mental health system...

Circumstances of place (where), time (when)
Twice a week ... . In the evening or at night ....

Circumstances of manner (how)
Everyone can keep healthy by exercising regularly.