This document provides information on various types of informational texts. It begins by defining informational structure as how information within a written text is organized to give the reader a mental picture through detailed descriptions. It then discusses four main types of informational texts: literary nonfiction, expository, argument or persuasion, and procedural. Each type is defined and examples are provided. The document aims to classify different informational texts and structures.

1. VARIOUS TYPES OF
INFORMATIONAL OR
FACTUAL TEXTS

2. Guess the Mystery Word

3. Informational Structure
■Informational Structure refers
to how the information within a
written text is organized. It
features a detailed description
of something to give the reader
a mental picture.

5. 1. What do you think is the purpose of this
text?
2. How do we classify this informational text
or structure?
3. What do the following expressions
mean?
a. A cold shoulder
b. Break a leg

6. The writer is narrating a certain
story or event. Right? How can
you tell? How are the events in the
text arranged?

7. Informational text
■ Informational text is defined as text with the
primary purpose of expressing information
about the arts, sciences, or social studies.
This text ranges from newspaper and
magazine articles to digital information to
nonfiction trade books to textbooks and
reference materials.

8. ■ There are specifically four types of
informational text: literary nonfiction,
expository, argument or persuasion, and
procedural.

9. Literary nonfiction
■ Literary nonfiction includes shorter texts, such as
“personal essays, speeches, opinion pieces,
essays about art or literature, biographies,
memoirs, journalism, and historical, scientific,
technical, or economic accounts (including digital
sources) written for a broad audience.”
Autobiographies, biographies, other narrative
nonfiction, informational picture books, and
informational poetry often fit into this category.

10. Narration
■ Narration is the telling of
a story. The purpose of
which is to entertain, to
gain and to take hold of
the reader’s interest. You
have noticed all the
events are arranged
chronologically. This is
called a NARRATIVE

11. Procedural Texts
■ Procedural texts provide step-by-step guidelines
that describe how to complete a task. They often
include a materials-needed section and graphics
that illustrate the process, as found in Doug
Stillinger’s The Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes.
Jane Drake and Ann Love’s Get Outside provides
readers with rules for games and directions for
making things like bird feeders, kites, and
sundials.

12. Expository Texts
■Expository texts inform, explain, and
expose. They utilize various text
structures, such as description,
cause and effect, comparison and
contrast, problem and solution,
question and answer, and temporal
sequence.

13. Argument or Persuasion Texts
■ Argument or persuasion texts provide evidence
with the intent of influencing the beliefs or
actions of the target audience. These texts
typically include claims, evidence, and warrants
to explain how the evidence is linked to the
claims. Writers of persuasion or argument also
make appeals—appeals to the author’s
credibility, to the audience’s needs, or to reason
and evidence.

14. Activity: I Heard Them Right!
Directions: With your groupmates, read
the text in front of the class. As you read,
ask the other groups to listen and tell
them to identify what type of informational
text you are reading. Let them write their
answer on a “show me board.”