This document outlines five rhetorical modes: narrative, descriptive, expository, and argumentative. Narrative intends to present an event, descriptive aims to vividly convey sensory experiences, expository seeks to inform or instruct through comparison/contrast, classification/division, definition, process, or cause and effect. Argumentative attempts to change the reader's view by engaging their reasoning or influencing their beliefs and feelings in support of action.

1. Rhetorical Modes
Sometimes Referred to as modes of
discourse.

2. Narrative
 Intention is to
present an event
to the readerwhat happened
and how it
happened.
 May be...
 Short
or long
 Factual or
imagined
 May instruct
and inform,
or simply
divert and
amuse.

3. Descriptive
Intention is to make the reader
as vividly aware as possible
of what the writer has
perceived through the
senses( or in his or her
imagination), to give the “feel”
of things described, the
quality of direct experience.

4. Two Purposes
Descriptive (cont.)
Objective
Description:
~
To convey
information
without bias
or emotion
Subjective
Description:
~
To convey it
with feeling

5. Expository
Intention is to explain or
expose something.
~
Function is to inform, to
instruct, or to set forth ideas.

6. Expository
Can be broken into 5
categories
1. Comparison and Contrast
2. Classification and Division
3. Definition
4. Process
5. Cause and Effect

7. Argumentative
Intention is to make the reader
change his or her mind,
attitude, point of view or
feelings.
~
The terms “Argument” and
“Persuasion” often used
Interchangeably.

8. Argumentative
Argument -aims to win readers’
agreement with an assertion
or claim by engaging their
powers of reasoning.

9. Argumentative
Persuasion –
aims to influence readers’
action, or their support for an
action, by engaging their
beliefs
and feelings.

10. Argumentative
Persuasion –
aims to influence readers’
action, or their support for an
action, by engaging their
beliefs
and feelings.