Dr. Judith M. Newman

Introduction

Expository writing explains. It offers descriptions of events, details cause / effect relationships, sets up comparisons, and so on. If you examine expository texts, you discover there are a relatively few structural patterns used to convey information. When readers recognize these patterns they can quickly scan text for the information they want. These patterns are also helpful for writers—they establish structures which make the conveying of information comprehensive and organized.

You can view an Overview of the structural patterns.

The seven structural patterns are:

• Enumeration
• Question / Answer
• Statement / Elaboration
• Cause / Effect
• Sequence
• Comparison / Contrast
• Problem Statement

Click here for a complex example: The Bug Room [PDF]

 

Overview
Enumeration
Question / Answer
Statement / Elaboration
Cause / Effect
Sequence
Comparison / Contrast
Problem Statement