MODES OF WRITING

Modes of writing, forms of writing, types of writing, domains of writing. Whatever you want to call them, there are different categories for writing. Each mode has a specific purpose. There are four basic modes, descriptive, narrative, expository, and persuasive.

Descriptive Writing

The primary purpose of descriptive writing is to describe a person, place, or event so that the topic can be clearly seen in the reader's mind. The writer must use vivid details that paint a picture for the reader.

Description

Murree is a good example of a state park in Pakistan. Surrounded by the tall, shaded woods of a beautiful hardwood forest, the streams disappear in a large, slowly swirling, tree-lined pool. After appearing intermittently in scattered sinkholes, the stream rises three miles downstream in a big boil, then continues on to meet the river. Nearby, stands of cypress mirror themselves in the still waters, walls of dense river swamp rise before you, sudden sinkholes open in the woodlands-rich with cool ferns and mosses. Farther from the river, expanses of longleaf pinelands stretch across rolling hills. In the midst of this lovely setting, you find 65 campsites, 18 rustic cabins, and a pavilion for group meetings. A diving platform marks a good place to swim in the soft, cool waters of the river, and canoeing up this dark river is like traveling backwards in time in the direction of original Murree that time has ruined.

Comments on description:

Description is not what you saw, but what readers need to see in order to imagine the scene, person, object, etc. Description requires you to record a series of detailed observations. Be especially careful to make real observations. The success of a description lies in the difference between what a reader can imagine and what you actually saw and recorded; from that gap arises a spark of engagement.

What is Islam:

Islam is not simply the name of a religion, the followers of which are called Muslims. The word 'Islam' is an arabic word which in relation to religion means submission. In simple words Islam means submission to God and to follow the instructions conveyed by the Prophet of one's time e.g.Islam at the time of Abrahim (peace be upon him) was to obey the orders of God and to follow the instructions of the Prophet Abrahim (p.b.u.h). Islam at the time of Moses (peace be upon him) was to obey the orders of God and to follow the instructions of the Prophet Moses (p.b.u.h). Islam at the time of Jesus (peace be upon him) was to obey the orders of God and to follow the instructions of the Prophet Jesus (p.b.u.h). In the same manner, Islam after the arrival of the last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is to obey the orders of God and to follow the instructions of the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h).

Use sensory language. Go light on adjectives and adverbs. Look for ways to describe action. Pay special attention to the sound and rhythm of words; use these when you can. Think that your language is not so much describing a thing as describing a frame around the thing--a frame so vivid that your reader can pour his or her imagination into it and "see" the thing--even though you never showed it. Portray. Also evoke.

The key problem in description is to avoid being static or flat. Adopt a strategy that makes your description into a little story: move from far to near, left to right, old to new, or, as in this example, down a river, to give your description a natural flow. Think of description as a little narrative in which the visual characteristics unfold in a natural, interesting, dramatic order. Think of what pieces readers need, in what order, to construct a scene. Try making the description a little dramatic revelation, like watching an actor put on a costume--where you cannot decipher what the costume means until many of the parts are in place.

Describing Character - What's he like? Is she nice?

Exercises: Use the words below to describe what your friends, family and teachers are like. In pairs: one student writes down a description and the other student must guess who it is. careful, hard-working, worried, cheerful, broadminded, active, curious, secretive aggressive, tough, careless, practical, sensible, independent, strong-minded, stupid dull, boring, imaginative, ambitious, crafty, sensitive, gentle, nave, generous, loyal, selfcontrolled, moody, trusting, modest, tolerant, friendly energetic, confident, selfish, shy, stubborn, reliable, clumsy, intelligent

Expository Writing

The primary purpose of expository writing is to provide information such as an explanation or directions.

Exposition

This family was a victim of a problem they could have avoided-a problem that, according to Florida park rangers, hundreds of visitors suffer each year. "Several times a month," ranger Rafael of a State Park said, "people get scared and leave the park in the middle of the night." Those people picked the wrong kind of park to visit. Not that there was anything wrong with the park: The hikers camped next to them loved the wild isolation of it. But it just wasn't the kind of place the couple from sindh had in mind when they decided to camp out on this trip through Murree. If they had known about the different kinds of parks in Abbottabad, they might have stayed in a place they loved.

Comments on exposition:

Exposition is explanatory writing Exposition can be an incidental part of a description or a narration, or it can be the heart of an article Aside from clarity, the key problem with exposition is credibility. What makes your explanation believable? Normally, writers solve this problem by citing authorities who have good credentials and good reason to be experts in the subject.

Responsibility

From 'Umar (radiyAllhu 'anhu) who said that Allh's Messenger (salAllhu 'alaihi wa'sallam) said: "Each of you is a guardian and is responsible for those whom he is in charge of. So the ruler is a guardian and is responsible for his subjects; a man is the guardian of his family and is responsible for those under his care; a woman is a guardian of her husband's home and is responsible for those under her care; a servant is the guardian of his master's wealth and is responsible for that which he is entrusted with; and a man is the guardian of his father's wealth and is responsible for what is under his care. So each one of you is a guardian and is responsible for what he is entrusted with." (16)

This paragraph also happens to serve as the justifier for the little article: the paragraph that, after an indirect opening, specifies the topic of the article, why it is important, and what is to come.

Narrative Writing

The primary purpose of narrative writing is to describe an experience, event, or sequence of events in the form of a story.

Narration

Around 2 a.m. something woke Charles Hanson up. He lay in the dark listening. Something felt wrong. Outside, crickets sang, tree-frogs chirruped. Across the distant forest floated two muffled hoots from a barred owl. It was too quiet. At home in New Jersey, the nights are filled with the busy, comforting sounds of traffic. You always have the comforting knowledge that other people are all around you. And light: At home he can read in bed by the glow of the streetlight. It was too quiet. And much too dark. Even starlight failed to penetrate the 80-foot canopy of trees the camper was parked beneath. It was the darkest dark he had ever seen. He felt for the flashlight beside his bunk. It was gone. He found where his pants were hanging and, as he felt the pockets for a box of matches, something rustled in the leaves right outside the window, inches from his face. He heard his wife, Wanda, hold her breath; she was awake, too. Then, whatever, was outside in the darkness also breathed, and the huge silence of the night seemed to come inside the camper, stifling them. It was then he decided to pack up and move to a motel.

Comments on narration:

Normally chronological (though sometimes uses flashbacks) A sequential presentation of the events that add up to a story. A narrative differs from a mere listing of events. Narration usually contains characters, a setting, a conflict, and a resolution. Time and place and person are normally established. In this paragraph, the "story" components are: a protagonist (Hanson), a setting (the park), a goal (to camp), an obstacle (nature), a climax (his panic), and a resolution (leaving).

Specific details always help a story, but so does interpretive language. You don't just lay the words on the page; you point them in the direction of a story. This narrative serves as the opening anecdote that illustrates the topic of the story.

Persuasive Writing

The primary purpose of persuasive writing is to give an opinion and try to influence the reader's way of thinking with supporting evidence.

Before you go camping in Florida, plan ahead. Don't wind up in the wilds when you want to be near Disney World, and don't wind up on a concrete RV pad when you really want the forest primeval. Find out what parks are available, and what they are like. Get good information on what to expect, and what your options are. This can make all the difference in the quality of your vacation.

Comments on persuasion:

This paragraph is but a small example of the kind of writing used widely in editorials and columns, and it uses a direct approach: Believe Me and Do It! This persuasive paragraph also serves as the ending to this little article and brings a sense of closure in the form of, "OK, now get up and act!"

To persuade people to change their minds or take an action, more is needed than your opinion or sense of conviction. You need to supply them with the information, analysis, and context they need to form their own opinions, make their own judgments, and take action. Remember: Readers are interested in only one opinion--their own. If you can help them formulate and deepen that opinion, they will be glad they read your article.

Steps to persuade yourself

Imagine yourself doing what it is you want to do. Dream of the possibilities. What wonderful outcomes could result from your action?

Tell yourself what you want to hear. If you want to try out for America's Next Top Model, look in the mirror and tell yourself everything that's beautiful about yourself. If you are about to participate in a math competition, tell yourself how smart you are.
Think incessantly about it. Never give yourself a break until the curiosity almost sends you in the way of the cat. You will NEVER find out what could have happened if you don't just get off your E-Z Chair and face the world like a man. (Or woman.) Look good. Even if you just want to draw a rather difficult scene in the confines of your home, brush your hair, take a shower, get dressed up if you want. When you look your best, you feel your best. (This is not optional for social situations.) Listen to energizing or uplifting music. Set the mood for the daring deed you are about to accomplish. If its something physical, right before you do it, let all of your stress and anger loose. Your strength will at least double. Also, if you allow yourself to enter an enraged state, it will unearth unbelievable strength, speed, and endurance. You wont even feel pain.