Expository Text Features

WHAT IS EXPOSITORY TEXT?

Non-fiction (True!)

Informative

Analytical

Descriptive

It can be…boring

Expository text can range from many categories including history, science, sports, biographies, and any other non-fiction source. By the end of this lesson, all of you should be able to explain expository text and identify the various features that help when reading expository text.

WHERE IS IT FOUND?

Expository text can be found in many different informational resources including:

Academic websites

Textbooks

Almanacs

WHERE IS IT FOUND? (CONTINUED)

Encyclopedias

Newspapers

Biographies

As well as any other non fiction text. If you are learning, it’s probably expository!

HOW TO READ EXPOSITORY TEXT

Look for expository text features, or “clues,” that will help you to understand the reading material. Some features are:

Photographs

Headlines and titles

Footnotes

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1 A footnote appears at the bottom of a text beside a number (in order), and tends to provide background information on a subject, or provides references as to where material was gathered from.

Captions (Often appear below pictures)

FEATURES (CONTINUED)

Graphs and tables

Maps

Table of Contents

CONTINUED…

Bolded words

• Bullets or symbols

Glossary

FEATURES EXPLAINED

Each of these helpful features can be a useful tool in allowing the reader to understand the information

in the text. For the most part, anything on the

page that JUMPS OUT AT YOU or catches your eye is a feature designed to make the

expository text easier to read.

PRACTICE! IDENTIFY THE FEATURES IN THIS SAMPLE TEXT

Source for all text and the picture of Jefferson material, and to see more examples of expository text features: http://www.history.org/Almanack/people/bios/biojeff1.cfm

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PRACTICE! IDENTIFY THE FEATURES IN THIS SAMPLE TEXT1

Source for text, map, and photograph regarding ancient Rome, and for further examples if expository text/historical information: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/romans/the_roman_army/

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REVIEW

Explain why the Thomas Jefferson biography excerpt and the historical information on the Romans is expository

text.

Because it’s non-fiction informational text. (It’s true!)