Features of genres 2
Human
interest
story
Layout: headline followed by body of the text / columns / accompanying photograph / caption / use of different fonts/sizes / first word in capitals / use of dashes /- short / sentence length paragraphs
Organisation: - first two sentences clarify headline and summarise text (i.e. paragraphs 1 and 2 explain 5 weddings and underlying reason). / Successive sentences add more detail / problem presented at the beginning with happy endings at the end. / - starts off with a home truth / - ends with an evaluation / a quote from a participant \ - describes events in chronological order / this parallels anecdotal approach to a story / - one idea per paragraph
Grammatical/lexical: - direct speech / quotes to provide immediacy and comment / - reporting structures / - headline language (e.g. ellipsis - 5 for price of 1) / - clichés / - use of appropriate range of tenses for presenting a human-interest story (e.g. present simple, past simple, present continuous, will for future) NB candidate must mention 2 examples
Style / - humour (e.g. at least one perfect wedding, 'misuse' of clichés from other contexts - grand tour) / - informal/colloquial/spoken because of anecdotal nature (e.g. big bash, packed off, chances are)
Content: - Incidental information about people involved (e.g. age, hometown, names of parents) / - Facts interspersed with opinions and comments / - Surprise / cryptic element in headline / personalisation in headline (we're) / - Shared cultural referencing (e.g. got down on one knee)
Informal email
Lexis: May contain spelling/punctuation errors. Also, vague/colloquial/idiomatic/informal language.
Grammar: Complex structures like relative clauses may be replaced by brackets which serve as asides.
Stylistic features: Formulaic openings/closings "Lots of love" etc Ellipsis common and sentences may be short. Words written in capitals for effect, and may be lots of exclamation marks. May contain discourse markers more common in spoken discouse "well" "by the way". Abbreviations/ contractions/ numerals all common.
Interview
Layout: (Picture, Title/heading, Different fonts / bolding for questions/non-bold for answers)
Organisation: - Organisation structure i.e. Brief introduction, followed by rest of article, with promotion at end (for Jimmy's show) - Question and answer format e.g. Do you enjoy cooking? I do Content - Preferences / experiences e.g. What food reminds you of your childhood? [...] desserts that my mum used to make [...] - Humorous anecdote e.g. eating white mouse - Lack of controversial content / positive content (to promote Jimmy Osmond) e.g. food / family /family man - Tidied up (spoken) language e.g. no hesitations devices / no repetition / no rephrasing
Lexical/grammatical: - Direct speech e.g. What's your favourite recipe? - Pun in the title i.e. CelebrityBites (what the celebrity eats vs. sound-bites) - Expressions/adverbs/adjectives to express attitude/feelings/opinions e.g. it's fun,unfortunately, it's so yummy, it's amazing - Person reference e.g. you in questions and I in answers - Short answers / question tags e.g. I do, isn't it?
Discourse - Contractions / ungrammatical sentences / vague language / fillers e.g. it's like a big art project, that's totally my mum, stuff, and boy - Short sentences / simple linking devices / parataxis e.g. and Graphological - Punctuation e.g. exclamation marks / dashes
News stories
Content: news/ current affairs/ celeb gossip.
Layout: may have pictures. In tabloids, the picture may portray a person in comical/ unflattering way/ Headlines which may contain elliptic articles.
Lexis: Neutral. Possible use of compounds (tabloids) "quick-thinking Alex".
Organisation: Headline. First sentence is an elaboration of HL. Background then sketched in. Events not chronological. Tabloids - short sentences, may be one sentence per paragraph. May end with a moral.
Grammar: HL often present simple. First sentence often present perfect. Background often past simple and past perfect. Often has very long noun phrases containing a lot of information. May have long complex/compound sentences.