Understanding Narrative Texts: Types and Functions Explained

The narrative is a type of text that includes real or fictional events that happen to characters in a certain space and time.

The narrator is the person who has the facts.

Types of Narrators

• External Omniscient Narrator: An outside observer.
• Internal Narrator Protagonist: A character within the story.
• Internal Narrator Minor Character: A secondary character's perspective.

Narrative Dialogue

The narrative dialogue is when the author presents directly the words of the characters in the story.

• Direct Style: Plays the exact words characters say.
• Speech: The narrator tells us what was said by the characters.
• Free Indirect Style: A mix between the two.
• Monologue: A character talks to themselves or directs someone without expecting an answer.

Description in Narrative

The description shows in words a reality and abstract concepts.

The types of description are:

• Technical Description: Has a practical purpose.
• Literary Description: Has an aesthetic purpose.

Depending on the topic, people can be:

• Prosopography: Physical description.
• Etopeya: Psychological description.
• Portrait: Both physical and psychological description.
• Caricature: Exaggeration of features.

According to the landscape theme, descriptions can be static or dynamic, depending on whether there is movement or not.

Expository Text

The expository text is designed to inform and provide knowledge about a topic. It can be informative or scientific in nature.

Structure: Logical, chronological, or hierarchical.

Argumentative Text

The argumentative text aims to express an opinion.

Modal Verb Combinations:

• Obligation: (have to, must)
• Assumption: (duty to, come to)

Aspectual combinations include:

• Income: A starting point.
• Inchoative: Start time.
• Recurring: Repeated actions.
• Durative: In development.
• Perfective: Finished actions.

Passive voice examples include: (is ... is ...)

Instructional Text

The instructional text helps the receiver regulate their conduct in the future. It is objective and provides instructions in logical or chronological order.

Predicative Sentences

Predicative sentences can be:

• Active: Transitive (take CD).
• Reflective: Reflexive pronouns (me, you, us).
• Reciprocal: More than one subject performing the same action.

Adverbs in Writing

Adverbs are invariable words that describe place, time, manner, quantity, affirmation, denial, doubt, and interrogative or exclamatory contexts.

Syntactic Functions of the Adverb: Accessories, switches.