The modes describe the writer’s purpose for writing. Each mode has a number of forms of writing—specific documents that accomplish the purpose.
| Mode | Purpose | Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | To explore thoughts and feelings | Journal, Blog, Learning Log |
| Narrative | To tell a true story about people in a place and time having an experience | Narrative Paragraph, Personal Narrative, Biographical Narrative |
| Explanatory (Expository) | To inform about a topic or explain how something works | Explanatory Paragraph, Explanatory Essay, How-To, Comparison-Contrast, Cause-Effect |
| Persuasive (Argument) | To express an opinion, convince readers to agree, or evaluate something | Persuasive Paragraph, Persuasive Essay, Argument, Problem-Solution |
| Response to Literature | To review or analyze a book, poem, play, movie, or other artwork | Book Report, Book Review, Literary Analysis, Movie Review |
| Research | To deeply explore a topic using multiple sources and expressing findings | Summary, Report, Research Paper |
| Creative | To express human experience through artistic use of language | Story, Play, Poem, Song |
| Business | To communicate and track key information in the workplace | Email, Letter, Memo, Report, Proposal, Resume |