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Genre Families

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Home » Writing for a Purpose

Genre Families

The 13 types of student writing that the BAWE (British Academic Written English Corpus) research has identified are often referred to as Genres or Genre Families.

The 13 Genre Families that have been identified are:

  • Explanations
  • Exercises
  • Literature Surveys
  • Methodology Recounts
  • Research Reports
  • Essays
  • Critiques
  • Event Recounts
  • Public Engagement
  • Case Studies
  • Design Specifications
  • Problem Questions
  • Proposals

They can be related to the five Primary Purposes explained earlier.

LearnEnglish Subscription: self-access courses for professionals

  • Genre Families: Introduction
  • Genre Families: Information
  • Genre Families: Descriptions
  • Genre Families: Assignment Brief
  • Genre Families: Specific Purpose
  • Genre Families: Keywords
Back Next

Writing for a Purpose

  • Introduction
  • Primary Purposes
  • Genre Families
    • Genre Families: Introduction
    • Genre Families: Information
    • Genre Families: Descriptions
    • Genre Families: Assignment Brief
    • Genre Families: Specific Purpose
    • Genre Families: Keywords
  • Your Writing Task
  • Disciplines
  • Resources
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