Just as there are many kinds of things that need explaining, there are different ways to write explanatory text. An article about the benefits of solar power, for example, would be written differently than instructions for building a rocking chair. Some explanatory texts explain why something happened, some teach you how to accomplish a new skill, and still others highlight the differences between facts or concepts. Some common approaches to explanation are described in the table below.
| Description | Goes beyond general facts and into specialized knowledge about a subject |
| Sequence | Describes the stages in a process, the steps in a procedure, or historical events |
| Comparison/Contrast | Explains the similarities and differences between two or more objects or concepts |
| Cause and Effect | Explains the connections between events and their outcomes or consequences |
Question
Why is it helpful for writers to know the different categories of explanatory text?
When explanatory text is needed as part of an article or report, a writer can more easily decide how to organize the details about a topic if he or she is familiar with the most common ways of explaining.
