What Is Informative and Explanatory Text?

Informative and explanatory text both are an important part of writing. Both informative text and explanatory text fall in the category of non-fiction text. In many aspects, informative and explanatory text are similar yet they also are slightly different. Students must know what informative and explanatory text is and should know how to write such type of text. Given below is an in-depth explanation of both of these texts along with the main differences between them:

Informative Text

Informative text is an important part of any piece of writing. As the name suggests, the primary purpose of the informative text is to inform the reader about the content. In the informative text, a writer tries to inform the reader about the specific topic. Informative text can include fact, figures, extra details, relevant research, and any other necessary information about the topic. To make informative text interesting, a writer can write the most important points in bold or can add visual content in it. The quality of informative text depends upon the accuracy and correctness of the content. In the case of fiction, informative text is not that important as that in nonfiction.

Explanatory Text

The explanatory text also is a very important part of the content. Explanatory text, as its name implies, explains the topic. The explanatory text includes an explanation regarding any processor which can explain the event happening in the content and how is it happening. For the explanatory text, it is always preferred to write easy words, choose simple sentence structures, and to keep the text brief, so that the reader can understand it easily. Like informative text, the quality of explanatory text also depends upon the accuracy and correctness of the content. Explanatory text in case of fiction is not much significant, but in nonfiction, its importance cannot be degraded.

What is the Informative/Explanatory Form of Writing?

You might have come across the term informative or explanatory form of writing in your English class. It is a formal style of writing. An explanatory or informative form of writing contains information and arguments on specific topics. These essays tend to educate the reader. They are filled with informational text that could be helpful for the reader. Explanatory and informative essays have written structures similar to expository essays. You have to start with a detailed introduction followed by a body of paragraphs containing the supporting information. It concludes with the relevance and significance of the topic.

In an informative or explanatory essay, you give information in different forms. You can use different techniques to support your argument. For example:

Comparison and Contrast

You can take two elements and mention their similarities and difference with facts. Then, you can mention your own or an expert's analysis regarding the topic.

Cause and Effect Form

You can describe the cause and effect of a particular element that you are writing about. You can mention how it can have certain consequences.

Definition Form

You can mention a detailed definition of the element you are writing on. After that, you can mention descriptions and facts to support the text.

Descriptive Form

In the descriptive form, you can include detailed descriptions about the topic. You will have to mention even the smallest details about it.

Sequence Form

In the sequence form, you have to write in a specific order. You can either discuss a process or some chain of events.

Problem and Solution Form

In the problem and solution form, you start with the problem. You mention the issue in an introductory statement. Further, describe it a little and then you mention the possible solutions for it.

How to Write a Title for an Informative Text?

Informative texts are one of the non-fiction forms of writing that provide information on a specific topic. Such texts are also known as expository texts as they expose some new information to the reader. Unlike fiction texts, informative texts do not make use of any character. They are mainly written with a sole purpose and that is to educate the audience about a certain social or any real-world subject matter. These informative texts are a distinctive type of writing found in several forums e.g., the yearbook of the university, the travel guide, manual of an agency, etc.

For informative texts, the most important thing is the title because they should be read by the audience for their ease and to increase their knowledge on a subject. Following are some tips to make an eye-catching title for an informative text.

Introduce the Topic

The first and the most important tip is to mention the subject matter in the title. Tell the audience that this is what they will be reading. Mentioning the topic in the title will give an assurance to the audience that they are going in the right direction.

Keep the Title Short

Do not lengthen the title, select a short and a simple title for the informative text. Try to get straight to the topic and avoid adding extra points. A Long and vague title will make the reader lose his or her attention.

Mention a Benefit

Mentioning a benefit is the most workable technique. It means to provide your audience with what they need. Do not write the features, only mention the most important use of the informative text in the subtitle or title if possible.

Create Awareness

Another important and interesting way is to increase curiosity in the reader through the title. Tell the audience that they are not aware of the information that is written in the text e.g., the title can be, “Discover some new scientific inventions”. This title is short and simple yet stating the clear subject matter and evoking the reader's interest.