Reports
Reports are written to describe the way things are (or were). They can describe
a range of natural, cultural, or social phenomena.
A report usually consists of the following:
- an opening general classification, "Exeter is a city in Devon";
- a more technical classification (optional), "A city holds a Royal
Charter"; and
- a description often including
- qualities
- parts and their function
- habits and behaviour or uses.
It is usually written
- in the present tense (unless the report concerns things from the past),
- in non-chronological order,
- focusing on generic participants (groups of things),
- using "being" and "having" clauses.
Go back to the introduction
Reading Online, www.readingonline.org
Posted May 1998
© 1998-2000 International Reading Association, Inc. ISSN 1096-1232