Text Types (Formal)
This text type requires a formal salutation, a clear statement of purpose, and a sign-off like "Yours sincerely."
What is a formal letter/email?
A personal, chronological account of events meant for the writer's eyes only, often using "Dear..."
What is a diary/journal?
Instead of saying "get," use this more formal word to describe receiving or gaining something.
What is "obtain" or "acquire"?
A synonym for "very big" that sounds more literary.
What is "enormous," "immense," or "vast"?
While most countries use paper or coins, this element—symbolized by Au on the periodic table—has been used as a standard for currency for thousands of years.
What is Gold?
Written to persuade an audience, this type often uses rhetorical questions, direct address ("You"), and a call to action.
What is a speech?
This involves an exchange between two or more people and is usually transcribed for a magazine or website.
What is an interview?
A more sophisticated alternative to the word "show."
What is "demonstrate," "illustrate," or "reveals"?
Use this word to describe someone who is "hard-working" and pays great attention to detail.
What is "diligent" or "meticulous"?
Originally discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928, this was the world’s first "true" antibiotic, revolutionized medicine during WWII, and is derived from a common mold.
What is Penicillin?
This structured text evaluates a topic from multiple perspectives, usually ending with a balanced conclusion.
What is an essay?
This text type aims to share a personal experience or opinion with an online community and allows for comments.
What is a blog post?
Move over "think"—this word suggests deep, careful consideration over time.
What is "contemplate" or "ponder"?
A synonym for "dangerous" that adds a sense of immediate risk.
What is "perilous" or "treacherous"?
This famous playwright is credited with adding over 1,700 words to the English language.
Who is William Shakespeare?
Often found in a workplace context, this type includes subheadings, a "To / From / Date / Subject" header, and objective findings.
What is a report?
Written for a specific publication, it requires a catchy headline, a byline, and an engaging lead paragraph.
What is an article?
Use this word instead of "change" when describing a slight modification to a plan or document.
What is "alter" or "amend"?
Instead of saying a situation is "confusing," use this word to imply it is extremely complicated.
What is "perplexing" , "exasperating" or "convoluted"?
This was the machine was used by Germany to send encrypted messages during WWII.
What is the Enigma machine?
This persuasive text type is written specifically to a person of authority to propose a solution to a problem, often requiring a formal heading, a clear rationale, and a budget or timeline.
What is a proposal?
This text type is a creative exploration of a "what if" scenario or a personal reflection, often published in a collection; it prioritizes narrative flow and emotional resonance over a rigid structure.
Narrative / short story (Not a IB HL text type)
This is a synonym for "start"
What is "originate" / "commencement"?
A high-level synonym for "brief" or "short-lived," often used to describe memories, moments, or trends.
What is "ephemeral" or "transient"?
In physics, this term describes the theoretical temperature at which all particle motion stops, measured as 0 Kelvin.
What is Absolute Zero?