Textual Types: Grammatical

Image of a book and a pen

Relevance of the Theme

Grammatical Textual Types are vital tools that help compose the understanding and expression of the Portuguese language. Through the study of these types, it is possible to develop writing that meets specific communication needs, whether informative, persuasive, narrative, among others.
This theme is a crucial milestone in the Portuguese curriculum, as it builds the foundation for understanding the various textual genres. Understanding each type of text grammatically is the key to understanding how language is shaped and contextualized.

In the 1st year of High School, the Portuguese discipline seeks to deepen the knowledge already acquired in Elementary School, preparing students for a series of linguistic challenges in the coming years, whether in other university courses or in the job market.
This theme fits into the broader context of the study of the Portuguese language, specifically regarding textual production. It connects directly with previous topics, such as grammar, syntax, and morphology, integrating all this knowledge into the practice of writing and reading real texts.
Understanding Grammatical Textual Types is fundamental for understanding textual genres, which will be addressed throughout the curriculum. It is an essential part of the 'toolbox' that every student of the Portuguese language should possess.

What are Grammatical Textual Types?
- Grammatical Textual Types are the classification of texts according to the basic structure and predominant linguistic characteristics. They are divided into five major groups: narrative, descriptive, argumentative, expository, and injunctive. Each type differs in how it organizes ideas and arguments, and in how it presents facts.
Narrative Texts
- These are texts that tell stories, real or fictional. They are marked by the presence of characters, a plot, actions that unfold over time, and a resolution. The language is marked by the verb in the past tense.
Descriptive Texts
- They describe characteristics of people, objects, places. They use adjectives and adverbs to enrich the descriptions. The language is static and abundantly uses verbs of state.
Argumentative Texts
- They aim to persuade, convince the reader of a point of view. They use arguments, facts, data, and examples. The language is often imperative and carries a greater emotional charge.
Expository Texts
- They aim to explain, inform about a certain subject, concept, or phenomenon. They use resources such as definition, exemplification, comparison, among others. The language is direct, objective.
Injunctive (or Instructional) Texts
- They aim to indicate to the reader how to perform or proceed regarding something. The language is marked by the verb in the imperative and by the use of adverbs of manner that guide the reader's action.

Textual Types - Classification of texts according to the basic structure and predominant linguistic characteristics.
Textual Genre - Category of texts defined by their thematic content, communicative purpose, and style.
Grammar - Set of rules that govern the use of a language.

Example of a Narrative Text
- "Once upon a time, there was a girl named Clara. She lived in a small house near the forest. One day, while walking through the forest, Clara found a white rabbit that could talk..."
Example of a Descriptive Text
- Description of a photo: "In the photo, there is a beautiful landscape. In the foreground, a river with crystal clear waters. In the background, mountains covered in green. In the sky, clouds of various shapes and shades of white..."
Example of an Argumentative Text
- "Animals must be protected from abuse. They cannot express themselves or defend themselves. We need to create stricter laws and punish more severely those who mistreat animals..."
Example of an Expository Text
- "What is an eclipse? An eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs when a celestial body passes between another body and a source of light, temporarily obscuring the observer's view..."
Example of an Injunctive Text
- "To make a chocolate cake, you will need: 250g of flour, 200g of sugar, 200g of butter, 4 eggs, 100g of cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt. Follow the instructions: mix the butter with the sugar until it forms a cream..."

Importance of Text Classification: Grammatical textual types contribute to the understanding and improvement of written language. Each type has characteristics that differentiate it from others, and by identifying them, the reader can interpret the text more appropriately to the context.
Narrative Texts: These are texts that have a structure that allows for the telling of facts, real or imaginary, with a beginning, middle, and end. Their narrative is marked by the use of the past tense, indicating an action or state completed in the past.
Descriptive Texts: They characterize people, objects, places, among others. Their language is more static, with the presence of verbs of state (to be, to be, to seem).
Argumentative Texts: Aim to convince, persuade. They present arguments organized in a logical and persuasive way, using convincing resources (data, facts, examples, comparisons, among others).
Expository Texts: Seek to inform, clarify, explain. Neutrality and objectivity are marks of these texts, which basically use the referential function of language for the transmission of knowledge.
Injunctive Texts (or Instructional): These are texts that indicate to the reader how to proceed regarding something. Their language is marked by the use of the verb in the imperative, which expresses an order, a request, advice, a recommendation.

Differentiation of Textual Types: Each grammatical textual type has particularities that characterize it and differentiate it from others. By recognizing these characteristics, the reader will be able to interpret the texts more accurately, adapting their understanding to the context in which the text is inserted.
Connection with Textual Genres: Grammatical textual types are fundamental pillars for understanding textual genres. By mastering textual types, it is possible to perceive the nuances and particularities of each textual genre, expanding the repertoire of the reader and the writer.

Text Analysis: Provide students with a variety of texts and ask them to identify the predominant grammatical textual type in each one and what justifies this classification.
Text Production: Ask students to produce a brief text, in each of the five textual types, on the same topic. Then, discuss the differences between the texts produced, emphasizing the characteristics of each textual type.
Identification of Textual Types: Provide students with a set of isolated sentences and ask them to identify which textual type each sentence belongs to. This exercise will help reinforce the understanding of the characteristics that define each textual type.