Halliday’s

 Functions  of  Language  

Function     Examples     Classroom  

Experiences    
Instrumental     "I  want  to  ..."   Problem  solving,    
language  is  used  to   gathering  materials,    
communicate  preferences,   role  playing,  
choices,  wants,  or  needs     persuading  
Personal   "Here  I  am  ...."   Making  feelings  
 language  is  used  to   public  and  
express  individuality     interacting  with  
others  
Interactional     "You  and  me  ...."   Structured  play,  
language  is  used  to   "I'll  be  the  cashier,   dialogues  and  
interact  and  plan,  develop,   ...."   discussions,    
or  maintain  a  play  or  group   talking  in  groups  
activity  or  social  
relationship  
Regulatory   "Do  as  I  tell  you  ...."   making  rules  in  
 language  is  used  to   "You  need  ...."   games,  giving  
control     instructions,  
teaching  
Representational   "I'll  tell  you."   Conveying  messages,  
Use  language  to  explain     "I  know."   telling  about  the  real  
world,  expressing  a  
proposition  
Heuristic   "Tell  me  why  ...."   Question  and  
language  is  used  to  find   "Why  did  you  do   answer,  routines,  
things  out,  wonder,  or   that?"   inquiry  and  research  
hypothesize     "What  for?"    
 
Imaginative   "Let's  pretend  ...."   Stories  and  
language  is  used  to  create,   "I  went  to  my   dramatizations,  
explore,  and  entertain     grandma's  last   rhymes,  poems,  and  
night."   riddles,  nonsense  
and  word  play  
 

 
Michael  Halliday  (1975)