The Modes of Discourse

The Traditional Modes of Discourse is a fancy way of saying writers and speakers rely on four overarching modes:
Description, Narration, Exposition, and Argumentation. Exposition has many supporting and clarifying modes of
discourse, listed in italics below.

Description
This is the first of the four traditional modes of discourse. The point of description is to paint a verbal picture and tell
what things are like. This mode tends to rely on spatial order (top to bottom, left to right, etc.). But the item can be
described based on the order of importance.

Narration
This is the second of the four traditional modes of discourse. The point of narration is to tell a story. this mode relies
mostly on chronology (time order) or order of importance.

Exposition
This is the third of the four traditional modes of discourse. Exposition is its own rhetorical mode and one of the four
main modes of discourse. However, it is also the main one that acts as a mother mode to several baby modes (please
note that mother and baby are used by me alone. The babies can certainly stand on their own as adults). So exposition
serves as an umbrella term for several modes including itself. The list below is not exhaustive.

Exemplification (Illustration)
Exemplification is also called illustration because the writer uses examples to highlight or explain (illustrate) his or
her point. Exemplification is most often used as part of other rhetorical modes.

Cause/Effect (Cause/Result)
The mode of cause/effect traces reasons (causes) and outcomes or results (effects).

Comparison/Contrast (Contrast)
Comparison/Contrast looks at similarities (comparison) and differences (contrast). Because anytime you look at
comparing something differences are assumed by what is said or not, this mode is often just called "contrast."

Definition (Extended Definition)

Definition is based on explaining a term, concept, idea, etc. Since obviously providing a one sentence definitions is
not enough for a whole paper, one needs to provide examples (see exemplification/illustration above). That is why
sometimes this mode goes by the name "extended definition."

Division/Classification
Division/Classification is much like comparison/contrast, except two or more items are examined.

Process (Process Analysis)

Process explains how something is done. At times a whole essay can be written explaining how something is done or
accomplished. But in order to really flesh it out, it needs analysis, which is why this mode is also called "process
analysis." Therefore, the writer needs to extend the process to include why things are done or happen when they do
and why that might be important.

Problem/Solution
Problem/Solution is concerned with presenting or highlighting an issue (problem) and how it was/is resolved
(solution).

Argumentation
This is the fourth of the four traditional modes of discourse. The point of argumentation is to convince the reader with
logic.