What is the Difference Between Expository and Narrative?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between expository and narrative writing lies in how the ideas and information are presented. Here are the key differences between the two writing styles:
Expository Writing:
- Focuses on explaining, describing, or informing in a clear and accessible fashion.
- Primarily presents factual information, often involving research, and has a more formal style.
- Can be characterized by being concise and simple, with no room for fiction and descriptive literary tools.
- Examples include textbooks, encyclopedia articles, and scientific publications.
Narrative Writing:
- Tells a story or conveys an experience, often involving characters, plot, setting, conflict, and resolution.
- Can be both factual and fictional, with a more creative and versatile approach.
- Often presents information and events in chronological sequence, but can also include flashbacks or shifts between time periods.
- Examples include novels, short stories, poems, and personal narratives.
In summary, expository writing focuses on informing and educating readers with factual information, while narrative writing engages readers in a storytelling format that can be both factual and fictional.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Expository and Narrative? Comparative Table: Expository vs Narrative
Comparative Table: Expository vs Narrative
Here is a table that highlights the differences between expository and narrative writing styles:
Feature | Expository Writing | Narrative Writing |
---|---|---|
Purpose | Explains, describes, or informs | Tells a story or conveys an experience |
Structure | Organized, clear, and accessible | Often chronological, but can also be non-chronological |
Factual Content | Mostly factual | Can be both fact and fiction |
Emotional Appeal | Limited emotional appeal | Often includes characters, settings, conflicts, and themes |
Style | Descriptive | Storytelling |
In summary, expository writing focuses on presenting information and explaining a topic, while narrative writing focuses on telling a story and conveying an experience.
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- Narrative vs Plot
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- Argumentative vs Expository Essay
- Narrative vs Recount
- Essay vs Short Story
- Fiction vs Nonfiction
- History vs Story
- Explain vs Describe
- Showing vs Telling in Writing
- Novel vs Short Story
- Plot vs Story
- Technical Writing vs Literary Writing
- Literature vs Fiction
- Novel vs Fiction
- Journalism vs Creative Writing
- Report vs Essay