2.1 Information report 1 - structure and language features
Social purpose: To classify and/or describe natural, manufactured and/or social phenomena
Fish
| Text structure General statement of classification |
Fish 1are cold-blooded animals which 1have backbones and live in either 4fresh or salt water. There 1are two main groups of fish, one with 2skeletons made of cartilage and the other with skeletons made of bone. 2Cartilaginous fish 1include sharks and rays, but the vast majority of fish 1belong to the 2teleost group. They 1are 4bony fish. | Language features 1. relating verbs to describe and classify; use of 'timeless' present tense |
| Description:
appearance |
Because they are adapted for life in the water, many fish 1have a streamlined 4cylindrical shape and a fairly smooth skin. Overlapping scales are embedded in the 5skin and form an outer 4protective covering. Instead of lungs and legs, fish 1have 2gills and 2fins. | 2. technical terms
3. adverbials to build description |
Behaviour: movement |
A fish swims6 by using its muscles to move its body from side to side. With the help of its tail, it 6pushes 3backwards and 3sideways against the water and 6propels itself 3forwards. The 5fins help with balance and steering. | 4. adjectives to build description |
| breathing | Like other animals, fish need 2oxygen to breathe and do so by extracting the 5oxygen which is present in water. They 6suck in water through the mouth and 6force it out through their gills on either side of its head. | 5. general nouns |
| breeding | The 5eggs of bony fish are fertilised outside the female's body. Some groups6 lay their eggs 3in the water and the males then 6fertilise them with their sperm. Others 6prepare nests and look after their young, guarding their breeding and feeding territories. | 6. action verbs to describe behaviours |